What is the purpose of Node.js module.exports and how do you use it?

Question

What is the purpose of Node.js module.exports and how do you use it?

I can't seem to find any information on this, but it appears to be a rather important part of Node.js as I often see it in source code.

According to the Node.js documentation:

module

A reference to the current module. In particular module.exports is the same as the exports object. See src/node.js for more information.

But this doesn't really help.

What exactly does module.exports do, and what would a simple example be?

Coquina

See also: javascript - module.exports vs exports in Node.js - Stack Overflow – Goddess

Answer 1

module.exports is the object that's actually returned as the result of a require call.

The exports variable is initially set to that same object (i.e. it's a shorthand "alias"), so in the module code you would usually write something like this:

let myFunc1 = function() { ... };
let myFunc2 = function() { ... };
exports.myFunc1 = myFunc1;
exports.myFunc2 = myFunc2;

to export (or "expose") the internally scoped functions myFunc1 and myFunc2.

And in the calling code you would use:

const m = require('./mymodule');
m.myFunc1();

where the last line shows how the result of require is (usually) just a plain object whose properties may be accessed.

NB: if you overwrite exports then it will no longer refer to module.exports. So if you wish to assign a new object (or a function reference) to exports then you should also assign that new object to module.exports

---

It's worth noting that the name added to the exports object does not have to be the same as the module's internally scoped name for the value that you're adding, so you could have:

let myVeryLongInternalName = function() { ... };
exports.shortName = myVeryLongInternalName;
// add other objects, functions, as required

followed by:

const m = require('./mymodule');
m.shortName(); // invokes module.myVeryLongInternalName

Aquino

What if you have multiple functions in that module that you add to exports? Then how would you specify from require which function you want? – Contumely

Good answer - it seems to me that 'exposes' would have been a better choice of terminology than 'exports' – Ankara

@Ankara you might be right, but it is called "exports" ... ;-) – Aquino

Is there not proper documentation for this behavior? – Enterectomy

@ApopheniaOverload - you can do "exports.func1, exports.func2, etc" to have multiple exposed methods from one file. – Solitude

The module require should be var m = require('./mymodule');, with the dot and slash. This way Node.js knows we're using a local module. – Autotruck

She's talking about 'exports'.. not 'module.exports' – Wehrle

@Wehrle see the quote in the question where it says that module.exports is the same as exports (sigh) – Aquino

@Wehrle no, they don't. They're the same thing – Aquino

@Wehrle p.s there are circumstances when it's appropriate to overwrite module.exports since as written above that's the variable that's actually returned by the module. If you overwrite exports it doesn't change anything. The only reason that module.exports and exports are ever different is if the module author decided to make them that way. They always start out being the same object. – Aquino

+1 for if you overwrite exports then it will no longer refer to module.exports – Joijoice

Be sure to use: require('./module_name') syntax because, there might be some other node.js modules with the some name and instead of picking your own module, it will pick up the one that is installed with node.js – Erlandson

how do you export everything in the file? – Asci

basically by making one huge function out of it. return an object from this function with all the needed properties and functions declared on it. then export this function – Somber

@Ankara there is a long tradition of referring to the public symbols exposed by a module as being 'exported', that dates back across many programming systems and decades. This was not a new term invented by the Node developers. – Gadgetry

@reviewers - this answer has over a 1000 upvotes. Please review edits extremely carefully. I've just reverted the unnecessary one made earlier today. – Aquino

Is this answer outdated? Using the example code in it yields that the functions are undefined ... – Bayadere

@GuiPremonsa answer corrected to indicate local module – Barong

@Barong that's irrelevant to the question actually asked. – Aquino

Answer 2

This has already been answered but I wanted to add some clarification...

