How do I unload (reload) a Python module?

Question

I have a long-running Python server and would like to be able to upgrade a service without restarting the server. What\'s the best way do do this?

if foo.py          


        

Answer 1

Enthought Traits has a module that works fairly well for this. https://traits.readthedocs.org/en/4.3.0/_modules/traits/util/refresh.html

It will reload any module that has been changed, and update other modules and instanced objects that are using it. It does not work most of the time with __very_private__ methods, and can choke on class inheritance, but it saves me crazy amounts of time from having to restart the host application when writing PyQt guis, or stuff that runs inside programs such as Maya or Nuke. It doesn't work maybe 20-30 % of the time, but it's still incredibly helpful.

Enthought's package doesn't reload files the moment they change - you have to call it explicitely - but that shouldn't be all that hard to implement if you really need it