Python 3 - Second Edition

18.4    The importlib Package

The importlib package of the standard library implements the import behavior underlying the import statement. There are three basic uses for this package:

• It contains the import_module function, which can be used to import a module or package without using the import statement. This is useful, for example, if the name of the module to be imported is available as a string.

• It defines importers. Using these importers, it’s possible to intervene in the import process and thus modify the default behavior of the import statement.

• The implementation of the import process is thus written in the Python language itself. In particular, this means that alternative Python interpreters don’t need to provide their own implementation; ...