FEAT: Enhance pipeline dependencies and add Python < 3.13

[bewithgaurav]

ADO Work Item Reference

AB#37821

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Summary

This pull request updates the build and validation pipelines to improve compatibility, streamline database setup, and enhance testing workflows. Key changes include updating Python version specifications, adding support for LocalDB and Docker-based SQL Server configurations, and ensuring pytest is run with proper database connections.

Updates to Python version specifications:

• Updated Python version from 3.13.5 to 3.13 across multiple jobs in eng/pipelines/build-whl-pipeline.yml and eng/pipelines/pr-validation-pipeline.yml, reflecting the availability of the new version. [1] [2] [3]

Database setup enhancements:

• Added steps to start a LocalDB instance, create a database, and configure a user for testing in eng/pipelines/build-whl-pipeline.yml.
• Integrated Docker-based SQL Server setup in both pipelines, including pulling the SQL Server container, starting it, and verifying its operational status. [1] [2]

Testing improvements:

• Ensured pytest runs with appropriate database connection strings for LocalDB and Docker-based SQL Server setups in eng/pipelines/build-whl-pipeline.yml and eng/pipelines/pr-validation-pipeline.yml. Removed reliance on Azure SQL Database for testing on macOS. [1] [2]

Expanded Python version support:

• Added jobs for Python versions 3.10, 3.11, and 3.12 with universal2 architecture for macOS in eng/pipelines/build-whl-pipeline.yml.

[Copilot]

Pull Request Overview

Adds support for building macOS wheels for Python versions 3.12, 3.11, and 3.10 in the existing matrix configuration.

• Introduces py312_universal2, py311_universal2, and py310_universal2 entries with pythonVersion, shortPyVer, and targetArch set to universal2.
• Maintains consistency with the existing macOS universal2 strategy for Python 3.13.
• Leaves room for future version additions in the same pattern.

Comments suppressed due to low confidence (3)

eng/pipelines/build-whl-pipeline.yml:197

• [nitpick] This comment repeats the architecture information already noted above; consider simplifying it to just # Python 3.12 to reduce redundancy.

      # Python 3.12 (universal2 for both arm64 and x86_64)

eng/pipelines/build-whl-pipeline.yml:197

• Don’t forget to update any external documentation or README files to list these newly supported Python versions so users are aware of 3.10, 3.11, and 3.12 support.

      # Python 3.12 (universal2 for both arm64 and x86_64)