# Module: `utils.importstring`

A simple utility to import something by its string name.

## 1 Function

`IPython.utils.importstring.``import_item`(name)

  Import and return `bar` given the string `foo.bar`.

  Calling `bar = import_item("foo.bar")` is the functional equivalent of executing the code `from foo import bar`.

  Parameters: | name (string) – The fully qualified name of the module/package being imported.
  Returns: | mod – The module that was imported.
  Return type: | module object