How do I import other Python files?

Question

How do I import files in Python? I want to import: - a file (e.g. `file.py`) - a folder - a file dynamically at runtime, based on user input - one specific part of a file (e.g. a single function)

Accepted Answer

`importlib` was added to Python 3 to programmatically import a module.

```
import importlib

moduleName = input('Enter module name:')
importlib.import_module(moduleName)
```

The .py extension should be removed from `moduleName`. The function also defines a `package` argument for relative imports.

In python 2.x:

- Just `import file` without the .py extension

- A folder can be marked as a package, by adding an empty `__init__.py` file

- You can use the `__import__` function, which takes the module name (without extension) as a string extension

```
pmName = input('Enter module name:')
pm = __import__(pmName)
print(dir(pm))
```

Type `help(__import__)` for more details.

How do I import other Python files?

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