Скачать или смотреть Understanding the Difference: import views vs from . import views in Django

Dive into the differences between `import views` and `from . import views` in Django, and understand why the latter works flawlessly in your application structure.
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Understanding the Difference: import views vs from . import views in Django

If you're diving into the world of Python and Django, you might find yourself puzzled by the nuances of import statements. One common question newcomers encounter is: What’s the difference between import views and from . import views? This confusion often leads to errors, especially when you’re working with multiple files in the same directory—such as a views.py and a urls.py in your Django app. Let’s unpack this topic to eliminate the confusion.

The Setup: Your Django App

In your Django project, you have an application directory named calc which contains two key files:

views.py - where your application’s view logic resides.

urls.py - which handles the routing of URLs to the appropriate view functions.

The Problem

When you attempt to use the statement import views in your urls.py, the server throws an error. However, switching to from . import views resolves the issue. The instinctive thought may be that since both files are within the same directory, either import method should function correctly. Let’s delve deeper into why that’s not the case.

The Explanation

Understanding Import Statements

Default Import Behavior: When you use the basic statement import views, Python looks for a module named views in the global namespace or in the standard library. If it doesn't find it there, it raises an import error.

Relative Imports: On the other hand, the statement from . import views uses relative importing. The dot (.) signifies that Python should look for the views module in the current package (or directory). This means you're directing Python to start its search from the location of the urls.py file, which is exactly where you need it to look for views.

Why the Error Occurs

In your case, the error arises because when you type import views:

Python first checks for a global package named views.

Failing that, it doesn’t know there’s a local module named views in your app directory because it isn’t instructed to look there.

Using from . import views, however, directs Python to check the local directory first (the same folder as where urls.py is situated). Thus, it finds views.py and imports it correctly, avoiding any errors.

Conclusion

Understanding how Python's import system works is essential for efficiently managing your Django applications. The key takeaways are:

Use import views when you are confident the module exists in the global namespace.

Prefer from . import views when working with local files in the same directory to avoid import errors.

By implementing relative imports correctly, you can streamline your coding workflow and focus more on building powerful applications with Django.

We hope this breakdown clarifies your understanding of imports in Django! If you're eager to learn more programming tips and tricks, stay tuned for our future posts.