Chapter 22: Taming the Python Jungle — From Pip to Production

1. Introduction: Why Package Management Matters in NetDevOps

In fact, not only in NetDevOps but also (and especially) in anything that involves Python development!

In the traditional world of network engineering, your tools might have been limited to routers, switches, and command-line interfaces. But in modern infrastructure environments, especially those powered by NetDevOps, automation pipelines, and network-as-code practices, Python has become a foundational skill. Yet learning Python syntax or scripting device configs is only part of the equation. If you're not managing your packages properly, you're building automation on quicksand.

Imagine this: you’ve written a script that backs up BGP configurations using Netmiko and parses outputs with TextFSM. It works beautifully on your laptop. You push it to a Git repo, share it with your team, or even try to run it in a production automation container. Suddenly, the script throws cryptic errors:

• “Module not found: netmiko”

• “TypeError: parse_cli_output() got unexpected keyword argument”

• “AttributeError: module 'yaml' has no attribute 'safe_load_all’”

You start debugging, only to discover your teammates installed different versions of libraries or forgot to install some altogether. Worse yet, your own system silently upgraded a library that broke your code.

This chaos is exactly what Python package management is designed to prevent.

Why You Need It

Package management isn't just a "developer thing." It's a core engineering practice for anyone automating infrastructure. Here’s why it matters, especially in NetDevOps:

• Predictability: You can reproduce the same environment on any machine.

• Portability: Your scripts work the same on your laptop, in the CI pipeline, or in a container.

• Stability: You avoid silent library upgrades that break your scripts.

• Collaboration: Your team can run your code without asking, “What do I need to install?”

• Security: You can audit exactly what packages you’re using and their versions.

In fact, if you’ve ever seen a file named requirements.txt in someone’s GitHub repo, that’s a signal they’re managing their packages. It’s the Python equivalent of a routing policy manifest: documenting what’s needed to make the system function properly.

So, in the next section, we’ll define what a Python package really is and how it fits into your daily life as a network engineer turned automation professional.