Python Import Order

Question

The documentation for Python 2.7.10 states that

When a module named spam is imported, the interpreter first searches for a built-in module with that name. If not found, it then searches for a file named spam.py in a list of directories given by the variable sys.path

However this happens when I have a file site.py in my CWD:

import site
print(site.__file__)
>>> site.py

So obviously site was not identified as a builtin-module first, but imported from the CWD instead. Any ideas as to what might be wrong there?

• mata: site is not a builtin module
• synthomat: Actually it is: docs.python.org/2/library/site.html However, my python behaves as described in the docs
• mata: Where in that doc do you see that it should be a builtin? A builtin module (like for example sys) does not have a .py file, site does come from site.py.
• karlson: I have another machine running Python 2.7.3 however, and there Python behaves as described. I.e. it doesn't matter whether I have a site.py in the CWD or not, it's always imported from '/usr/lib/python2.7/site.pyc'
• mata: @karlson - is your PYTHONPATH set? site seems to be imported before the CWD is added to sys.path, but the PYTHONPATH env variable is added earlier if set.

Answer 1

Are you sure site is built-in module?

import sys
sys.builtin_module_names

should give you built-in modules.