---
id: adbc-driver-flightsql
version: "1.12.0"
license: Apache-2.0
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# adbc-driver-flightsql — An ADBC driver for working with Apache Arrow Flight SQL.

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 545.9K/mo

## What it is and what it does

This package wraps the Apache Arrow Flight SQL driver with Python bindings, exposing it through adbc-driver-manager as a DBAPI 2.0-compatible interface. It lets you connect to and query Flight SQL databases using standard Python database patterns, similar to how you'd use other database drivers, but for Arrow-native columnar data sources.

The package requires adbc-driver-manager as a runtime dependency and optionally integrates with PyArrow. Installation requires setting an environment variable to locate the native Flight SQL library before pip install runs, which adds setup complexity compared to pure-Python packages. The project is actively maintained as part of the Apache Arrow ecosystem.

Use it for:

- Query Arrow Flight SQL servers from Python applications using standard DBAPI 2.0 patterns
- Build data pipelines that read columnar data from Flight SQL sources into analysis workflows
- Integrate Flight SQL connectivity into tools or frameworks that expect DBAPI drivers
- Access Apache Arrow-based data warehouses or analytical databases from Python

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Provides a DBAPI 2.0-compatible Python interface to Apache Arrow Flight SQL databases via the ADBC driver manager.

Yes, if you need to connect to Apache Arrow Flight SQL servers from Python. The DBAPI 2.0 compatibility makes it straightforward to integrate into existing database code. The medium install friction (native library + environment variable setup) is a one-time cost; the active maintenance, permissive license, and zero known vulnerabilities make it reliable for production use.

## Install

pip install adbc-driver-flightsql
uv add adbc-driver-flightsql
poetry add adbc-driver-flightsql

## Installing adbc-driver-flightsql

Before you install: Medium install friction due to native library dependency. Requires setting ADBC_FLIGHTSQL_LIBRARY environment variable before installation and depends on adbc-driver-manager. Actively maintained with recent releases.

License in practice: Apache-2.0 permissive license allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; suitable for most projects.

Quickstart:

export ADBC_FLIGHTSQL_LIBRARY=/path/to/libadbc_driver_flightsql.so
pip install adbc-driver-flightsql
import adbc_driver_flightsql

Requires setting ADBC_FLIGHTSQL_LIBRARY environment variable to the path of the native Flight SQL library before pip install; requires Python >=3.10

Verify before relying:

- Whether PyArrow is required or truly optional for DBAPI 2.0 functionality
- Performance characteristics and connection pooling capabilities
- Supported Flight SQL server versions and compatibility matrix

## Package facts

- License: Apache-2.0 (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: medium
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 545.9K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

flight sql python driver, arrow flight sql dbapi, adbc flight sql connector, apache arrow database access, flight sql database client, arrow-flight-sql, dbapi-driver, columnar-data

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