How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love __init__.py

Alright, folks, welcome to the Python Comedy Club! 🎤 Tonight, we’re going to talk about one of the most misunderstood, yet incredibly useful things in Python: the __init__.py file.

I know, I know. You didn’t come here expecting a file name that looks like someone fell asleep on their keyboard. But trust me, by the end of this set, you’ll not only understand __init__.py, but you’ll also love it. Or at least tolerate it like that one relative who always talks about cryptocurrency at family dinners. 🫠

What is __init__.py? 🤔

Imagine you walk into a restaurant. The moment you step in, a host greets you, hands you a menu, and lets you know what’s available.

That’s __init__.py.

It’s the host of your Python package. It tells Python, “Hey, this directory? Yeah, it’s not just a random collection of files. It’s an official Python package!” Without it, Python treats your folder like that shady warehouse downtown — just a bunch of files lying around, no organization, no legitimacy.

TL;DR:

✅ Marks a folder as a package.

✅ Runs setup code when you import a package.