What is the name for the Maya Python library(ies)?
Question: I want to distinguish between the [Python libraries available in
Maya](http://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2016/ENU/?guid=GUID-C0F27A50-3DD6-454C-A4D1-9E3C44B3C990):

  1. _MEL_ (the embedded Maya language)
  2. _Maya Python libraries_ (`maya.cmds`, but also `maya.standalone` and `maya.mel.eval`)
  3. _PyMEL_ [[*]](https://github.com/LumaPictures/pymel) (`pymel.core` and others)
  4. _Maya Python API 1.0_ (`maya.OpenMaya`)
  5. _Maya Python API 2.0_ (`maya.api.OpenMaya`)

Do the Maya Python libraries (item 2) have a name? A name that covers 2, 4 and
5 would be sufficient.


Answer: Not really. `import Maya` will give you all of them, though most people start
one level down with, for example, `import maya.cmds as cmds` There are a few
more that you missed in your list: `OpenMaya` , the old api, has siblings
`OpenMayaRender`, `OpenMayaUI`, and `OpenMayaAnimation` and there's also
`maya.util`

You can list the full roster of top-level maya modules like this:

    
    
    import maya
    import inspect
    maya_modules = {name:mod for name, mod in inspect.getmembers(maya) if inspect.ismodule(mod) }
    

the full list in Maya 2016 is:

    
    
    'OpenMaya': <module 'maya.OpenMaya' from 'c:\program files\autodesk\maya2016\Python\lib\site-packages\maya\OpenMaya.pyc'>,
    'OpenMayaAnim': <module 'maya.OpenMayaAnim' from 'c:\program files\autodesk\maya2016\Python\lib\site-packages\maya\OpenMayaAnim.pyc'>,
    'OpenMayaFX': <module 'maya.OpenMayaFX' from 'c:\program files\autodesk\maya2016\Python\lib\site-packages\maya\OpenMayaFX.pyc'>,
    'OpenMayaMPx': <module 'maya.OpenMayaMPx' from 'c:\program files\autodesk\maya2016\Python\lib\site-packages\maya\OpenMayaMPx.pyc'>,
    'OpenMayaRender': <module 'maya.OpenMayaRender' from 'c:\program files\autodesk\maya2016\Python\lib\site-packages\maya\OpenMayaRender.pyc'>,
    'OpenMayaUI': <module 'maya.OpenMayaUI' from 'c:\program files\autodesk\maya2016\Python\lib\site-packages\maya\OpenMayaUI.pyc'>,
    'app': <module 'maya.app' from 'c:\program files\autodesk\maya2016\Python\lib\site-packages\maya\app\__init__.py'>,
    'cmds': <module 'maya.cmds' from 'c:\program files\autodesk\maya2016\Python\lib\site-packages\maya\cmds\__init__.py'>,
    'debug': <module 'maya.debug' from 'c:\program files\autodesk\maya2016\Python\lib\site-packages\maya\debug\__init__.py'>,
    'mel': <module 'maya.mel' from 'c:\program files\autodesk\maya2016\Python\lib\site-packages\maya\mel\__init__.py'>,
    'standalone': <module 'maya.standalone' (built-in)>,
    'utils': <module 'maya.utils' from 'c:\program files\autodesk\maya2016\Python\lib\site-packages\maya\utils.py'>
    

It would of course be trivial to make your own module which imported a subset
of those.

