Flake8 Alphabetize will just give you warnings about import order, whereas isort will actually change the code itself. So as I see it there are two types of to

Flake8 Alphabetize will just give you warnings about import order, whereas isort will actually change the code itself. So as I see it there are two types of tool, formatters and checkers. A formatter doesn't alter the Abstract Syntax Tree (AST). In other words it doesn't alter the meaning of the code, just how it looks (eg. the formatter Black). A checker on the other hand looks only at the AST and just gives warnings in your editor, and then it's up to you to change it or not. The import order is fixed in the AST, so it falls outside the scope of Black (which never changes the AST). So I felt there was a need for a tool that worked as a checker that just gives warnings in your editor if your imports don't conform to PEP8, and hence Flake8 Alphabetize. It's worth mentioning that Flake8 Alphabetize follows Black's philosophy of having only one way of doing things, so a project can standardise on Flake8 Alphabetize and everyone's imports will look the same. Anyway, any feedback is welcomed:-)