On: The return of lazy imports for Python

[sdenton4]

Import side effects are the devil and should be killed with fire wherever they appear.

[Spivak → sdenton4]

The problem is that side effects are really broad and include things that are idiomatic Python.

    # jobs.py
    @scheduler.register_job(when=“daily”)
    def batch_job(): …

This adds the job to the global scheduler.

    # models.py

    class Model(DBModel):
      def on_change():
        # do stuff

This adds the model to the ORM’s list of modules via a metaclasss and registers its hooks.

    # plugin.py

    class SomePlugin(PluginBase): …

Same thing. The code to load plugins like this is just importing the module and letting the metaclass do the work.

[jonnycomputer → sdenton4]

Amen