ipython-secrets 1.1.1

This package provides functions for using secrets in a Jupyter notebook.

IPython Secrets makes it easier to use secrets in a Jupyter notebook.

The first time get_secret is called, it prompts the user for the password or other secret. After this value is read, it is saved in the system keyring, and the Jupyter output cell is then cleared.

Subsequent calls to get_secret use the saved value. This is true even if they are called in a different process running in the same account – for example, if the machine has been rebooted, or the local Jupyter server has otherwise been shut down and restarted.

Note

Install the gsheet-keyring package to use ipython-secrets on Google Colaboratory: pip3 install gsheet-keyring. The gsheet-keyring package provides a Keyring backend that is backed by Google Sheets. This is necessary since the Colaboratory environment doesn’t provide a persistent file system, or the OS services that the Keyring’s standard and alternative backends rely on.

Warning

This package stores the secret on the Jupyter server. Don’t trust it with secrets you don’t trust the Jupyter server with. (This is true for all means of using a secret in a notebook.)

Warning

The package is intended to reduce the likelihood of accidental disclosure of secrets in notebook source. It won’t secure a secret from code that is running in the notebook; and it won’t keep you from writing code that displays the secret in a notebook output cell – in which case it has been disclosed to whoever can see the notebook.

Install

pip3 install ipython-secrets

Usage

from ipython_secrets import *

TWILIO_API_KEY = get_secret('TWILIO_API_KEY')

Alternatives

Secrets can also be stored in an environment variable, and read from the notebook. This is a best practice for applications (and especially web and other server-side services), but I’ve found it inconvenient for notebooks – the notebook server must be re-started to pick up a new environment variable; and, it complicates the setup instructions for notebook users.

Development

Install Pipenv, and required packages:

$ pip3 install pipenv
$ pipenv install
$ pipenv shell
$ pip install flit

Install locally:

flit install --symlink

Acknowledgements

This package is a thin wrapper around Keyring.

License

MIT