import sys
print(sys.path)

only on windows, they print sys.path[0] is python38.zip not "".

(docs.python.org says "As initialized upon program startup, the first item of this list, path[0], is the directory containing the script that was used to invoke the Python interpreter. If the script directory is not available (e.g. if the interpreter is invoked interactively or if the script is read from standard input), path[0] is the empty string, which directs Python to search modules in the current directory first. Notice that the script directory is inserted before the entries inserted as a result of PYTHONPATH.")

> on windows, they print sys.path[0] is python38.zip not "".

Isolated mode is probably enabled, i.e. `sys.flags.isolated == 1`. It's enabled by default for the embedded distribution [1], or if a "._pth" file exists beside and with the same base name as the executable or DLL (e.g.  "python._pth" or "python38._pth") [2].

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[1] https://docs.python.org/3/using/windows.html#the-embeddable-package
[2] https://docs.python.org/3/using/windows.html#finding-modules

Thank you.