Import Patterns

This page turns the module model into practical patterns for readers who need more than one file.

Template plus Environment

Use a base file for defaults and an environment file for overrides.

// base.pklname = "api"port = 8080replicas = 1

// prod.pklamends "base.pkl"replicas = 4

The CLI loads the imported source graph before typechecking or evaluation.

Named Imports

Use named imports when the imported module is a dependency, not a base template.

import "database.pkl" as dbservice {  host = db.host  port = db.port}

Expression Imports

Use import("...") when a module value should be assigned or passed around.

database = import("database.pkl")port = database.port

Import Graphs

Treat imports as a graph of reviewed source files. Keep shared constants, classes, and templates in small modules, then import them from the modules that own rendered output.

// shared.pkldefaultPort = 8080

// service.pklimport "shared.pkl" as sharedport = shared.defaultPort

Cycles and Missing Sources

Unresolved imports and cyclic imports should be treated as source-graph errors. Fix the graph first, then debug types or output.