{"id":197,"date":"2019-02-08T05:31:39","date_gmt":"2019-02-08T05:31:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kindsonthegenius.com\/python\/?p=197"},"modified":"2026-07-04T01:21:16","modified_gmt":"2026-07-04T01:21:16","slug":"17-python-modules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kindsonthegenius.com\/python\/17-python-modules\/","title":{"rendered":"Python – Modules"},"content":{"rendered":"

A module in Python is a container for codes. So you can defined functions, classes and variables inside a module. Let’s say you have a function you have written. This function contains several lines of code and you want to use them in different files. In this case, you can place this function in a module.<\/p>\n

We would cover the following:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. How to Create a Module<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. HowThe import Statement<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. HowThe from…import Statement<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. HowLocating Modules<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. HowThe dir () Function<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. HowThe globals() and locals() Functions<\/a><\/li>\n
  7. HowThe reload() Function<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

    1. How to create a module<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    To create a module, you first create a Python file and save it with the name of the module. So if you want to create a module called mycodes, then you would first create a file called mycodes.py. Inside this file you can then write the functions or other codes you want to reuse.<\/p>\n

    Now, there are modules that are built-in that you can just use. For example, the math module that contains useful functions for performing arithmetic. The random module for working with random numbers and sequences, and lots more.<\/p>\n

    You can scroll down to the video and watch how this is done.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    2. The import Statement<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    To use the codes in the module, you simply use the import statement. So if you have created a module called mycodes, the to use it in any file, you must add import mycodes in the new file.<\/p>\n

    You can also import more than one module. For example,<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    import<\/span> mycodes<\/span>\r\n<\/pre>\n
    When an import statement is encountered, then the interpreter searches the current path for the module. If it finds it, then it imports it into the program.<\/p>\n
    Now, after importing a module, you are free to use the functions available in the module. You simply use them by using this syntax below.<\/p>\n
    modulename.<\/span>functionname\r\n<\/pre>\n
     <\/p>\n
     <\/p>\n
    3. The from…import Statement<\/strong><\/p>\n
    Let’s say a module contains 100 functions, and you want to use only one of them. You\u00a0 don’t have to import the whole module. The from…import statement allows you to import just a block of code or function from a module.<\/p>\n
    So if you have a module called modulename and the name of the function you want to use is functionname, you can used the syntax below<\/p>\n
     <\/p>\n
    from<\/span> modulename<\/span> import<\/span> functioname\r\n<\/pre>\n
    So this ensures that you import only the particular function<\/p>\n
     <\/p>\n
    You can also use the from module import *<\/strong><\/em> statement. In this case, you are importing all the functions from a module into the current namespace.<\/p>\n
     <\/p>\n
     <\/p>\n
    4. Locating Modules<\/strong><\/h4>\n
    When you use an import statement, the Python interpreter checks for the module in following locations in order.<\/p>\n