importlib.reload(module) - Reloading Module

Python Tutorials - Herong's Tutorial Examples

∟importlib.reload(module) - Reloading Module

This section provides a tutorial example on how to reload a given 'module' object using the 'importlib.reload(module)' function.

In previous tutorials, we learned that a module file will be loaded into memory cache only once, even we call "import module" multiple times.

This means that sub-statements included in the module file will be executed only once, even we call the "import module" multiple times.

Normally, there is no need to load the module file again.

But if you have modified the module file after it's been loaded, and you want to use the modified version in your running process, you can use the "importlib.reload(module)" function to reload the module file.

The code below shows you an example of reloading a loaded module.

# load a module from a module file and bind it to "x"
>>> import module_test as x
Hi there! - from 'module_test' module
Welcome on board! - from 'first' class
>>> id(x)
4483027968

# bind the same module it to "y"
>>> import module_test as y
>>> id(y)
4483027968

>>> import importlib
>>> res = importlib.reload(x)
Hi there! - from 'module_test' module
Welcome on board! - from 'first' class
>>> res
<module 'module_test' from '/home/herong/module_test.py'>

>>> id(x)
4483027968

Note that the "importlib.reload(module)" function only updates the given "module" object by executing statements stored in the module file. It does not destroy the given "module" object and create a new one.