Fix Python syntax check silently skipping all nested packages

[Madhavan N (Madhan0zx)]

Summary

The Python Syntax Check workflow compiles files using a single-level shell glob, so it only ever checked the .py files sitting directly in application/single_app/ and silently skipped every nested package.

Measured on the current tree:

Scope	Files
application/single_app/*.py (what the workflow compiled)	225
application/single_app/**/*.py (all Python files)	269
semantic_kernel_plugins/ (never checked)	44

The workflow's path filter on line 9 (application/single_app/**.py) correctly triggers on nested files, but the step body then compiled nothing. A PR touching only semantic_kernel_plugins/ would report:

✅ All Python files compiled successfully!

without compiling a single file. That package holds every action plugin (mcp_plugin.py, sql_query_plugin.py, openapi_plugin.py, databricks_plugin.py, yamcs_plugin.py, …), which are surfaced to users in docs/reference/actions/index.md.

Changes

• .github/workflows/python-syntax-check.yml — replace the for file in *.py glob with a recursive find that walks the whole tree and excludes __pycache__. Coverage goes from 225 to all 269 Python files.
• functional_tests/test_python_syntax_check_workflow_scope.py — new regression test that guards the discovery logic.

The loop already relied on bash arrays (failed_files=(), ${#failed_files[@]}) and process substitution, so find | sort -z is the same class of construct already in use — no new shell dependencies. Ordering is preserved via sort -z so logs stay readable.

Verification

The exact workflow body was executed against the repository:

• Clean tree: all 269 files compile, exit 0.

• Deliberately broken nested file (semantic_kernel_plugins/_tmp_broken_check.py containing def broken(:):

  ❌ 1 file(s) failed compilation:
    - ./semantic_kernel_plugins/_tmp_broken_check.py
  

  The old workflow would have passed this silently.

The new test reports 3/3 passing, and drops to 2/3 when run against the pre-fix workflow — confirming it actually guards the regression:

$ python functional_tests/test_python_syntax_check_workflow_scope.py
✅ Workflow discovers Python files recursively
✅ Nested packages contribute 44 file(s) that the old glob skipped
✅ Workflow find command discovers all 269 Python file(s)
📊 Results: 3/3 tests passed

The test follows the existing functional test conventions in functional_tests/ (version header, per-test functions, emoji status output, non-zero exit on failure). Its bash-dependent check degrades to a skip when no bash is available rather than failing spuriously.

Notes for reviewers

• The workflow file has zero commit history since 2026-07, so this should not conflict with anything in flight.
• Fix is confined to CI config; no application code, settings, or API behavior changes.
• Per the repo's conventions this would normally come with a config.py version bump and a release notes entry. I deliberately left both out to keep the diff to the CI fix plus its test — happy to add them if maintainers prefer.

[Madhavan N (Madhan0zx)]

@microsoft-github-policy-service agree