IPython module organization

As of the 0.11 release of IPython, the top-level packages and modules have been completely reorganized. This section describes the purpose of the top-level IPython subpackages.

Subpackage descriptions

• IPython.config. This package contains the configuration system of IPython, as well as default configuration files for the different IPython applications.
• IPython.core. This sub-package contains the core of the IPython interpreter, but none of its extended capabilities.
• IPython.deathrow. This is for code that is outdated, untested, rotting, or that belongs in a separate third party project. Eventually all this code will either 1) be revived by someone willing to maintain it with tests and docs and re-included into IPython or 2) be removed from IPython proper, but put into a separate third-party Python package. No new code will be allowed here. If your favorite extension has been moved here please contact the IPython developer mailing list to help us determine the best course of action.
• IPython.extensions. This package contains fully supported IPython extensions. These extensions adhere to the official IPython extension API and can be enabled by adding them to a field in the configuration file. If your extension is no longer in this location, please look in IPython.quarantine and IPython.deathrow and contact the IPython developer mailing list.
• IPython.external. This package contains third party packages and modules that IPython ships internally to reduce the number of dependencies. Usually, these are short, single file modules.
• IPython.frontend. This package contains the various IPython frontends which communicate with the IPython.zmq kernels (see Messaging in IPython). This includes the ipython notebook, ipython qtconsole, and ipython console entry points.
• IPython.lib. IPython has many extended capabilities that are not part of the IPython core. These things will go here and in. Modules in this package are similar to extensions, but don’t adhere to the official IPython extension API.
• IPython.nbformat. This package contains code related to reading and writing IPython Notebook’s file format (.ipynb files).
• IPython.parallel. This contains IPython’s parallel computing system. This previously lived under IPython.kernel, but that module has been deprecated.
• IPython.quarantine. This is for code that doesn’t meet IPython’s standards, but that we plan on keeping. To be moved out of this sub-package a module needs to have approval of the core IPython developers, tests and documentation. If your favorite extension has been moved here please contact the IPython developer mailing list to help us determine the best course of action.
• IPython.scripts. This package contains a variety of top-level command line scripts. Eventually, these should be moved to the scripts subdirectory of the appropriate IPython subpackage.
• IPython.testing. This package contains code related to the IPython test suite, which locates and executes the tests submodules of all IPython sub-packages. It also contains decorators and utilities relevant for testing.
• IPython.utils. This sub-package will contain anything that might eventually be found in the Python standard library, like things in genutils. Each sub-module in this sub-package should contain functions and classes that serve a single purpose and that don’t depend on things in the rest of IPython.
• IPython.zmq. This sub-package contains code related to starting and managing IPython kernels, which IPython.frontend instances can then communicate with (see Messaging in IPython).