Microsoft Fabric Notebooks

What Microsoft Fabric Notebooks is

Microsoft Fabric Notebooks is a web-based interactive coding environment for Apache Spark jobs and machine learning experiments, intended for data engineers and data scientists. Users can work with notebooks, import Jupyter .ipynb files, or use .py, .scala, and .sql source files. Spark supports analysis of CSV, TXT, JSON, Parquet, and Delta Lake data. Notebooks can attach multiple lakehouses, set a default, and read or write using local paths. Collaboration features let multiple users co-edit, view cursors and run output, and comment on individual cells. Copilot can generate, refactor, summarize, and validate notebook code, suggest fixes for failed cells or Spark jobs, and propose changes that require approval. Automation through the Job Scheduler API includes parameterized runs, session and environment configuration, runtime and lakehouse selection, monitoring, and cancellation. NotebookUtils supports file operations across ADLS Gen2, Azure Blob Storage, and Lakehouse storage, and can retrieve Azure Key Vault secrets. Fabric offers a 60-day trial with a fixed 64 CU capacity for each user. Paid use is covered by Fabric capacity, billed by usage or reservation, with storage potentially billed separately. Notebook built-in and environment resource storage each have a 500 MB limit, with files capped at 100 MB and up to 100 file or folder instances each.

Who it suits

It suits data engineers and data scientists who need a web-based surface for Spark jobs, machine learning experiments, and lakehouse data work. Teams needing notebook co-editing, code assistance, or API-based scheduling can also use its listed collaboration and automation functions.

Limits

The free Fabric trial is billed as a 60-day free trial with fixed 64 CU capacity per user. Notebook built-in and environment resource storage are each limited to 500 MB; each file may be at most 100 MB, with up to 100 file or folder instances each. Paid capacity covers notebook use, while storage may be billed separately.

Getting started

1. Open the Microsoft Fabric Notebooks documentation website.
2. Start with the 60-day Fabric trial capacity, or select a paid Fabric capacity option.
3. Use the web interface or API to work with notebooks.
4. Import a Jupyter .ipynb notebook or use a .py, .scala, or .sql source file.
5. Attach one or more lakehouses for notebook data access.

Verdict

Data engineers and data scientists should consider Fabric Notebooks for interactive Spark and machine learning work with lakehouse integration, collaboration, and scheduling tools. Look elsewhere if the 60-day trial capacity or the stated storage and file limits are too restrictive for the intended work.