In Node.js, how do I “include” functions from my o

Question

Let's say I have a file called app.js. Pretty simple:

var express = require('express');
var app = express.createServer();
app.set('views', __dirname + '/views');
app.set('view engine', 'ejs');
app.get('/', function(req, res){
  res.render('index', {locals: {
    title: 'NowJS + Express Example'
  }});
});

app.listen(8080);

What if I have a functions inside "tools.js". How would I import them to use in apps.js?

Or...am I supposed to turn "tools" into a module, and then require it? << seems hard, I rather do the basic import of the tools.js file.

Answer 1

The vm module in Node.js provides the ability to execute JavaScript code within the current context (including global object). See http://nodejs.org/docs/latest/api/vm.html#vm_vm_runinthiscontext_code_filename

Note that, as of today, there's a bug in the vm module that prevenst runInThisContext from doing the right when invoked from a new context. This only matters if your main program executes code within a new context and then that code calls runInThisContext. See https://github.com/joyent/node/issues/898

Sadly, the with(global) approach that Fernando suggested doesn't work for named functions like "function foo() {}"

In short, here's an include() function that works for me:

function include(path) {
    var code = fs.readFileSync(path, 'utf-8');
    vm.runInThisContext(code, path);
}

Answer 2

Udo G. said:

• The eval() can't be used inside a function and must be called inside the global scope otherwise no functions or variables will be accessible (i.e. you can't create a include() utility function or something like that).

He's right, but there's a way to affect the global scope from a function. Improving his example:

function include(file_) {
    with (global) {
        eval(fs.readFileSync(file_) + '');
    };
};

include('somefile_with_some_declarations.js');

// the declarations are now accessible here.

Hope, that helps.

Answer 3

Another method when using node.js and express.js framework

var f1 = function(){
   console.log("f1");
}
var f2 = function(){
   console.log("f2");
}

module.exports = {
   f1 : f1,
   f2 : f2
}

store this in a js file named s and in the folder statics

Now to use the function

var s = require('../statics/s');
s.f1();
s.f2();

Answer 4

Use:

var mymodule = require("./tools.js")

app.js:

module.exports.<your function> = function () {
    <what should the function do>
}

Answer 5

If, despite all the other answers, you still want to traditionally include a file in a node.js source file, you can use this:

var fs = require('fs');

// file is included here:
eval(fs.readFileSync('tools.js')+'');

• The empty string concatenation +'' is necessary to get the file content as a string and not an object (you can also use .toString() if you prefer).
• The eval() can't be used inside a function and must be called inside the global scope otherwise no functions or variables will be accessible (i.e. you can't create a include() utility function or something like that).

Please note that in most cases this is bad practice and you should instead write a module. However, there are rare situations, where pollution of your local context/namespace is what you really want.

Update 2015-08-06

Please also note this won't work with "use strict"; (when you are in "strict mode") because functions and variables defined in the "imported" file can't be accessed by the code that does the import. Strict mode enforces some rules defined by newer versions of the language standard. This may be another reason to avoid the solution described here.

Answer 6

Here is a plain and simple explanation:

Server.js content:

// Include the public functions from 'helpers.js'
var helpers = require('./helpers');

// Let's assume this is the data which comes from the database or somewhere else
var databaseName = 'Walter';
var databaseSurname = 'Heisenberg';

// Use the function from 'helpers.js' in the main file, which is server.js
var fullname = helpers.concatenateNames(databaseName, databaseSurname);

Helpers.js content:

// 'module.exports' is a node.JS specific feature, it does not work with regular JavaScript
module.exports = 
{
  // This is the function which will be called in the main file, which is server.js
  // The parameters 'name' and 'surname' will be provided inside the function
  // when the function is called in the main file.
  // Example: concatenameNames('John,'Doe');
  concatenateNames: function (name, surname) 
  {
     var wholeName = name + " " + surname;

     return wholeName;
  },

  sampleFunctionTwo: function () 
  {

  }
};

// Private variables and functions which will not be accessible outside this file
var privateFunction = function () 
{
};