Hey everyone! I'm currently developing a Python package and have included a few import statements at the beginning of one of my modules:
import os
import numpy as np
from typing import Any
My concern is that when others try to import from my package, they can also access these libraries directly like this:
from mypackage.mymodule import os, np, Any
Is there a way to prevent that from happening? I know it might sound trivial, but I really want to keep my package looking clean and user-friendly. I've read that Python isn't designed for complete privacy regarding code! In my search for solutions, I discovered a couple of semi-effective methods, such as prefixing names with an underscore or placing import statements in obscure subdirectories to hide them. I noticed Astropy seems to utilize such techniques, so I'm wondering if there's any solid approach to actually "hide" imports from users? Looking forward to your insights!
2 Answers
Unfortunately, you can't fully hide imported libraries in Python. It’s just how the language works. But why is this bothering you? If it’s about keeping documentation clear and tidy for future users, that makes sense!
If you want to limit what gets imported from your module, consider using this:
from mypackage.mymodule import *
This way, you can control which items are exposed. But keep in mind that you still need to set up your `__all__` list in the `__init__.py` of your package for this to work smoothly!
That’s somewhat related to my question but also kind of the opposite! I already have an `__all__` defined in my top-level `__init__.py`. However, I guess I can experiment with my module-level imports as well!
It's not a huge issue, really. I'm just trying to ensure my package looks neat and is easy to understand for beginners who might reference my work later. Plus, libraries like Astropy do seem to conceal their dependencies pretty well, so it’s got me curious!