Can you define aliases for imported modules in Python?

Question

In Python, is it possible to define an alias for an imported module?

For instance:

import a_ridiculously_long_module_name

...so that is has an alias of 'short_name'.

score 260 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 01 '09 at 17:34

260

import a_ridiculously_long_module_name as short_name

also works for

import module.submodule.subsubmodule as short_name

answered Apr 01 '09 at 17:34

vartec

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from module import sub_module_1 as s1, sub_module_2 as s2 – phreed Dec 19 '19 at 16:39
Can you do this for functions too? E.g. `from normal_module import super_duper_ridiculously_long_function_name as supe`? – Lou Feb 02 '21 at 14:38

score 53 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 01 '09 at 17:34

53

Check here

import module as name

or

from relative_module import identifier as name

answered Apr 01 '09 at 17:34

Brian R. Bondy

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Hmm, when I try to do `from name import X` (after the alias definition) I get `No module named name`. Can we import modules from aliases? – Amelio Vazquez-Reina Jan 23 '13 at 21:07
3

It seems you can't, here is the clearest answer I found for that https://stackoverflow.com/a/40823467 – fr_andres Aug 13 '18 at 16:37

score 42 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 01 '09 at 22:22

42

If you've done:

import long_module_name

you can also give it an alias by:

lmn = long_module_name

There's no reason to do it this way in code, but I sometimes find it useful in the interactive interpreter.

answered Apr 01 '09 at 22:22

John Fouhy

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For some purposes this is better than the top answers (import long_module_name as lmn) because you can still reference the module by both long_module_name.x and lmn.x – Anas Elghafari Aug 14 '14 at 14:27
This is the technically correct response for the question: aliases for imported modules. – DigitalEye Oct 22 '15 at 18:05
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The reason this is possible is that modules are first-class objects in Python. – md2perpe Apr 10 '17 at 15:17

score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 17 '18 at 17:07

3

Yes, modules can be imported under an alias name. using as keyword. See

import math as ilovemaths # here math module is imported under an alias name
print(ilovemaths.sqrt(4))  # Using the sqrt() function

answered Oct 17 '18 at 17:07

realmanusharma

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score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Sep 04 '22 at 08:45

0

Yes, you can define aliases for imported modules in Python.

Using pandas is considered a best practice in python because Pandas can import most file formats and link to databases.

Example: Import pandas library

import pandas as pd

Explaining:

pd: is the conventional alias for pandas.

NP: is the conventional alias for Numpy.

Using short alias helps keep code (concise) and (clean).

answered Sep 04 '22 at 08:45

Osamah Elamin

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NP in capitals for numpy?? – Michael Jun 26 '23 at 17:40
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Sorry, small letters – Osamah Elamin Jun 28 '23 at 05:45

score -5 · Answer 6 · answered May 11 '20 at 15:06

-5

from MODULE import TAGNAME as ALIAS

answered May 11 '20 at 15:06

邢烽朔

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Can you please be more specific? This answer isn't formatted properly, and it doesn't give an explanation. – 10 Rep May 11 '20 at 17:18
The answer doesn't even provide something new – MERose Oct 04 '21 at 20:18

Can you define aliases for imported modules in Python?

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