Welcome to importlib_metadata

importlib_metadata is a library which provides an API for accessing an installed package’s metadata (see PEP 566), such as its entry points or its top-level name. This functionality intends to replace most uses of pkg_resources entry point API and metadata API. Along with importlib.resources in Python 3.7 and newer (backported as importlib_resources for older versions of Python), this can eliminate the need to use the older and less efficient pkg_resources package.

importlib_metadata is a backport of Python 3.8’s standard library importlib.metadata module for Python 2.7, and 3.4 through 3.7. Users of Python 3.8 and beyond are encouraged to use the standard library module. When imported on Python 3.8 and later, importlib_metadata replaces the DistributionFinder behavior from the stdlib, but leaves the API in tact. Developers looking for detailed API descriptions should refer to the Python 3.8 standard library documentation.

The documentation here includes a general usage guide.

Contents:

• Using importlib_metadata
  • Overview
  • Functional API
  • Distributions
  • Extending the search algorithm

Project details

• Project home: https://gitlab.com/python-devs/importlib_metadata

• Report bugs at: https://gitlab.com/python-devs/importlib_metadata/issues

• Code hosting: https://gitlab.com/python-devs/importlib_metadata.git

• Documentation: http://importlib_metadata.readthedocs.io/

Indices and tables

• Index

• Module Index

• Search Page