Packages

Packages are collections of modules organized in directories. A package is a directory that contains a special __init__.py file (which can be empty) and one or more module files. The __init__.py file is executed when the package is imported and can contain initialization code or define what gets imported when using from package import *. Packages can contain subpackages, creating a hierarchical structure. This organization helps manage large codebases by grouping related functionality. You import from packages using dot notation (import package.module or from package.subpackage import module). The __init__.py file can also define the __all__ variable to control what gets imported with from package import *. Packages are essential for organizing large projects and distributing Python code. Understanding package structure is crucial for working with most Python libraries and frameworks, which are typically distributed as packages with well-organized module hierarchies.