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

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

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:

var myFunc1 = function() { ... };  var 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:

var 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

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