[Python] Using Alias in __init__.py Still Exposes Original Submodule Name in Package Namespace...

I noticed unexpected behavior when importing a submodule with an alias in my package's __init__.py file. In short, using alias in __init__.py still exposes original submodule name in package namespace.

Specifically, this is how to reproduce the result:

• Files

.
├── package
│ ├── __init__.py
│ └── submodule.py
└── test.py

• __init__.py

from . import submodule as sm

print(dir())

• test.py

import package


print(package.submodule)

• run test.py would get

['__builtins__', '__cached__', '__doc__', '__file__', '__loader__', '__name__', '__package__', '__path__', '__spec__', 'sm', 'submodule']
<module 'package.submodule' from path_to_submodule.py>

• python version: 3.12.7

What happens


You can see the submodule is exposed even I import it as alias in __init__.py.

What I expect


I expect that the test.py should not have the access to package.submodule because the __init__.py didn't import it directly. And I am not sure if this is a bug of python.

The point in this question is that I never import submodule directly but I can have access to it.

I try to ask ChatGPT or other LLMs and search the doc from python.org. However, I didn't get a clear answer. Is this a bug or a normal design?

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