README.md

PythonImportExample

This is the example package used in my blogpost How Imports Work in Python, published in Better Programming, one of the top publications on Medium.

The post discusses:

• what happens when you import a python module
• some key terms associated with Python's import system, like __init__.py and sys.path
• some scenarios that might arise while working with imports
• creating your own package
• and relative vs absolute imports.

The code here is the final result that is achieved in the article.

Contents

The file structure is:

PythonImportExampleProject/
    setup.py
    
    config related files (gitignore, LICENCE, etc.)
    pythonimportexample/
        __init__.py
        file1.py
        file2.py
        subpackage1/
            __init__.py
            file3.py
            file4.py
        subpackage2/
            __init__.py
            file5.py
            file6.py

Modules are imported in the following way:

• file1 into file2
• file3 into file4
• file3 into file5
• file6 into file2
• file2 into file6

Yup, the last one's a circular import.

Usage

1. Clone this repo
2. Navigate to the PythonImportExample directory
3. Install this package

Simply execute:

$ git clone https://github.com/Polaris000/BlogCode.git 
$ cd PythonImportExample
$ pip install -e .

You can find me on medium here.