How to structure a Python module to limit exported symbols? -

How to structure a Python module to limit exported symbols? -

i writing python module purpose export single info structure. believe means module should export single symbol (e.g. foo), other symbols beingness underscore-prefixed.

generating info construction takes fair amount of code - how should construction module ensure no symbols within code exported without prefix? 2 possible approaches are:

put generation code @ top-level, beingness careful utilize underscores throughout, e.g.:

_bar = ... _i in ...: _bar.append(...) foo = [_bar, ...]

put generation code within function returns info structure. requires function name utilize underscore. example:

def _generate_foo(): bar = ... in ...: bar.append(...) homecoming [bar, ...] foo = _generate_foo()

is either of these approaches considered better? or, there way construction module preferred?

note using underscore prevents name beingness imported from module import * (as documented). doesn't create name "private" in real way. people can still see in module doing import module , module._hiddenstuff.

for case, should instead utilize __all__. have code whatever want, @ top of module do:

__all__ = ['foo'] # foo beingness 1 thing want export

this has same effect using underscores much improve when want exclude things instead of include them.

python module