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<H1><A NAME="SECTION001300000000000000000"></A>
<A NAME="python-terms"></A>
<BR>
1.3 General Python terminology
</H1>

<P>
If you're reading this document, you probably have a good idea of what
modules, extensions, and so forth are.  Nevertheless, just to be sure
that everyone is operating from a common starting point, we offer the
following glossary of common Python terms:
<DL>
<DT><STRONG>module</STRONG></DT>
<DD>the basic unit of code reusability in Python: a block of
  code imported by some other code.  Three types of modules concern us
  here: pure Python modules, extension modules, and packages.

<P>
</DD>
<DT><STRONG>pure Python module</STRONG></DT>
<DD>a module written in Python and contained in a
  single <span class="file">.py</span> file (and possibly associated <span class="file">.pyc</span> and/or
  <span class="file">.pyo</span> files).  Sometimes referred to as a ``pure module.''

<P>
</DD>
<DT><STRONG>extension module</STRONG></DT>
<DD>a module written in the low-level language of
  the Python implementation: C/C++ for Python, Java for Jython.
  Typically contained in a single dynamically loadable pre-compiled
  file, e.g. a shared object (<span class="file">.so</span>) file for Python extensions on
  <span class="Unix">Unix</span>, a DLL (given the <span class="file">.pyd</span> extension) for Python extensions
  on Windows, or a Java class file for Jython extensions.  (Note that
  currently, the Distutils only handles C/C++ extensions for Python.)

<P>
</DD>
<DT><STRONG>package</STRONG></DT>
<DD>a module that contains other modules; typically contained
  in a directory in the filesystem and distinguished from other
  directories by the presence of a file <span class="file">__init__.py</span>.

<P>
</DD>
<DT><STRONG>root package</STRONG></DT>
<DD>the root of the hierarchy of packages.  (This isn't
  really a package, since it doesn't have an <span class="file">__init__.py</span>
  file.  But we have to call it something.)  The vast majority of the
  standard library is in the root package, as are many small, standalone
  third-party modules that don't belong to a larger module collection.
  Unlike regular packages, modules in the root package can be found in
  many directories: in fact, every directory listed in <code>sys.path</code>
  contributes modules to the root package.
</DD>
</DL>

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<span class="release-info">Release 2.4.2, documentation updated on 28 September 2005.</span>
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