{"id":567,"date":"2020-10-15T09:30:30","date_gmt":"2020-10-15T09:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/?page_id=567"},"modified":"2025-03-30T10:01:16","modified_gmt":"2025-03-30T10:01:16","slug":"python-module-search-path","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/python-basics\/python-module-search-path\/","title":{"rendered":"Python Module Search Path"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Summary<\/strong>: in this tutorial, you&#8217;ll learn how the module search path works in Python when you import a module into a program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id='introduction-to-python-module-search-path'>Introduction to Python module search path <a href=\"#introduction-to-python-module-search-path\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"introduction-to-python-module-search-path\" title=\"Anchor for Introduction to Python module search path\">#<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you import a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/python-basics\/python-module\/\">module<\/a> in a program:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-1\" data-shcb-language-name=\"Python\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"python\"><span><code class=\"hljs language-python\"><span class=\"hljs-keyword\">import<\/span> module<\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-1\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">Python<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">python<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<p>Python will search for the <code>module.py<\/code> file from the following sources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The current folder from which the program executes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A list of folders specified in the <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.python.org\/3\/using\/cmdline.html#envvar-PYTHONPATH\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PYTHONPATH<\/a> environment variable, if you set it before.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An installation-dependent list of folders that you configured when you installed Python.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Python stores the resulting search path in the <code>sys.path<\/code> variable that comes from the <code>sys<\/code> module.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The following program shows the current module search path:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-2\" data-shcb-language-name=\"Python\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"python\"><span><code class=\"hljs language-python\"><span class=\"hljs-keyword\">import<\/span> sys\n\n<span class=\"hljs-keyword\">for<\/span> path <span class=\"hljs-keyword\">in<\/span> sys.path:\n    print(path)\n<\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-2\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">Python<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">python<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s a sample output on Windows:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-3\" data-shcb-language-name=\"Shell Session\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"shell\"><span><code class=\"hljs language-shell\">C:\\python\\python313.zip\nC:\\python\\DLLs\nC:\\python\\Lib\nC:\\python\nC:\\python\\Lib\\site-packages<\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-3\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">Shell Session<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">shell<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<p>To make sure Python can always find the <code>module.py<\/code>, you need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Place <code>module.py<\/code> in the folder where the program will execute.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Include the folder that contains the <code>module.py<\/code> in the <code>PYTHONPATH<\/code> environment variable. Or you can place the <code>module.py<\/code> in one of the folders included in the <code>PYTHONPATH<\/code> variable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Place the <code>module.py<\/code> in one of the installation-dependent folders.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id='modifying-the-python-module-search-path-at-runtime'>Modifying the Python module search path at runtime <a href=\"#modifying-the-python-module-search-path-at-runtime\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"modifying-the-python-module-search-path-at-runtime\" title=\"Anchor for Modifying the Python module search path at runtime\">#<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Python allows you to modify the module search path at runtime by modifying the <code>sys.path<\/code> variable. This allows you to store module files in any folder of your choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since the <code>sys.path<\/code> is a list, you can append a search-path to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The following example adds the <code>d:\\modules<\/code> to the search path and use the <code>recruitment<\/code> module stored in this folder:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-4\" data-shcb-language-name=\"JavaScript\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"javascript\"><span><code class=\"hljs language-javascript\">&gt;&gt;&gt; <span class=\"hljs-keyword\">import<\/span> sys\n&gt;&gt;&gt; sys.path.append(<span class=\"hljs-string\">'d:\\\\modules\\\\'<\/span>)\n&gt;&gt;&gt; <span class=\"hljs-keyword\">import<\/span> recruitment\n&gt;&gt;&gt; recruitment.hire()\nHire a <span class=\"hljs-keyword\">new<\/span> employee...<\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-4\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">JavaScript<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">javascript<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id='summary'>Summary <a href=\"#summary\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"summary\" title=\"Anchor for Summary\">#<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>When you import a module, Python will search for the module file from the folders specified in the <code>sys.path<\/code> variable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Python allows you to modify the module search path by changing, adding, and removing elements from the <code>sys.path<\/code> variable.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id='quiz'>Quiz <a href=\"#quiz\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"quiz\" title=\"Anchor for Quiz\">#<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\"\n  name=\"quiz\"\n  src=\"\/quiz\/?quiz=module-search-path\"\n  height=\"700\"\n  width=\"600\"\n  class=\"iframe\"\n><\/iframe>\n<div class=\"helpful-block-content\" data-title=\"\">\n\t<header>\n\t\t<div class=\"wth-question\">Was this tutorial helpful ?<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wth-thumbs\">\n\t\t\t<button\n\t\t\t\tdata-post=\"567\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-post-url=\"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/python-basics\/python-module-search-path\/\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-post-title=\"Python Module Search Path\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-response=\"1\"\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"wth-btn-rounded wth-yes-btn\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<svg\n\t\t\t\t\txmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"\n\t\t\t\t\tviewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"\n\t\t\t\t\tfill=\"none\"\n\t\t\t\t\tstroke=\"currentColor\"\n\t\t\t\t\tstroke-width=\"2\"\n\t\t\t\t\tstroke-linecap=\"round\"\n\t\t\t\t\tstroke-linejoin=\"round\"\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"feather feather-thumbs-up block w-full h-full\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t<path\n\t\t\t\t\t\td=\"M14 9V5a3 3 0 0 0-3-3l-4 9v11h11.28a2 2 0 0 0 2-1.7l1.38-9a2 2 0 0 0-2-2.3zM7 22H4a2 2 0 0 1-2-2v-7a2 2 0 0 1 2-2h3\"\n\t\t\t\t\t><\/path>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"sr-only\"> Yes <\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t<button\n\t\t\t\tdata-response=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-post=\"567\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-post-url=\"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/python-basics\/python-module-search-path\/\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-post-title=\"Python Module Search Path\"\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"wth-btn-rounded wth-no-btn\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<svg\n\t\t\t\t\txmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"\n\t\t\t\t\tviewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"\n\t\t\t\t\tfill=\"none\"\n\t\t\t\t\tstroke=\"currentColor\"\n\t\t\t\t\tstroke-width=\"2\"\n\t\t\t\t\tstroke-linecap=\"round\"\n\t\t\t\t\tstroke-linejoin=\"round\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t<path\n\t\t\t\t\t\td=\"M10 15v4a3 3 0 0 0 3 3l4-9V2H5.72a2 2 0 0 0-2 1.7l-1.38 9a2 2 0 0 0 2 2.3zm7-13h2.67A2.31 2.31 0 0 1 22 4v7a2.31 2.31 0 0 1-2.33 2H17\"\n\t\t\t\t\t><\/path>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"sr-only\"> No <\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\t<div class=\"wth-form hidden\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wth-form-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wth-title\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<textarea class=\"wth-message\"><\/textarea>\n\t\t\t<input type=\"button\" name=\"wth-submit\" class=\"wth-btn wth-btn-submit\" id=\"wth-submit\" \/>\n\t\t\t<input type=\"button\" class=\"wth-btn wth-btn-cancel\" value=\"Cancel\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Summary: in this tutorial, you&#8217;ll learn how the module search path works in Python when you import a module into a program. Introduction to Python module search path # When you import a module in a program: Python will search for the module.py file from the following sources: Python stores the resulting search path in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":37,"menu_order":58,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-567","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/567","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=567"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/567\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7213,"href":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/567\/revisions\/7213"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/37"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}