Import file from parent directory?

Question

I have the following directory structure:

application
    tests
        main.py
    main.py

application/main.py contains some functions.

Answer 1

You cannot import things from parent/sibling directories as such. You can only import things from directories on the system path, or the current directory, or subdirectories within a package. Since you have no __init__.py files, your files do not form a package, and you can only import them by placing them on the system path.