You can use both exports and module.exports to import code into your application like this:

var mycode = require('./path/to/mycode');

The basic use case you'll see (e.g. in ExpressJS example code) is that you set properties on the exports object in a .js file that you then import using require()

So in a simple counting example, you could have:

(counter.js):

var count = 1;

exports.increment = function() {
    count++;
};

exports.getCount = function() {
    return count;
};

... then in your application (web.js, or really any other .js file):

var counting = require('./counter.js');

console.log(counting.getCount()); // 1
counting.increment();
console.log(counting.getCount()); // 2

In simple terms, you can think of required files as functions that return a single object, and you can add properties (strings, numbers, arrays, functions, anything) to the object that's returned by setting them on exports.

Sometimes you'll want the object returned from a require() call to be a function you can call, rather than just an object with properties. In that case you need to also set module.exports, like this:

(sayhello.js):

module.exports = exports = function() {
    console.log("Hello World!");
};

(app.js):

var sayHello = require('./sayhello.js');
sayHello(); // "Hello World!"

The difference between exports and module.exports is explained better in this answer here.

Isla

I had to tweak your module.exports example to make it work. file: var sayHello = require('./ex6_module.js'); console.log(sayHello()); and module: module.exports = exports = function() { return "Hello World!"; } – Gotama

Found the increment example really good and I have used this to refresh my mind every time I get overloaded with what I am doing with exports. – Balneal

module.exports = exports = function(){...} the 2nd exports is just a variable right? In other words, it can be module.exports = abc = function() – Meshach

Answer 3

Note that the NodeJS module mechanism is based on CommonJS modules which are supported in many other implementations like RequireJS, but also SproutCore, CouchDB, Wakanda, OrientDB, ArangoDB, RingoJS, TeaJS, SilkJS, curl.js, or even Adobe Photoshop (via PSLib). You can find the full list of known implementations here.

Unless your module use node specific features or module, I highly encourage you then using exports instead of module.exports which is not part of the CommonJS standard, and then mostly not supported by other implementations.

Another NodeJS specific feature is when you assign a reference to a new object to exports instead of just adding properties and methods to it like in the last example provided by Jed Watson in this thread. I would personally discourage this practice as this breaks the circular reference support of the CommonJS modules mechanism. It is then not supported by all implementations and Jed example should then be written this way (or a similar one) to provide a more universal module:

(sayhello.js):

exports.run = function() {
    console.log("Hello World!");
}

(app.js):

var sayHello = require('./sayhello');
sayHello.run(); // "Hello World!"

Or using ES6 features

(sayhello.js):

Object.assign(exports, {
    // Put all your public API here
    sayhello() {
        console.log("Hello World!");
    }
});

(app.js):

const { sayHello } = require('./sayhello');
sayHello(); // "Hello World!"

PS: It looks like Appcelerator also implements CommonJS modules, but without the circular reference support (see: Appcelerator and CommonJS modules (caching and circular references))

Subaqueous

Answer 4

Some few things you must take care if you assign a reference to a new object to exports and /or modules.exports:

1. All properties/methods previously attached to the original exports or module.exports are of course lost because the exported object will now reference another new one

This one is obvious, but if you add an exported method at the beginning of an existing module, be sure the native exported object is not referencing another object at the end

exports.method1 = function () {}; // exposed to the original exported object
exports.method2 = function () {}; // exposed to the original exported object

module.exports.method3 = function () {}; // exposed with method1 & method2

var otherAPI = {
    // some properties and/or methods
}

exports = otherAPI; // replace the original API (works also with module.exports)

2. In case one of exports or module.exports reference a new value, they don't reference to the same object any more

exports = function AConstructor() {}; // override the original exported object
exports.method2 = function () {}; // exposed to the new exported object

// method added to the original exports object which not exposed any more
module.exports.method3 = function () {}; 

3. Tricky consequence. If you change the reference to both exports and module.exports, hard to say which API is exposed (it looks like module.exports wins)

// override the original exported object
module.exports = function AConstructor() {};

// try to override the original exported object
// but module.exports will be exposed instead
exports = function AnotherConstructor() {}; 

Subaqueous

Actually running the first two examples yield different results then what's claimed. Whatever module.exports is set to once the module finishes running will always be what gets exported. The exports variable is just a local-variable alias to module.exports (it's as if let exports = module.exports is the first line of each module). This variable should never be reassigned - doing so will just cause you to loose that alias and will does not change what gets exported. i.e. exports = 'abc' will not export 'abc'. – Experientialism

Answer 5

the module.exports property or the exports object allows a module to select what should be shared with the application

I have a video on module_export available here

Markhor

Answer 6

When dividing your program code over multiple files, module.exports is used to publish variables and functions to the consumer of a module. The require() call in your source file is replaced with corresponding module.exports loaded from the module.

