Common module in node.js and browser javascript

Question

I am developing a node.js app, and I want to use a module I am creating for the node.js server also on the client side.

An example module would be circle.js:

var PI = Math.PI;

exports.area = function (r) {
  return PI * r * r;
};

exports.circumference = function (r) {
  return 2 * PI * r;
};

and you do a simple

var circle = require('./circle')

to use it in node.

How could I use that same file in the web directory for my client side javascript?

Possible duplicate of [How can I share code between Node.js and the browser?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3225251/how-can-i-share-code-between-node-js-and-the-browser) — tevemadar, Apr 09 '19 at 10:16

score 47 · Answer 1 · edited Nov 16 '19 at 07:18

This seems to be how to make a module something you can use on the client side.

https://caolan.org/posts/writing_for_node_and_the_browser.html

mymodule.js:

(function(exports){

    // your code goes here

   exports.test = function(){
        return 'hello world'
    };

})(typeof exports === 'undefined'? this['mymodule']={}: exports);

And then to use the module on the client:

<script src="mymodule.js"></script>
<script>
    alert(mymodule.test());
</script>

This code would work in node:

var mymodule = require('./mymodule');

generalhenry · Answer 2 · 2011-09-07T17:19:11.620

19

Browserify

It magically lets you do that.

edited Sep 07 '11 at 17:19

answered Sep 07 '11 at 02:10

generalhenry

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Not sure how that actually is used to do what I was looking for. It seems to solve some other problem. – RobKohr Sep 07 '11 at 16:44
And browserify keeps getting better and better. – aredridel May 15 '13 at 19:33

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 12 '12 at 19:43

2

Webmake was made to port CommonJS/NodeJS modules to browser. Give it a try

answered Jul 12 '12 at 19:43

Mariusz Nowak

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Common module in node.js and browser javascript

3 Answers3

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