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How Python Import Works Video Lecture - IT & Software

FAQs on How Python Import Works Video Lecture - IT & Software

1. How does the Python import statement work?

Ans. The Python import statement allows us to access functions, classes, and other objects defined in separate modules or files. When we use the import statement, Python searches for the specified module in the list of directories defined in the sys.path variable. Once found, the module is loaded and its contents become accessible in our code.

2. Can I import a specific function from a module in Python?

Ans. Yes, you can import a specific function from a module in Python. To do this, you can use the from...import statement followed by the function name. For example, if you have a module called "math_operations" and you want to import only the "add" function from it, you can use the following syntax: "from math_operations import add". This will make the "add" function directly accessible in your code without needing to reference the module name.

3. How can I import a module from a different directory in Python?

Ans. To import a module from a different directory in Python, you need to add the directory's path to the sys.path list. This can be done by either modifying the sys.path list directly or by setting the PYTHONPATH environment variable to include the directory's path. Once the directory's path is added, you can use the regular import statement to import the module as you would with any other module.

4. What is the difference between import and from...import in Python?

Ans. The main difference between the import statement and the from...import statement in Python is how the imported objects are accessed in our code. When using the import statement, we need to prefix the imported objects with the module name. For example, if we import a module called "math_operations" and it has a function called "add", we would access the function as "math_operations.add". On the other hand, when using the from...import statement, we can directly access the imported objects without needing to prefix them with the module name. In our previous example, we could access the "add" function directly as "add".

5. Can I give an imported module a different name in Python?

Ans. Yes, you can give an imported module a different name in Python using the "as" keyword. This can be useful when the module name is long or conflicts with another name in your code. To give an imported module a different name, you can use the following syntax: "import module_name as alias". For example, if you want to import the module "math_operations" as "math_ops", you can write "import math_operations as math_ops". This allows you to refer to the module using the chosen alias throughout your code.

Text Transcript from Video

Can you tell me how Python import works?
You can import code modules from Python to
use in your own program.
I've heard there were different ways to do
it.
Pythonpath is the primary tool for installing
third party software packages with your existing
code and eggs.
What is a Python egg, other than the one that
hatches into a snake?
A Python egg is a logically structure containing
an entire Python project.
It is like a .jar file in Java.
So importing an egg is essentially importing
an entire Python project.
The Python egg, and it even has the .egg file
extension, is used to remove and install new
code for a project.
It is a self-contained module in its own directory
or file.
So you can import a Python egg or a code module,
which is not as complex or complete as a Python
egg.
How does that relate to a Python path?
Pythonpath is like Java's Classpath.
I do not know Java that well.
I hoped to save myself the pain and just learn
Python as the object oriented programming
language on my resume.
Pythonpath is an environment variable.
Pythonpath gets used by Python's interpreter
to find code modules to import.
Is Pythonpath like the directory path I use
to call out specific files?
Yes, but Pythonpath is within the Python interpreter.
But you can call out specific Python directories
or library locations with it.
Then it is like the file location path.
Except that the Python path to the code module
or egg is a Pythonpath variable, not a directory
structure path.
I heard that is not always how it works.
Python's installation site packages directory
automatically fills in the search path for
you, so you don't have to spell that out each
time to import it.
And if you've imported a module, the search
path stays the same until you change it.
Like a Windows directory.
But you can dynamically change the paths in
the sys.path variable on where to look for
new code modules to import.
Better than Windows.
Everything is better than Windows these days.

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Oct 04, 2025 Last updated

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