Importing string values to pass to an API call in JavaScript

Question

I have a (Twilio) API call which requires credentials accountSid and authToken.

twilio.js

const twilio = require('twilio');
const accountSid = require('./auth/twilio_credentials');
const authToken = require('./auth/twilio_credentials');

console.log('accountSid: ' + accountSid);
console.log('authToken: ' + authToken);

module.exports = new twilio.Twilio(accountSid, authToken);

For security, instead of pasting the values directly into code, I have them in separate file. The credentials are used in the file at the same level as the auth folder

auth/twilio_credentials.js

module.exports = accountSid = 'xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx';
module.exports = authToken = 'xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx';

From the console logs (and using typeof), I was able to verify that the strings are being imported properly to that point, but when I run the code, I get throw new Error('accountSid is required');. However, it works when I paste the values directly into the file.

I feel like this is a wonky JavaScript thing that I'm missing. What's the difference between importing the string value from a different file, versus directly using a hard-coded value?

Have you tried using a .env? And then bringing it in that way? Seems like it should work — Pari Baker, Dec 03 '18 at 00:05
Try formatting it like this. module.exports.creds={accountSid:’’,authToken:’’} then require().creds.accountSid — Pari Baker, Dec 03 '18 at 00:08

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 03 '18 at 00:36

2

Try exporting them like this:

exports.accountSid = 'xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx';
exports.authToken = 'xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx';

And then, import them like this:

const {accountSid, authToken} = require("./auth/twilio_credentials");

I will suggest you to check how module.exports and exports work in Node.js here: What is the purpose of Node.js module.exports and how do you use it?

answered Dec 03 '18 at 00:36

mmontoya

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3
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Thank you for the code and the doc! I see my blatant typo now smh. – Thomas Dec 03 '18 at 03:25

Importing string values to pass to an API call in JavaScript

1 Answers1