Importing a module to another module in Python

Question

Assume I have the following package structure:

A/
  __init__.py
  B.py
  C.py
Test.py

Now I am wondering what would be the difference between the following two lines of code:

from A.B import *
import A.B

I know the first line will import everything from the B.py but then what is the point of the second line if it does not import the content of the B.py?

If it is bad to write from A.B import *

EDIT: then how about using

from A import *

This will run everything in the init.py file. Can anyone explain what is wrong with the statement and why it should not be used? I thought importing a package is like running it so if I write

import A

Then I automatically run the init.py, is this correct?

Does this answer your question? [Use 'import module' or 'from module import'?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/710551/use-import-module-or-from-module-import) — Random Davis, Dec 01 '21 at 17:15

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 01 '21 at 17:15

1

There's no difference, but notice that:

from module import *
functionComingFromModule()
import module
module.functionComingFromModule()

That's the difference.

answered Dec 01 '21 at 17:15

FLAK-ZOSO

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score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 01 '21 at 17:15

The difference is in the name binding. from A.B import * will import everything in B into the current module as a top-level name. import A.B will import the A.B module as A.B.

The second one is generally considered superior because anything you use from A.B later in the file will be prefixed with A.B, making it obvious where it was imported from. With an import * statement you can't tell at a glance what you're importing or what name it will be imported under.

Importing a module to another module in Python

2 Answers2