How to Import Files from Subdirectories in Python?

Importing Files from Subdirectories

Importing files from subdirectories can be a common challenge when organizing Python code. One may encounter an import error while attempting to access a file residing within a subdirectory. This article addresses the issue and provides a solution.

Scenario

Consider a project structure where a file called tester.py is located within a directory named /project. Within the /project directory is a subdirectory named lib, which contains a file called BoxTime.py. The objective is to import BoxTime from tester.py.

Failed Attempt

An attempt to import BoxTime using the following code results in an error:

import lib.BoxTime

This returns the following traceback:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "./tester.py", line 3, in <module>
    import lib.BoxTime
ImportError: No module named lib.BoxTime

Solution

The solution lies in creating a special file named __init__.py within the lib subdirectory. This file is crucial for Python to recognize lib as a package, allowing the import of files from within the subdirectory. Once the __init__.py file is in place, files within the lib subdirectory can be imported using the following syntax:

import lib.BoxTime

Alternatively, to avoid referencing BoxTime as lib.BoxTime, you can use the following syntax:

import lib.BoxTime as BT
...
BT.bt_function()

By creating the __init__.py file within the subdirectory, Python recognizes it as a package, facilitating the import of modules from the subdirectory.

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