31.2. importlib – Convenience wrappers for __import__() — Python 2.7.11 documentation

# 31.2. `importlib` – Convenience wrappers for `__import__()`

New in version 2.7.

This module is a minor subset of what is available in the more full-featured package of the same name from Python 3.1 that provides a complete implementation of `import`. What is here has been provided to help ease in transitioning from 2.7 to 3.1.

`importlib.` `import_module`(name, package=None)

  Import a module. The name argument specifies what module to import in absolute or relative terms (e.g. either `pkg.mod` or `..mod`). If the name is specified in relative terms, then the package argument must be specified to the package which is to act as the anchor for resolving the package name (e.g. `import_module('..mod', 'pkg.subpkg')` will import `pkg.mod`). The specified module will be inserted into `sys.modules` and returned.