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JavaScript The Module Pattern in JavaScript

Mateusz Konach
Mateusz Konach
330 Points
Posted by Mateusz Konach
Mateusz Konach
330 Points

Module is overwriting

var awesomeNewModule = (function() {
  var exports = {
    one: 1,
    two: 2
  }

  return exports;

}());

var awesomeNewModule = (function(exports){ 
  var exports = {
    foo: 5,
    bar: 10
  };

  exports.helloMars = function() {
    console.log("Hello Mars!");
  };

  exports.goodbye = function() {
    console.log("Goodbye!");
  };

  return exports

}(awesomeNewModule || {}));

When I'm calling the awesomeNewModule, "one" and "two" variables doesn't exist anymore, how to fix that?

1 Answer

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,275 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,275 Points

The variables need to have different names.

When you create the second "awesomeNewModule", it takes over the one that was already there. If you don't want that to happen, just give one of them a different name.

Mateusz Konach
Mateusz Konach
330 Points
Mateusz Konach
Mateusz Konach
330 Points

Yeah, I thought I understand that but in video (11:38) it was said that if module with that name exists, it will extend it. Now I'm wondering how could I add these variables without overwriting existing one?

var awesomeNewModule = (function() {
  var exports = {
    one: 1,
    two: 2
  }

  return exports;

}());

var awesomeNewModule = (function(exports){ 
  exports.foo = 3;
exports.bar = 5;

  exports.helloMars = function() {
    console.log("Hello Mars!");
  };

  exports.goodbye = function() {
    console.log("Goodbye!");
  };

  return exports

}(awesomeNewModule || {}));

I could do it this way, but is it achieavable using object literal?

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,275 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,275 Points

I get it now. I was confused because normally you would not have both of these in the same file.

But I think there may be an error in the video. To do what the video talks about, I would expect that the second module would need to be written this way:

var awesomeNewModule = (function(exports) {
  exports.foo = 5;    // Note: add properties but don't overwrite the module
  exports.bar = 10;
  exports.helloMars = function() {
    console.log("Hello Mars!");
  };
  exports.goodbye = function() {
    console.log("Goodbye!");
  };
  return exports
}(awesomeNewModule || {}));