ABC hierarchy::
object
- +-- Finder
+ +-- Finder (deprecated)
| +-- MetaPathFinder
| +-- PathEntryFinder
+-- Loader
+-- ExecutionLoader --+
+-- FileLoader
+-- SourceLoader
- +-- PyLoader
- +-- PyPycLoader
+ +-- PyLoader (deprecated)
+ +-- PyPycLoader (deprecated)
.. class:: Finder
- An abstract base class representing a :term:`finder`. Finder
- implementations should derive from (or register with) the more specific
- :class:`MetaPathFinder` or :class:`PathEntryFinder` ABCs.
+ An abstract base class representing a :term:`finder`.
+
+ .. deprecated:: 3.3
+ Use :class:`MetaPathFinder` or :class:`PathEntryFinder` instead.
.. method:: find_module(fullname, path=None)
.. class:: PathFinder
- :term:`Finder` for :data:`sys.path` and package ``__path__`` attributes.
- This class implements the :class:`importlib.abc.MetaPathFinder` ABC.
+ A :term:`Finder` for :data:`sys.path` and package ``__path__`` attributes.
+ This class implements the :class:`importlib.abc.MetaPathFinder` ABC.
- Only class methods are defined by this class to alleviate the need for
- instantiation.
+ Only class methods are defined by this class to alleviate the need for
+ instantiation.
- .. classmethod:: find_module(fullname, path=None)
+ .. classmethod:: find_module(fullname, path=None)
- Class method that attempts to find a :term:`loader` for the module
- specified by *fullname* on :data:`sys.path` or, if defined, on
- *path*. For each path entry that is searched,
- :data:`sys.path_importer_cache` is checked. If a non-false object is
- found then it is used as the :term:`finder` to look for the module
- being searched for. If no entry is found in
- :data:`sys.path_importer_cache`, then :data:`sys.path_hooks` is
- searched for a finder for the path entry and, if found, is stored in
- :data:`sys.path_importer_cache` along with being queried about the
- module. If no finder is ever found then ``None`` is both stored in
- the cache and returned.
+ Class method that attempts to find a :term:`loader` for the module
+ specified by *fullname* on :data:`sys.path` or, if defined, on
+ *path*. For each path entry that is searched,
+ :data:`sys.path_importer_cache` is checked. If a non-false object is
+ found then it is used as the :term:`finder` to look for the module
+ being searched for. If no entry is found in
+ :data:`sys.path_importer_cache`, then :data:`sys.path_hooks` is
+ searched for a finder for the path entry and, if found, is stored in
+ :data:`sys.path_importer_cache` along with being queried about the
+ module. If no finder is ever found then ``None`` is both stored in
+ the cache and returned.
.. classmethod:: invalidate_caches()
- Call :meth:`importlib.abc.PathEntryFinder.invalidate_caches` on all
- finders stored in :attr:`sys.path_importer_cache`.
+ Calls :meth:`importlib.abc.PathEntryFinder.invalidate_caches` on all
+ finders stored in :attr:`sys.path_importer_cache`.
.. class:: FileFinder(path, \*loader_details)