local-modules

require local modules with absolute path

problem

require local modules in node can be annoying with relative paths. e.g.

    var cache = require('../../../plugins/cache');

detailed problem description and discussion as well as different solutions can be found here:

better local require paths

solution / hack

treat specific application folders like the node_modules folder, so that we can require stuff without ugly relative paths.

install

npm install local-modules --save

use

with the given project structure:

    .
    ├── index.js
    ├── package.json
    ├── components
    │   └── components-test
    │       └── index.js
    ├── lib
    │   ├── lib-test
    │   │   ├── package.json
    │   │   └── test.js
    │   └── plugins
    │       ├── cache
    │       │   ├── index.js
    │       │   └── lru
    │       │       └── index.js
    │       └── index.js
    └── node_modules
        └── test
            └── index.js

you can require this from the app directory:

    // only call this once
    require('local-modules')('lib', 'components');
 
    // require from node_modules as usual
    require('test');
 
    // require from lib with absolute paths
    require('lib-test');
    require('plugins/cache');
 
    // require from components directory directly
    require('components-test');
 

or within the lib/plugins/cache/lru/index.js file, you can require this:

 
    require('plugins');
    require('lib-test');
    require('components-test');
 

test

tested so far with node 0.8, 0.10, 0.11

1. clone the repo
2. run node test

inspiration

https://gist.github.com/branneman/8048520

credits

• @branneman for the great article on this topic
• @joelabair for the cool hack