NameError: name 'reload' is not defined in Python [Solved]

# NameError: name 'reload' is not defined in Python [Solved]

The "NameError: name 'reload' is not defined" occurs when we use the reload() function without importing it.

To solve the error, import the reload function from the built-in importlib module before using it.

python nameerror name reload is not defined

Here is an example of how the error occurs.

main.py

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import glob

# ⛔️ NameError: name 'reload' is not defined
new = reload(glob)

how the error occurs

# Import the reload function before using it

To solve the error, import the reload function from the built-in importlib module before using it.

main.py

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import glob
import importlib

new = importlib.reload(glob)

print(new) # 👉️ <module 'glob' (built-in)>

import reload from importlib

The code for this article is available on GitHub

In Python version 2, the reload() function was built-in and directly accessible, however, in Python 3 it has been moved to the importlib module.

# Importing only the reload function from the importlib module

The code sample imports the entire importlib module, however, you can also import only the reload() function from the module.

main.py

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import glob
from importlib import reload

new = reload(glob)

print(new)  # 👉️ <module 'glob' (built-in)>

import only the reload function

The code for this article is available on GitHub

The importlib.reload() method reloads a previously imported module.

The argument to the method must be a module object that has been successfully imported (prior to reloading it).

The importlib.reload() method is most often used when we have edited the source of the module using an external editor and we want to get access to the newer version without exiting the interpreter.

The reload() method returns the module object, so you can directly reassign the module to the result of calling reload(module).

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NameError: name 'reload' is not defined in Python [Solved]