# Is the Main module the only module where a relative path is not required?

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/is-the-main-module-the-only-module-where-a-relative-path-is-not-required/122713>\
**Category:** New to Julia\
**Tags:** question\
**Created:** [November 16, 2024, 11:19am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/is-the-main-module-the-only-module-where-a-relative-path-is-not-required/122713 "2024-11-16T11:19:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![world-peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9f8e36/32.png) [@world-peace](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/world-peace)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2024, 11:19am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/is-the-main-module-the-only-module-where-a-relative-path-is-not-required/122713/1 "2024-11-16T11:19:21Z")

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Just noticed something which I’m slightly confused by and looks a bit inconsistent.

If I write a file `main.jl` containing the following code

```julia
include("ExampleModule.jl`)

ExampleModule.exampleFunction()

```

why does this work?

It just occurred to me that elsewhere I would be required to write

```julia
Main.ExampleModule.exampleFunction()

```

or

```julia
.ExampleModule.exampleFunction()

```

What is the reason for this difference?

I may not have provided enough information to go off here. Let me know if this is the case and I will try to add to this.

I also didn’t drink my morning coffee yet. It’s possible this is a dumb question and I just haven’t realize it yet.

---

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**Author:** ![goerz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/goerz/32/3269_2.png) [@goerz](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/goerz)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2024, 11:16am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/is-the-main-module-the-only-module-where-a-relative-path-is-not-required/122713/2 "2024-11-17T11:16:13Z")

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I think the REPL has the concept of an “active module” (`Main` by default, but [this can be changed](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/change-current-working-module-from-repl/53166/7)). That’s probably what accounts for the difference in behavior.