How do I reload a module in an active Julia session after an edit?

Question

2018 Update: Be sure to check all the responses, as the answer to this question has changed multiple times over the years. At the time of this update, the <

Answer 1

In my humble opinion, the better way is to use import from the very beginning instead of using for the reported issue.

Consider the module:

module ModuleX1
  export produce_text
  produce_text() = begin
    println("v1.0") 
  end
  println("v1.0 loaded")
end

Then in REPL:

julia> import ModuleX1
v1.0 loaded

julia> ModuleX1.produce_text()
v1.0

Update the code of the module and save it:

module ModuleX1
  export produce_text
  produce_text() = begin
    println("v2.0")  
  end
  println("v2.0 loaded")
end

Next, in the REPL:

julia> reload("ModuleX1")
Warning: replacing module ModuleX1
v2.0 loaded

julia> ModuleX1.produce_text()
v2.0

Advantages of using import over using:

• avoiding ambiguity in function calls (What to call: ModuleX1.produce_text() or produce_text() after reloading?)
• do not have to call workspace() in order to get rid of ambiguity

Disadvantages of using import over using:

• a fully qualified name in every call for every exported name is needed

Edited: Discarded "full access to the module, even to the not-exported names" from "Disadvantages..." according to the conversation below.