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JavaScript Importing and Exporting Modules in Node.js

Posted by Sindre Bakken Næsset
Sindre Bakken Næsset
5,468 Points

Using import instead of require?

Coming from python i seem to gravitate towards using the import syntax instead of require. This to me makes it more verbose, and you can use the function names directly. Are there any drawbacks/ best practices that make this less desirable than using the require syntax?

import { shortenString, reverseString } from './helpers';

1 Answer

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
229,784 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
229,784 Points

There is more than just a syntactical difference here, these are used for different things. In particular, require() is a function in Node.js, and cannot be used in ordinary (front-end) JavaScript code.

And in Node.js, the way they are evaluated is different. For example, you can use variables with require() but not with import:

require(`${folder}/module.js`).myfunc;          // this will work
import { myfunc } from `${folder}/module.js`;   // but this will not

For more details, see the MDN Guide page for Modules.