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

This is the modern way of reloading a module:

from importlib import reload

If you want to support versions of Python older than 3.5, try this:

from sys import version_info
if version_info[0] < 3:
    pass # Python 2 has built in reload
elif version_info[0] == 3 and version_info[1] <= 4:
    from imp import reload # Python 3.0 - 3.4 
else:
    from importlib import reload # Python 3.5+

To use it, run reload(MODULE), replacing MODULE with the module you want to reload.

For example, reload(math) will reload the math module.