Python Dependency Graph Calculator

0.8.1 · abandoned · verified Tue Apr 14

Importlab is a Python library that automatically infers dependencies and calculates a dependency graph for Python files. It can perform dependency ordering of a set of files, including cycle detection. Its primary use case is to work with static analysis tools that process one file at a time, ensuring dependencies are analyzed first. The project is currently at version 0.8.1 and its GitHub repository was archived on May 6, 2025, making it read-only.

Warnings

breaking The `importlab` GitHub repository was archived on May 6, 2025, and is now read-only. This indicates that the library is no longer actively maintained, and no further updates, bug fixes, or new features are expected.
Fix: Users should be aware that the library is unmaintained. Consider forking the repository if active development is required, or seek alternative solutions for dependency graph analysis.
gotcha `importlab` might execute module initialization code when attempting to find dependencies, which could lead to unexpected side effects or security vulnerabilities if analyzing untrusted or malformed code.
Fix: Exercise caution when using `importlab` on untrusted Python code. Review the code to be analyzed for potential side effects or ensure a sandboxed environment for analysis.
breaking Support for Python 2 was officially dropped in version 0.6.1. Using `importlab` with Python 2 will result in errors.
Fix: Ensure your project uses Python 3.6 or newer (as per `requires_python` metadata) when using `importlab` versions 0.6.1 or later.
gotcha While `importlab` infers dependencies, the resulting graph object is a `networkx.DiGraph`. Users needing to traverse, query, or manipulate this graph extensively will likely require familiarity with the `networkx` library's API.
Fix: Familiarize yourself with the `networkx` library's documentation to effectively work with the graphs generated by `importlab`.

Install

pip install importlab PyPI

Imports

build_graph
```
from importlab.graph import build_graph
```
This is the primary function for programmatic graph construction.

Quickstart

This quickstart demonstrates how to use `importlab.graph.build_graph` to create a dependency graph from a list of Python file paths. It creates two dummy modules, analyzes their imports, and prints the nodes and edges of the resulting graph. The graph object returned is a networkx.DiGraph.

import os
from importlab.graph import build_graph

# Create dummy Python files for demonstration
with open('module_a.py', 'w') as f:
    f.write('import module_b\ndef func_a(): pass')
with open('module_b.py', 'w') as f:
    f.write('def func_b(): pass')

# Build the dependency graph
# Assuming current directory is in PYTHONPATH for this example
graph = build_graph(paths=['module_a.py', 'module_b.py'])

print('Nodes (files):', graph.nodes())
print('Edges (dependencies):', graph.edges())

# Clean up dummy files
os.remove('module_a.py')
os.remove('module_b.py')

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