How to get current import paths in Python?

The path locations that python checks by default can be inspected by checking sys.path.

import sysprint(sys.path)

If you want a bit better formatting:

import sysfrom pprint import pprintpprint(sys.path)

The other answers are almost correct

Python 3:

import sysimport_paths = sys.path

In Python 2.7:

import sysimport osimport copyimport_paths = copy.copy(sys.path)if '__file__' in vars(): import_paths.append(os.path.abspath(os.path.join(__file__,'..')))

In both versions the main file (i.e. __name__ == '__main' is True) automatically adds its own directory to sys.path. However Python 3 only imports modules from sys.path. Python 2.7 imports modules from both sys.path AND from the directory of the current file. This is relevant when you have a file structure like:

|-- start.py|-- first_import|   |-- __init__.py|   |-- second_import.py

with contents
start.py:
import first_import
__init__.py:
import second_import.py

In Python 3 directly running __init__.py will work, but when you run start.py, __init__.py wont be able to import second_import.py because it wont be in sys.path.

In Python 2.7 when you run start.py, __init__.py will be able to import second_import.py even though its not in sys.path since it is in the same folder as it.

I cant think of a way to perfectly duplicate Python 2.7's behavior in Python 3 unfortunately.