Import and from statement in python
Although we can code and program logic in python and it is comparatively easy. As a programmer we can program any logic simple example like: time delay, power function, finding square root, finding factorial, etc. but the question arises,
“What if we have written these programming logic in another .py file and we want to access those logic from that particular file?”
Or Most of the time we will see that the programming logic we are searching for is already written in either python’s default modules or we can get such modules from the internet.
In both the cases we need an option to incorporate complete file (module) or part (class or method) from file. There is one solution for the above problems and that is the “import” statement.
As the name says, “import” statement allows us to add another file (module) completely or to add part (class or method) from a file in our program.
“Import” statements load all the required files (module) or class or methods at the beginning (it is good practice to add an “import” statement at the beginning of the file).
Because of the “import” statement we don’t have to write the same programming logic again and again wherever we need, we just have to create one file (module) and write all programming logic in it and access this file using the “import” statement in other files wherever we need.
Below are the different types by which we can use the “import” statement.
Import single module
This will include the entire file (module) in our program with its methods but classes and this makes the program heavy and execution slow.
""" Author : ITVoyagers (itvoyagers.in) Date :5th September 2020 Description : Program to show use of import statement """ >>>import math # it will include entire time module in our program with its methods and classes >>>math.sqrt(25)
Output
5
In the above example we have used sqrt() from the math module which helps us to find the square root of any numeric value.
Import multiple modules
This will include all the files (modules) in our program with their methods but classes and this makes the program heavy and execution slow.
We have to separate each module using comma as shown below:
""" Author : ITVoyagers (itvoyagers.in) Date :5th September 2020 Description : Program to show use of import statement for multiple values """ >>>import time,math # it will include entire time and math module in our program with their methods and classes >>>time.sleep(5) >>>math.sqrt(25)
Output
5
from … import statement
Now we know that we can import the entire file in our program but it makes our program heavy and affects its execution speed. But what if we don’t want the entire file but rather we need a few methods or classes from the file? This is where “from” comes in the picture.
“From” allows us to select and include the exact method or class from a particular file.
Example
""" Author : ITVoyagers (itvoyagers.in) Date :5th September 2020 Description : Program to show use of from module import method """ >>>from math import sqrt >>>sqrt(25)
Output
5
Now we can see that we didn’t use “math.sqrt()” instead we use “sqrt()” because we have included the “sqrt()” method directly in our program.
from … import * statement
What if we want to add all the methods and classes from one particular file and while using those methods and classes we don’t want to use the file’s name as prefix. This is where “*” comes into the scene. “*” allows us to add all the methods and classes from one particular file and we don’t have to use the file’s name as prefix while using those methods and classes.
Example
""" Author : ITVoyagers (itvoyagers.in) Date :5th September 2020 Description : Program to show use of from module import * """ >>> from math import * >>> pi 3.141592653589793 >>> sqrt(5) 2.23606797749979 >>>
import … as statement
Now what if we want to include the entire file and we want to use its multiple methods and classes but we find out that file name is too long and it is time consuming to add it as a prefix while calling method and class, same goes with method and class names.
E.g.
There is a module named “sound.effects.echo” now it is time consuming to type this name each and every time when we use its methods and classes.
We need “as” statement in such scenarios. “as” statement will let us allow to assign short name to file and this short name is known as aliases.
Example
""" Author : ITVoyagers (itvoyagers.in) Date :5th September 2020 Description : Program to show use of import module with aliases """ >>>import math as m >>>m.sqrt(25)
Output
5
Difference between from and import statement
import module
1. One of the advantage of is, it requires low maintenance as it do not require any additional statement to start using functions present in module.
2. Typing module name to call its method in script can be tedious so aliases can be created for help.
example: module.func can be replaced with m.func
from module import abc
1. One of the advantage of is we require less typing and more control is over accessing methods present in module.
2. One drawback is we require to update import statement to use new method from the module.
3. We may loose the context about abc i.e less clarity is gained about pow() rather than math.pow().
Example
import p p.xyz() p.tuv()
Note: Here p is imported so both functions are accessible
from p import xyz xyz() tuv() #as tuv() is not imported it will raise and error
Note: Here p is importing specific function i.e xyz() so other function i.e tuv() is not accessible
For other python basics related posts:
For other advanced python related posts: