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(python2.1-dist.info)General Python terminology

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General Python terminology
==========================

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:
`module'
     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.

`pure Python module'
     a module written in Python and contained in a single `.py' file
     (and possibly associated `.pyc' and/or `.pyo' files).  Sometimes
     referred to as a "pure module."

`extension module'
     a module written in the low-level language of the Python
     implementation: C/C++ for Python, Java for JPython.  Typically
     contained in a single dynamically loadable pre-compiled file, e.g.
     a shared object (`.so') file for Python extensions on UNIX, a DLL
     (given the `.pyd' extension) for Python extensions on Windows, or
     a Java class file for JPython extensions.  (Note that currently,
     the Distutils only handles C/C++ extensions for Python.)

`package'
     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 `__init__.py'.

`root package'
     the root of the hierarchy of packages.  (This isn't really a
     package, since it doesn't have an `__init__.py' 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 `sys.path' can
     contribute modules to the root package.