doc: clarify exports and module.exports

When exporting a single function you must use `module.exports` instead
of the `exports` convenience reference.
archived-io.js-v0.10
Ryan Graham 2013-04-08 09:59:15 -07:00 committed by Ben Noordhuis
parent 6bcf51e030
commit 93391ae9cb
2 changed files with 19 additions and 4 deletions

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@ -133,9 +133,10 @@ See the [module system documentation][] for more information.
<!-- type=var -->
An object which is shared between all instances of the current module and
made accessible through `require()`.
`exports` is the same as the `module.exports` object.
A reference to the `module.exports` object which is shared between all
instances of the current module and made accessible through `require()`.
See [module system documentation][] for details on when to use `exports` and
when to use `module.exports`.
`exports` isn't actually a global but rather local to each module.
See the [module system documentation][] for more information.

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@ -30,6 +30,20 @@ The module `circle.js` has exported the functions `area()` and
`circumference()`. To export an object, add to the special `exports`
object.
Note that `exports` is a reference to `module.exports` making it suitable
for augmentation only. If you are exporting a single item such as a
constructor you will want to use `module.exports` directly instead.
function MyConstructor (opts) {
//...
}
// BROKEN: Does not modify exports
exports = MyConstructor;
// exports the constructor properly
module.exports = MyConstructor;
Variables
local to the module will be private. In this example the variable `PI` is
private to `circle.js`.
@ -219,7 +233,7 @@ would resolve to different files.
In each module, the `module` free variable is a reference to the object
representing the current module. In particular
`module.exports` is the same as the `exports` object.
`module.exports` is accessible via the `exports` module-global.
`module` isn't actually a global but rather local to each module.
### module.exports