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Modules
Modules refer to a file containing Python statements and definitions. A file containing Python code, for example: example.py, is called a module, and its module name would be example. We use modules to break down large programs into small manageable and organized files. Furthermore, modules provide reusability of code.
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| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
| Definition | A module is a Python file (.py) containing definitions, functions, classes, and variables that can be reused in other Python scripts. |
| File Extension | Modules are typically Python files with the .py extension (e.g., module_name.py). |
| Importing Modules | Modules are imported using the import statement (e.g., import module_name). |
| Namespace | Each module creates its own namespace, meaning that module contents do not conflict with other code. |
| Accessing Module Contents | After importing, module contents are accessed using dot notation (e.g., module_name.function_name()). |
| Built-in Modules | Python comes with many built-in modules (e.g., os, sys, math, datetime), which provide a wide range of functionalities. |
| Standard Library | The Python Standard Library is a collection of modules that provide standardized solutions for many programming tasks. |
| Custom Modules | You can create your own modules by writing Python code in a .py file and importing it into other scripts. |
| Package | A package is a collection of modules in a directory that contains an __init__.py file. It allows for the organization of related modules. |
| Relative Imports | Modules within a package can be imported relatively (e.g., from . import module_name). |
| Re-importing | Re-importing a module using import does not reload it. To reload a module, use the importlib.reload(module_name) function. |
| Third-Party Modules | Python allows the use of third-party modules, which can be installed via package managers like pip. |
| Compiled Modules | Modules can also be compiled (e.g., .pyc files) for faster loading, though this is usually handled automatically by Python. |
| Module Caching | When a module is imported, it is cached in sys.modules and subsequent imports use the cached version unless it is explicitly reloaded. |
| name Variable | The special variable __name__ in a module is set to "__main__" if the module is run as the main program, or to the module’s name if imported. |
| Documentation | Modules should include docstrings at the top of the file to describe their purpose and usage. These can be accessed using help(module_name). |