AWS Lambda not importing LXML

Question

I am trying to use the LXML module within AWS Lambda and having no luck. I downloaded LXML using the following command:

pip install lxml -t folder
         


        

Answer 1

The lxml library is os dependent thus we need to have precompiled copy. Below are the steps.

1. Create a docker container.
   docker run -it lambci/lambda:build-python3.8 bash

2. Create a dir named 'lib'(anything you want) and Install lxml into it.
   mkdir lib
pip install lxml -t ./lib --no-deps

3. Open another cmd and run
   docker ps

4. copy the containerid

5. Copy the files from container to host.
   mkdir /home/libraries/opt/python/lib/python3.8/site-packages/
docker cp :/var/task/lib /home/libraries/opt/python/lib/python3.8/site-packages/

6. Now you have lxml copy of files compiled from amazonlinux box, If you like to have lxml as Lambda layer. Navigate to /home/libraries/opt and zip the folder named python. Now you can attach the zip in your lambda as layer.

7. If you want lxml library inside lambda. Navigate to /home/libraries/opt/python/lib/python3.8/site-packages/ and copy the lxml folder in your lambda.