Writing commonjs module and load it using require (not using relative path)

Question

What is best pratice for referencing a local commonjs module without using a relative path as below?

var custMod= require(‘customModule’);
custMod(true);
custMod.save(‘foo’);

Is there any reference for building a module like this?

If I wrote module like below, getting undefined when I call custMode.save(12);

module.exports = customModule;function customModule(mode) {
  var mode = 1;
  return {
    save: function (value) {
        console.log(mode, value)
    },
    get: function (id) {
        console.log(mode, id)
    }
}

Are you asking how to write a module that injects global variables? Or how to create a function that also has custom properties? What exactly is the "this" you are talking about? — Felix Kling
– Felix Kling, Commented Apr 29, 2015 at 15:23
@FelixKling I was asking about writing module that injects global variables and can be loaded using require function. — peterkr
– peterkr, Commented Apr 29, 2015 at 15:30
Still not 100% sure what you're asking for, but I've added an answer based on my assumptions. What do you mean by "injects global variables"? — Ben Fortune
– Ben Fortune, Commented Apr 29, 2015 at 15:32
Every module can be loaded with require. Injecting global variables should be avoided. How the module can be loaded (i.e. via a direct path or just the name) cannot be influenced by the module itself. It depends on how the Node environment is set up. This may help to understand the issue: nodejs.org/api/modules.html — Felix Kling
– Felix Kling, Commented Apr 29, 2015 at 15:32

Ben Fortune · Accepted Answer · 2015-04-29 15:40:48Z

1

You can add a path for require to check using

require.paths.push('/my/path');

or

require.main.paths.push('/my/path');

Depending on your node version.

Then if customModule.js exists at /my/path/customModule.js, you can just use

require('customModule');

Do note though, you'd need to do this on every module that you intend to use this method on.

edited Apr 29, 2015 at 15:40

answered Apr 29, 2015 at 15:26

Ben Fortune

32.2k10 gold badges82 silver badges82 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

3 Comments

Felix Kling Over a year ago

"Otherwise, you're going to need to npm link or add your module to NPM." Not really. All that really is required is that the module is located in the package's node_modules folder. npm just makes this more convenient. But yeah, adding to npm became a bit more practical, now that it offers private modules.

Ben Fortune Over a year ago

@FelixKling You're right, removed. I don't think that is what I was looking for, but I could've sworn there was an NPM-cli flag that would copy a folder into node_modules.

Felix Kling Over a year ago

Yes, I think that's what npm link would do (it links a module into the current package). I was just saying that you don't need it (I guess I'm too picky ;) )

greim · Accepted Answer · 2015-04-29 16:35:55Z

I wish node made this easier to be honest. One possibility:

project_root
`--node_modules
   |--npm-module-1
   |--npm-module-2
   |--... (etc)
   `--lib
      |--my-module.js
      `--my-other-module.js

With the above you can then type require('lib/my-module') from anywhere in your project. (Just make sure and never install an npm module named lib :) Another possibility:

project_root
|--node_modules
|  |--npm-module-1
|  |--npm-module-2
|  `--... (etc)
`--lib
   `--node_modules
      |--my-module.js
      `--my-other-module.js

With the above you can then type require('my-module'), but only for any files under project_root/lib/.

An advantage of the former approach is that require('lib/my-module') makes it super easy at a glance to tell which modules are local to the project. However the latter is less typing.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Writing commonjs module and load it using require (not using relative path)

2 Answers 2

3 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

3 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related