import — Expert Playground

Loads a module or package into the current namespace

Python Playground

import sys
import importlib

# Module cache
print(f"Cached modules: {len(sys.modules)}")
print(f"json cached: {'json' in sys.modules}")

import json
print(f"json cached after import: {'json' in sys.modules}")

# Import hooks and finders
print(f"\nMeta path finders:")
for finder in sys.meta_path:
    print(f"  {type(finder).__name__}")

print(f"\nPath hooks:")
for hook in sys.path_hooks:
    print(f"  {type(hook).__name__}")

# Module spec
spec = importlib.util.find_spec("json")
print(f"\njson spec: {spec}")
print(f"  origin: {spec.origin}")

Output

Click "Run" to execute your code

Python's import system uses finders and loaders. sys.meta_path holds finders that locate modules. sys.modules caches imported modules. Understanding this enables custom import hooks.

Challenge

Try modifying the code above to explore different behaviors. Can you extend the example to handle a new use case?

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