require() in NodeJS:
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require()is a built-in function in NodeJS used to load modules. - It takes the module’s path as an argument and returns the exported content of the module.
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require()is synchronous, meaning it loads modules one after another, blocking the execution until the module is loaded.
import in NodeJS:
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'import'is a feature introduced in ES6 (ECMAScript 2015) for importing modules in JavaScript. -
It’s used to load modules, similar to
require(), but it’s more modern and standardized. -
'import'is asynchronous and supports lazy loading, meaning it loads modules only when needed, which can improve performance.
Difference between require() and import in NodeJS:
| require() | import |
|---|---|
Uses CommonJS syntax: require('module')
|
Uses ES6 syntax: import module from 'module'
|
| Used for importing modules synchronously | Used for importing modules asynchronously (dynamic) |
| Supports both CommonJS modules and ES modules |
Supports only ES modules (requires .mjs extension)
|
| No explicit support for default exports |
Supports default exports (import module from 'module')
|
| Supports named exports via destructuring |
Supports named exports directly (import { name } from 'module')
|
| Does not support static analysis | Supports static analysis (enables tree shaking) |
| Does not supported dynamic importing |
Supports dynamic importing (import() function)
|
| Synchronous, loads modules on demand | Asynchronous, loads modules only when needed |
| Not supported in browser environments | Supported in modern browsers with module support |
require() and import serve the same purpose of loading modules, but import is the newer and more feature-rich approach introduced in modern JavaScript. It’s especially useful in browser environments and when working with ES6 modules