How import package from PyPI with hyphen in name?

Question

There is a package in PyPI called neat-python (yes, with a hyphen). I can install it just fine but can't import it into Python. I've tried underscores, parentheses, and making the name a string but of course the import statement doesn't allow them. Does PyPI actually accept packages with illegal Python names or is there a solution I'm overlooking?

Answer 1

hyphen is not allowed in import syntax. In the case of 'neat-python' the package is simply installed as 'neat':

import neat

you can check this yourself by looking in your site-packages directory (for me, that is /usr/local/lib/python3.7/site-packages ).

Edit: and yes, this is allowed for PyPI packages, and it can be annoying. Usually the actual package name will be some very similar variant of the name used to install from PyPI.

Answer 2

Starting in python3.x you can use importlib for some generic module that actually installs with a hyphen in the name. I will use neat-python as an example even though I have been informed that it actually installs as neat :

--myscript.py--

import importlib
neat = importlib.import_module("neat-python")
# to then call "mymodule" in neat
neat.mymodule(someobject)