optional_import 1.1

Import something if it exists.

Usage

This library contains only the context manager optional_import:

from optional_import import optional_import

An import within the optional_import context fails silently if the import does not exist.

Example: Optionally importing a module foo

Import foo is it exists; do nothing otherwise.

with optional_import():
    import foo

Example: Optionally importing local settings from Django settings.py:

A common pattern in Django is to put default settings in settings.py, put optional site-specific settings in settings_local.py, and import * from the local settings file if it exists.

with optional_import():
    from .settings_local import *

Why not just catch ImportError?

Optional imports can almost be achieved as:

try:
    import foo
except ImportError:
    pass

But this approach is deficient: If foo exists but raises ImportError, we want that error to be raised, but instead it is unintentionally swallowed by the except clause.