A possible structure for a Node module

Question

In my node project I'm using this basic template structure for a single module

(function() {

  var SimpleModule;
  SimpleModule = (function() {

    function SimpleModule(params) {

      /** private function */
      this.aPrivateFunction = function() {
        return "hidden";
      };

    }

    /** public function */
    SimpleModule.prototype.foo = function() {
      return "bar";
    }

    return SimpleModule;

  })();

  module.exports = SimpleModule;

}).call(this);

so that the caller module will do

var SimpleModule
 ,simpleModuleInstance;

SimpleModule = require('./simplemodule');
simpleModuleInstance = new SimpleModule();
simpleModuleInstance.foo();

Is this a approach formally correct in Node?

Unsure as to why you would wrap the module in another "immediately invoked function" when each file is already? — FabianCook
– FabianCook, Commented Apr 29, 2016 at 13:44
If the module is huge, and you need to use another files, you should use a folder to define your module, creating a package json with a main module, so that you encapsulate everything you need for that module in a folder, and exports just the main module. Then the require is done by folder name. — rahpuser
– rahpuser, Commented Apr 29, 2016 at 14:49

Bashar · Accepted Answer · 2016-04-29 13:25:21Z

4

How about a simpler approach? Modules are private by default, so everything's already encapsulated except what you export.

function SimpleModule(params) {
  /* Not really private!! */
  this.aPrivateFunction = function() {
    return "hidden";
  };
}

/** public function */
SimpleModule.prototype.foo = function() {
  return "bar";
}

module.exports = SimpleModule;

answered Apr 29, 2016 at 13:25

Bashar

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1 Comment

Bashar Over a year ago

@NestorBritez Not really. If you're going to write var instance = new SimpleModule(), you're going to end up with aPrivateFunction on the instance. To get aPrivateFunction as a static method, you'd have to attach it directly to the constructor function: SimpleModule.aPrivateFunction = function() ...

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