Sys.path
sys.path is the ordered sequence of filesystem paths that Python’s import system searches when locating importable modules and packages.
Python Workout: 50 ten-minute exercises
sys.path is the Python list of directory path strings searched by the import system for modules and packages.
- How it is used
- Explains how import locates modules and packages across configured directories.
- How deep it goes
- Defines ordered directory lookup and configuration points, stopping short of detailed import-finder internals.
- Examples
- Uses `import mymod` to demonstrate first-match loading and duplicate-name conflicts.
- What you can do after
- Diagnose module-resolution conflicts by reasoning from sys.path order and distinguishing lookup from cached loading.
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Python Workout, Second Edition
sys.path is the list of directory names that Python searches when locating importable modules and packages.
- How it is used
- Resolves module and package names during import, using an ordered list of directories.
- How deep it goes
- Explains ordered lookup, duplicate-name conflicts, configuration methods, and its boundary with sys.modules.
- Examples
- Uses os, mymod.py, duplicate module directories, and a mypackage directory containing first.py.
- What you can do after
- Diagnose import conflicts and configure module discovery through sys.path, PYTHONPATH, or .pth files.
The Quick Python Book, Fourth Edition
A module search path is the ordered set of directories that a language runtime searches to locate importable modules and packages.
- How it is used
- Controls where Python finds importable modules and packages during program execution.
- How deep it goes
- Explains ordered lookup, initialization sources, execution-context differences, and practical configuration options.
- Examples
- Uses sys.path inspection, a local mymath.py module, shared module directories, and a mymodules.pth file.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure Python's module discovery by inspecting sys.path and selecting directory, PYTHONPATH, or .pth placement.
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Related concepts
- import statementused by · An import statement is a source-code declaration that makes names or definitions from another module, package, or namespace available in the current scope.
- dependencyused by · A software dependency is a component, resource, or prerequisite on which another software component or operation relies to function or proceed.
- interpreterconfigures · An interpreter is software that executes or evaluates source code or another program representation according to its defined semantics.
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