Understanding Node.js, Require and Exports

With JavaScript we have access to Native Objects, which are methods built into JavaScript, and Host Object, which are methods that belong to a specific environment (i.e. Browser, NodeJS).

When writing JS in NodeJS the following references a Host Object: var https = require("https");

https being a module built into NodeJS.

When writing JS in the Browser or any other number of stacks, we can write our own modules. You can write your ownJS module and export it. A simple example would be:

function hello(){ alert(''HELLO WORLD"); }

module.exports.hello = hello;

Assuming the above code snippet was written on a document called hello.js located in the root folder of your project, you would reference it (require it) on the page you want like so: var hello = require("./hello");

Notice the significance in the syntax between the two. Native NodeJS modules do not require a file path. Modules you create, however, require you to include the correct file path to their location.

Hope this helps clear thing up.