Why Should I Avoid Using 'import *' in Python?

The Perils of "import *" in Python

The Python community strongly discourages the use of "import *" for several compelling reasons.

Name Collision and Ambiguity

"import *" imports all names from a module into your current namespace. This can lead to name collisions, where the same name exists in multiple imported modules. If a name is used without qualification, Python will attempt to resolve it from the current namespace, potentially leading to unexpected behavior.

Difficulty Identifying Import Origin

Without explicitly specifying which names are imported, it becomes difficult to identify the source module for a particular name. This can make debugging and refactoring challenging, as it's unclear where to make changes or locate the original definition of a variable or function.

Limited Code Analysis

Tools like pyflakes rely on static code analysis to detect errors in your code. However, "import *" makes it impossible for such tools to accurately identify unresolved or undefined names, as it introduces a large number of unknown symbols into the namespace.

Code Readability and Maintainability

Importing specific names improves code readability. It clearly indicates which modules and objects are being used, allowing other developers to easily understand the dependencies and functionality of the code. This is especially important for large or complex codebases.

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