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After import functions into ipython, how do I reload them when I have modified them outside of ipython ?

Frankie Ribery
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3 Answers3

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Python 2:

reload(module)

Python 3: 

from importlib import reload
reload(module)

Where module is the file with your functions.

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JBernardo
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    This is correct. However, reload() does not automatically recurse to imports-of-imports, so if you modify something that is imported indirectly, it won't get reloaded. – Amber Jun 21 '11 at 04:47
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    @Amber Yes, that's a limitation. You can do `x = module.x` or a function which does that for you if you need to rebind those names – JBernardo Jun 21 '11 at 04:52
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    Or you can just `reload(sys.modules['foo_module'])` to reload `foo_module`. – Amber Jun 21 '11 at 05:07
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    @Amber: IPython actually offers a `dreload` function which works recursively. – Thomas K Jun 21 '11 at 12:25
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    python3 need to do `from importlib import reload` first – wordsforthewise Jul 15 '18 at 02:44
6

you can also use autoreload, so that the modules you are working on are automatically reloaded at each statement, pretty handy for debugging, see:

Autoreload of modules in IPython

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Andrea Zonca
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3

Use the following link to read more about reload built-in function. Please find sample below:

import controls.grid
reload(controls.grid)

Note that reload is 'Reload a previously imported module. The argument must be a module object, so it must have been successfully imported before.' and 'When a module is reloaded, its dictionary (containing the module’s global variables) is retained. Redefinitions of names will override the old definitions, so this is generally not a problem. If the new version of a module does not define a name that was defined by the old version, the old definition remains.'

Artsiom Rudzenka
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