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Module vs. package vs. library: the difference
| Term | What it means | How it relates to the others |
|---|---|---|
| Module | An importable organizational unit of Python code with its own namespace. It is often introduced as a .py file. |
Can stand alone or belong to a package. A module is not necessarily a package. Python glossary; Python tutorial. |
| Package | A module that can contain submodules or subpackages. Technically, it has a __path__ attribute. |
Every package is a module, but not every module is a package. Python glossary; Python import-system reference. |
| Library | A collection of code and functionality intended for reuse. | May consist of packages, modules, and extension modules. The word describes a broader collection, not one particular import-system unit. Python glossary. |
| Standard library | Python’s official collection of packages, modules, and extension modules distributed with Python. | It is a library, not a single package. Its exact contents can vary by platform and other criteria. Python standard-library reference. |
What is a Python module?
A module is an organizational unit of Python code with its own namespace, which Python can load through importing. The Python tutorial gives a useful first approximation: “A module is a file containing Python definitions and statements.” That description fits many everyday modules, but it is not a rule that every module must be an ordinary file. The tutorial’s module introduction and the glossary definition together make the distinction clear.
For example, a file named helpers.py can be imported as helpers. The name provides a namespace for definitions in that module, such as helpers.format_date(). A module can be used by itself or be located inside a package.
What is a Python package?
A package is a module that can contain other importable units, such as submodules and subpackages. In the formal import-system definition, a package has a __path__ attribute. This is why the categories overlap: package is a particular kind of module, rather than a separate alternative to one. Python’s glossary and import-system reference state this distinction.
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A common teaching analogy is that a module resembles a file and a package resembles a directory containing modules. It is useful as a starting point, but not a complete definition: Python’s import system does not require every module or package to come from a conventional filesystem layout.
Ordinary and namespace packages
For an ordinary package, the tutorial describes __init__.py as the file that marks a directory as a package. Namespace packages are an important exception: they may have no __init__.py, and may not correspond to one physical directory. They can let separately installable portions share a common parent package name. See the Python import-system reference on namespace packages.
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How dotted imports show the hierarchy
Consider the Python tutorial’s example name sound.effects.echo. It identifies the echo submodule inside sound.effects, which is itself within the sound package hierarchy. The dots show the path through the importable names; they do not mean that the entire dotted name is one indivisible module. The tutorial’s package example demonstrates several ways to import it:
import sound.effects.echoimports the submodule under its full dotted name.from sound.effects import echomakes theechosubmodule available by that name.from sound.effects.echo import echofilterimports the named function from that submodule.
What does “Python library” mean?
“Library” is a broad term for reusable functionality. It does not identify one file type or one import syntax. A library may be organized as one or more packages and modules, and users may install or import its components by their Python names.
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Context matters when someone says “Python library.” They may mean reusable Python code in general, or they may mean the Python standard library specifically. The standard library is the collection distributed as part of Python; it is distinct from third-party projects made available through the Python Package Index. Its precise membership can depend on the platform and other criteria, so consult the reference for the Python version and environment you use. Python glossary; standard-library reference.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is the standard library the same as a package?
No. The standard library is a collection that includes many packages and modules; it is not a single package. A particular standard-library component may itself be a package or a module. “Standard library” answers which broad collection of functionality is included with Python, while “package” describes an importable unit that can contain other units.
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A quick way to remember the terms
- Module: one importable code unit with a namespace.
- Package: a module that can organize submodules or subpackages.
- Library: a broader reusable collection that can include modules and packages.
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