Remember when writing modules

• Module loads are cached, only initial call evaluates JavaScript.
• It's possible to use local variables and functions inside a module, not everything needs to be exported.
• The module.exports object is also available as exports shorthand. But when returning a sole function, always use module.exports.

According to: "Modules Part 2 - Writing modules".

Solace

Answer 7

the refer link is like this:

exports = module.exports = function(){
    //....
}

the properties of exports or module.exports ,such as functions or variables , will be exposed outside

there is something you must pay more attention : don't override exports .

why ?

because exports just the reference of module.exports , you can add the properties onto the exports ,but if you override the exports , the reference link will be broken .

good example :

exports.name = 'william';

exports.getName = function(){
   console.log(this.name);
}

bad example :

exports = 'william';

exports = function(){
     //...
}

If you just want to exposed only one function or variable , like this:

// test.js
var name = 'william';

module.exports = function(){
    console.log(name);
}   

// index.js
var test = require('./test');
test();

this module only exposed one function and the property of name is private for the outside .

Bouzoun

Answer 8

There are some default or existing modules in node.js when you download and install node.js like http, sys etc.

Since they are already in node.js, when we want to use these modules we basically do like import modules, but why? because they are already present in the node.js. Importing is like taking them from node.js and putting them into your program. And then using them.

Whereas Exports is exactly the opposite, you are creating the module you want, let's say the module addition.js and putting that module into the node.js, you do it by exporting it.

Before I write anything here, remember, module.exports.additionTwo is same as exports.additionTwo

Huh, so that's the reason, we do like

exports.additionTwo = function(x)
{return x+2;};

Be careful with the path

Lets say you have created an addition.js module,

exports.additionTwo = function(x){
return x + 2;
};

When you run this on your NODE.JS command prompt:

node
var run = require('addition.js');

This will error out saying

Error: Cannot find module addition.js

This is because the node.js process is unable the addition.js since we didn't mention the path. So, we have can set the path by using NODE_PATH

set NODE_PATH = path/to/your/additon.js

Now, this should run successfully without any errors!!

One more thing, you can also run the addition.js file by not setting the NODE_PATH, back to your nodejs command prompt:

node
var run = require('./addition.js');

Since we are providing the path here by saying it's in the current directory ./ this should also run successfully.

Verdellverderer

Answer 9

A module encapsulates related code into a single unit of code. When creating a module, this can be interpreted as moving all related functions into a file.

Suppose there is a file Hello.js which include two functions

sayHelloInEnglish = function() {
  return "Hello";
};
sayHelloInSpanish = function() {
  return "Hola";
};

We write a function only when utility of the code is more than one call.

Suppose we want to increase utility of the function to a different file say World.js,in this case exporting a file comes into picture which can be obtained by module.exports.

You can just export both the function by the code given below

var anyVariable={
 sayHelloInEnglish = function() {
      return "Hello";
    };
  sayHelloInSpanish = function() {
      return "Hola";
    }; 
}
module.export=anyVariable;

Now you just need to require the file name into World.js inorder to use those functions

var world= require("./hello.js");

Danczyk

@BenTaliadoros i too think he is late and i also think his anyVariable object has many errors. the line above sayHelloInSpanish method shouldn't end with semicolon (;) and sayHelloInSpanish = function is wrong. All things are wrong with this object. i will edit his answer – Yordan

edit is disabled. What else did alphadogg edit in this answer?? – Yordan

Just formatting. Unless its some crazy es6 thing I haven't come across, and I'm certain its not, then it's not valid JS at all – Hutch

Answer 10

The intent is:

Modular programming is a software design technique that emphasizes separating the functionality of a program into independent, interchangeable modules, such that each contains everything necessary to execute only one aspect of the desired functionality.

