Computer Science – 5.1 Operating Systems | e-Consult

There are two primary ways to import libraries in Python: using the import statement and using the from...import statement. They differ in how the library's contents are accessed.

1. import library_name

This imports the entire library. To access functions or classes within the library, you must use the library name as a prefix. For example:

import math
result = math.sqrt(16)  # Accessing the sqrt function using math.
print(result)

Advantages:

• Avoids Name Collisions: It prevents name collisions if another library defines a function with the same name.
• Explicit Dependency: It clearly indicates the dependency on the library.

Disadvantages:

• Verbose: Requires using the library name repeatedly, making the code less concise.

2. from libraryname import functionname

This imports only the specified function or class from the library. You can then use the function directly without the library name prefix. For example:

from math import sqrt
result = sqrt(16)  # Accessing the sqrt function directly.
print(result)

Advantages:

• Concise: Makes the code more readable and concise by avoiding the library name prefix.

Disadvantages:

• Potential Name Collisions: If another library defines a function with the same name, it can lead to name collisions and unexpected behavior.
• Less Explicit Dependency: It can be less clear which library a function comes from.

In general, using import libraryname is often preferred for larger projects to avoid potential name collisions and maintain clarity, while from libraryname import function_name can be useful for smaller scripts or when specific functions are used frequently.