the way import operations in packages work has changed slightly in python this change applies only to imports within files when files are used as part of package directoryimports in other usage modes work as before for imports in packagesthoughpython introduces two changesit modifies the module import search path semantics to skip the package' own directory by default imports check only paths on the sys path search path these are known as absolute imports it extends the syntax of from statements to allow them to explicitly request that imports search the package' directory onlywith leading dots this is known as relative import syntax these changes are fully present in python the new from statement relative syntax is also available in python xbut the default absolute search path change must be enabled as an option there enabling this can break programsbut is available for forward compatibility the impact of this change is that in (and optionally in )you must generally use special from dotted syntax to import modules located in the same package as the importerunless your imports list complete path relative to package root on sys pathor your imports are relative to the always-searched home directory of the program' top-level file (which is usually the current working directoryby defaultthoughyour package directory is not automatically searchedand intrapackage imports made by files in directory used as package will fail without the special from syntax as we'll seein this can affect the way you will structure imports or directories for modules meant for use in both top-level programs and importable packages firstthoughlet' take more detailed look at how this all works relative import basics in both python and xfrom statements can now use leading dots ("to specify that they require modules located within the same package (known as package relative imports)instead of modules located elsewhere on the module import search path (called absolute importsthat isimports with dotsin both python and xyou can use leading dots in from statementsmodule names to indicate that imports should be relative-only to the containing package--such imports will search for modules inside the package directory only and will not look for same-named modules located elsewhere on the import search path (sys paththe net effect is that package modules override outside modules imports without dotsin python xnormal imports in package' code without leading dots currently default to relative-then-absolute search path order--that module packages