Q45: What is the difference between Regular Packages (__init__.py) and Namespace Packages?
- Regular Package: Directory containing an
__init__.pyfile. Acts as a unified module namespace. - Namespace Package (PEP 420): Directory lacking
__init__.py. Allows splitting a single Python package across multiple distinct file system directories or virtual environments.
Key Takeaways
- Regular packages require
__init__.pyfiles. - Namespace packages allow splitting package directories across multiple locations.
Knowledge Check
Are __init__.py files mandatory for creating Python package directories in Python 3.3+?