Imports and Modules

Importing modules

Use the import statement to bring a module into scope:

import console

After importing, you can access the module's functions using dot notation:

console.println("Hello!")

Import statements should be placed at the top of the file, before any function definitions or other code.

Import aliases

Use as to give an imported module a different name:

import math as m

function main() {
    console.println(m.sqrt(16).tostring())  // 4
    console.println(m.pi)                   // 3.141592653589793
}

This is useful for shortening long module names or avoiding naming conflicts.

Selective imports

Use from ... import to import specific functions or properties from a module:

from math import sqrt, pi

function main() {
    console.println(sqrt(16))  // 4
    console.println(pi)        // 3.141592653589793
}

You can also import everything from a module:

from math import *

function main() {
    console.println(pi)
    console.println(e)
    console.println(sqrt(25))
}

With selective imports, the imported names are available directly without the module prefix.

Available modules

Module	Description
console	Terminal output and user input
math	Mathematical functions and constants
random	Random number generation and selection
json	JSON parsing and serialization
fs	File system operations
datetime	Date and time handling
os	OS operations and environment
http	HTTP client and server

How modules work

Modules in CColon are built-in packages provided by the runtime. Each module exposes a set of functions that you call through dot notation after importing.

You must import a module before using it:

// this will fail:
function main() {
    console.println("oops")
    // error: undefined variable 'console'
}

Importing other CColon files

You can import functions and classes from other .ccl files using a string path:

import "utils.ccl"
import "lib/helpers.ccl"

The path is resolved relative to the directory of the file doing the import. All top-level definitions (functions, classes) from the imported file become available in the importing file's global scope.

Each file is imported at most once, even if multiple import statements reference it.

Example

utils.ccl:

function double(int x) int {
    return x * 2
}

main.ccl:

import console
import "utils.ccl"

function main() {
    console.println(double(5).tostring())  // 10
}

Importing packages

Installed packages are automatically available as modules. After installing a package with ccolon pkg install, you can import it like any other module:

import ccl_testpkg

function main() {
    ccl_testpkg.test()
}

Or use selective imports:

from ccl_testpkg import test

function main() {
    test()
}

See Package Manager for details on installing packages.