Create Blender as a Standalone Python Module

This repo contains a reference Dockerfile to build the Blender bpy module. It also shows how to use the module on the host assuming the Python versions match.

Blender version: 3.3 Python version: 3.10.*

Build Blender BPY Module In Docker

docker build -t blender .
docker run -ti --rm blender bash -c "PYTHONPATH=/pyblender python3 demo.py"

Copy BPY Module To Host

Copy the bpy module from the container to the host. Adjust the BPY_PREFIX variable as you see fit.

# Install dependencies (Ubuntu/Debian).
apt install libdbus-1-dev libegl-dev libembree-dev libfftw3-dev libfreetype6-dev libglew-dev libgmp10-dev libhpdf-dev libjpeg-dev libopenimageio-dev libpng-dev libpotrace-dev libpugixml-dev libtbb-dev libwayland-dev libwebp-dev libx11-dev libxcursor-dev libxi-dev libxinerama-dev libxkbcommon-dev libxrandr-dev libxxf86vm-dev libzstd-dev linux-libc-dev zlib1g

# Specify the host folder for the BPY module.
export BPY_PREFIX=/tmp/bpy

# Create temporary container from Blender image to copy files out of it.
docker run -ti --name blender blender bash -c "exit"
docker cp blender:/pyblender/ $BPY_PREFIX
docker rm blender

# Optional: create a .env file.
echo "PYTHONPATH=$BPY_PREFIX" > .env
unset BPY_PREFIX

You should now be able to use the bpy module in the virtual environment of your choice.

IMPORTANT: the Python versions must match. For Blender 3.3 you need a Python 3.10.* environment.

# Host Python.
source .env
python -c "import bpy"

# Pipenv.
pipenv install
pipenv run python -c "import bpy"