Importing Modules — Python 3.8.4 documentation

# Importing Modules

The modules described in this chapter provide new ways to import other Python modules and hooks for customizing the import process.

The full list of modules described in this chapter is:

- `zipimport` — Import modules from Zip archives
  - zipimporter Objects
  - Examples
- `pkgutil` — Package extension utility
- `modulefinder` — Find modules used by a script
  - Example usage of `ModuleFinder`
- `runpy` — Locating and executing Python modules
- `importlib` — The implementation of `import`
  - Introduction
  - Functions
  - `importlib.abc` – Abstract base classes related to import
  - `importlib.resources` – Resources
  - `importlib.machinery` – Importers and path hooks
  - `importlib.util` – Utility code for importers
  - Examples
    - Importing programmatically
    - Checking if a module can be imported
    - Importing a source file directly
    - Setting up an importer
    - Approximating `importlib.import_module()`
- Using importlib.metadata
  - Overview
  - Functional API
    - Entry points
    - Distribution metadata
    - Distribution versions
    - Distribution files
    - Distribution requirements
  - Distributions
  - Extending the search algorithm