Where are the standard python modules located?

Question

Where are the standard python modules located? I'm talking about the random, turtle, etc. modules.

Does this answer your question? [Where are the python modules stored?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2927993/where-are-the-python-modules-stored) — Yuriy, Apr 28 '20 at 15:30

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 28 '20 at 15:29

See for yourself:

>>> import random
>>> random
<module 'random' from '/usr/local/lib/python3.6/random.py'>
>>>

The default __repr__ implementation for modules will print out their fully qualified system path.

The precise location depends on what platform your working on and what installation method you used.

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 28 '20 at 15:30

0

See in sys.path for search path list:

import sys
print(sys.path)

See here in docs for more.

answered Apr 28 '20 at 15:30

Vicrobot

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score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 28 '20 at 15:34

0

These are located under the Lib sub directory in Main Python installation directory.

for example: if you have installed Python in C:\Program Files\Python37.

The standard packages will be in C:\Program Files\Python37\Lib.

answered Apr 28 '20 at 15:34

Saurabh Kansal

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You are of course assuming that the OP is using Windows/MS-DOS. – Brian61354270 Apr 28 '20 at 15:35

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 28 '20 at 16:24

Python looks for modules in the listed directories in sys.path

Just like if you defined your own module in a path that isn't recognized by Python where you have to add it in the environment variable PYTHONPATH to have it included in the directories listed in sys.path and then be able to import it

~$ # let's see contents of sys.path
~$ python3
Python 3.8.2 (default, Mar 13 2020, 10:14:16)
[GCC 9.3.0] on linux
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import sys
>>> print(sys.path)
['', '/usr/lib/python38.zip', '/usr/lib/python3.8', '/usr/lib/python3.8/lib-dynload', '/usr/local/lib/python3.8/dist-packages', '/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages']
>>> exit()
~$
~$ # now, let's try to see contents of /usr/lib/python3.8
~$ cd /usr/lib/python3.8
python3.8$
python3.8$ # list and grep the contents of some files
python3.8$ ls | grep random
random.py
python3.8$ cat random.py | grep "class Random"
class Random(_random.Random):
python3.8$ ls | grep collections
collections
_collections_abc.py
python3.8$ ls collections/
abc.py  __init__.py  __pycache__
python3.8$ cat collections/__init__.py | grep "def namedtuple"
def namedtuple(typename, field_names, *, rename=False, defaults=None, module=None):
python3.8$ cat collections/__init__.py | grep "class OrderedDict"
class OrderedDict(dict):
python3.8$ cat collections/__init__.py | grep "class Counter"
class Counter(dict):

Where are the standard python modules located?

4 Answers4