How can a Google Cloud Python function access a private Python package

1. I am using Google Cloud Function using Python. Several other functions are in production.
2. However, for this, I have additionally created a custom Python package that is available on github as a private repo.
3. I need to install the package in the Google Function

WHAT I HAVE DONE

1. I run the Google Function in local using functions-framework
2. I have a requirements.txt which has a link to the package. This is done by adding the following line to requirements.txt:

    -e git+https://github.com/<repo>/<project>#egg=<project>

3. I run pip install -r requirements.txt. And the package is successfully installed.
4. Now in the python code of the function using import <pkg-name> works and I am able to access all the functions.

CHALLENGES WHEN PUSHING THE FUNCTION TO THE CLOUD

1. As per the documentation, to push the Cloud function to Google Cloud, I issue the command:

gcloud functions 
  deploy <function-name> 
  --trigger-http  
  --entry-point <entry-function> 
  --runtime python37 
  --project=<my-project>

As expected this gives an error because it does not have access to the private repo in git.

2. I created a Google Cloud Repository and linked it to the git repo, hoping that in some way I could specify that in the requirements.txt. Just do not know how.

3. I tried setting environment variables for username and password (not a good idea, I agree) in Google Cloud Function and specify them in the requirements.txt as:

    -e git+https://${AUTH_USER}:${AUTH_PASSWORD}@github.com/<repo>/<project>#egg=<project>

That too gave an error.

Any help or direction will be greatly appreciated.

Answer

You can not access the private repo from cloud function. According to the official documentation:

” Using private dependencies

Dependencies are installed in a Cloud Build environment that does not provide access to SSH keys. Packages hosted in repositories that require SSH-based authentication must be vendored and uploaded alongside your project’s code, as described in the previous section.

You can use the pip install command with the -t DIRECTORY flag to copy private dependencies into a local directory before deploying your app, as follows:

Copy your dependency into a local directory:

pip install -t DIRECTORY DEPENDENCY

Add an empty init.py file to the DIRECTORY directory to turn it into a module.

Import from this module to use your dependency:

import DIRECTORY.DEPENDENCY

“

Specifying dependencies in Python