Python import multiple modules in one line

Ingrid 14 Published: 10/28/2024

Python import multiple modules in one line

The infamous "import multiple modules in one line" question!

So, you want to know how to import multiple modules at once in Python. Well, I'm happy to help! Here's the lowdown:

Why bother?

Before we dive into the code, let me ask: why would you even want to import multiple modules at once? Are you trying to reduce the amount of boilerplate code or something?

Well, truth be told, there isn't much difference in terms of performance between importing individual modules and importing them all at once. It's all just a matter of personal preference!

How to do it!

Now that we've got our "why" out of the way, let's get to the fun part – the code!

To import multiple modules at once, you can simply separate the module names with commas:

import math, statistics, random

This will import the math, statistics, and random modules.

The rules!

Here are some important things to keep in mind:

Separate module names with commas: As we've seen above, you can separate multiple module names with commas. No spaces allowed: Make sure there are no spaces between the module names or within the parentheses. Don't repeat yourself!: Don't import the same module multiple times – it won't work!

Some examples:

Here are a few examples to illustrate this:

Import multiple modules from different packages:
import math, statistics as stats, random

This imports the math and random modules, and also assigns the alias stats to the statistics module.

Import all modules from a package:
from math import *

This imports all modules (functions, classes, etc.) from the math package. Note that this is different from importing individual modules.

The pros and cons!

Here are some pros and cons to consider when deciding whether to import multiple modules at once:

Pros:

Reduced code size: You don't need to write separate import statements for each module. Faster development time: With fewer import statements, you can focus on writing your actual code faster.

Cons:

Less readable: If you're importing a lot of modules, it can make your code harder to read. More confusing: It's easy to forget which modules are actually being imported!

Conclusion!

So there you have it – the lowdown on importing multiple modules at once in Python. While there isn't much difference between importing individual modules and importing them all at once, it's still a useful trick to know.

Just remember: use this wisely, and don't overdo it!

Happy coding, my friend!

How does Python know where to import from

I'd be happy to explain how Python resolves imports!

When you use the import statement in Python, it searches for the specified module or package in a specific order. Here's what happens under the hood:

Current directory: Python first looks for the module or package in the current working directory (CWD). If the module is located there, Python imports it directly. PYTHONPATH: Next, Python checks the PYTHONPATH environment variable. This is a list of directories that should be added to the search path. If the module is found in any of these directories, Python imports it. System-wide modules: Python then searches for built-in modules and packages installed with the Python interpreter itself. These are usually located in the lib/pythonX.Y/site-packages/ directory, where X.Y corresponds to your Python version. Package installation directories: If the module is not found in the previous steps, Python checks the installation directories of packages. For example, if you installed a package using pip (pip install mypackage), it will be searched for in site-packages/ and other related directories.

To illustrate this process better, let's consider an example:

Suppose you have a simple package mypackage with two modules: module1.py and module2.py. Your directory structure looks like this:

myproject/

mypackage/

init.py

module1.py

module2.py

main.py

In your main.py, you try to import a function from module1 using the following statement: from mypackage.module1 import my_function.

Here's how Python resolves this import:

Current directory (myproject/main.py): No match. PYTHONPATH: No match (assuming it's not set). System-wide modules: No match (since mypackage is not a built-in module). Package installation directories: Python checks the package installation directories, and since mypackage was installed using pip or some other package manager, it finds the correct location (site-packages/mypackage/) and imports module1.

Now, let's say you have another package subpackage, which is also part of your project:

myproject/

mypackage/

init.py

module1.py

module2.py

subpackage/

init.py

submodule1.py

main.py

In this case, when you try to import something from the subpackage using from subpackage.submodule1 import another_function, Python follows a similar process:

Current directory (myproject/main.py): No match. PYTHONPATH: No match (assuming it's not set). System-wide modules: No match (since subpackage is not a built-in module). Package installation directories: Python checks the package installation directories and finds the correct location for mypackage (site-packages/mypackage/) and then searches within that package for the subpackage (subpackage).

Finally, since submodule1.py is located within subpackage, Python imports it successfully.

That's a brief overview of how Python resolves imports!