Wikipedia

I imagine it becomes difficult to write a large programs without modular / reusable code. In nodejs we can create modular programs utilising module.exports defining what we expose and compose our program with require.

Try this example:

fileLog.js

function log(string) { require('fs').appendFileSync('log.txt',string); }

module.exports = log;

stdoutLog.js

function log(string) { console.log(string); }

module.exports = log;

program.js

const log = require('./stdoutLog.js')

log('hello world!');

execute

$ node program.js

hello world!

Now try swapping ./stdoutLog.js for ./fileLog.js.

Osber

Answer 11

What is the purpose of a module system?

It accomplishes the following things:

1. Keeps our files from bloating to really big sizes. Having files with e.g. 5000 lines of code in it are usually real hard to deal with during development.
2. Enforces separation of concerns. Having our code split up into multiple files allows us to have appropriate file names for every file. This way we can easily identify what every module does and where to find it (assuming we made a logical directory structure which is still your responsibility).

Having modules makes it easier to find certain parts of code which makes our code more maintainable.

How does it work?

NodejS uses the CommomJS module system which works in the following manner:

1. If a file wants to export something it has to declare it using module.export syntax
2. If a file wants to import something it has to declare it using require('file') syntax

Example:

test1.js

const test2 = require('./test2');    // returns the module.exports object of a file

test2.Func1(); // logs func1
test2.Func2(); // logs func2

test2.js

module.exports.Func1 = () => {console.log('func1')};

exports.Func2 = () => {console.log('func2')};

Other useful things to know:

1. Modules are getting cached. When you are loading the same module in 2 different files the module only has to be loaded once. The second time a require() is called on the same module the is pulled from the cache.
2. Modules are loaded in synchronous. This behavior is required, if it was asynchronous we couldn't access the object retrieved from require() right away.

Undulation

Answer 12

ECMAScript modules - 2022

From Node 14.0 ECMAScript modules are no longer experimental and you can use them instead of classic Node's CommonJS modules.

ECMAScript modules are the official standard format to package JavaScript code for reuse. Modules are defined using a variety of import and export statements.

You can define an ES module that exports a function:

// my-fun.mjs
function myFun(num) {
  // do something
}

export { myFun };

Then, you can import the exported function from my-fun.mjs:

// app.mjs
import { myFun } from './my-fun.mjs';

myFun();

.mjs is the default extension for Node.js ECMAScript modules. But you can configure the default modules extension to lookup when resolving modules using the package.json "type" field, or the --input-type flag in the CLI.

Recent versions of Node.js fully supports both ECMAScript and CommonJS modules. Moreover, it provides interoperability between them.

module.exports

ECMAScript and CommonJS modules have many differences but the most relevant difference - to this question - is that there are no more requires, no more exports, no more module.exports

In most cases, the ES module import can be used to load CommonJS modules. If needed, a require function can be constructed within an ES module using module.createRequire().

ECMAScript modules releases history

Release	Changes
v15.3.0, v14.17.0, v12.22.0	Stabilized modules implementation
v14.13.0, v12.20.0	Support for detection of CommonJS named exports
v14.0.0, v13.14.0, v12.20.0	Remove experimental modules warning
v13.2.0, v12.17.0	Loading ECMAScript modules no longer requires a command-line flag
v12.0.0	Add support for ES modules using .js file extension via package.json "type" field
v8.5.0	Added initial ES modules implementation

You can find all the changelogs in Node.js repository

Menthol

Answer 13

let test = function() {
    return "Hello world"
};
exports.test = test;

Insomuch

This is similar example as in first snippet in accepted answer (return "Hello world" makes no difference), but without any explanation. Please make sure before answering that your answer will add something to the subject. – Proceeds