May-Require

Sometimes you need to require() an optional dependency. If it can be loaded, you want to use it. Otherwise, you have other plans. Unfortunately, require() throws if it can't load a module. For an optional dependency that's just awkward.

Installation

npm install may-require

Use

The prmary use case of may-require is to hold off on throwing any errors loading modules until we've had a chance to decide if we care:

...
// true, indicating the default watchers
if (w === true) {
    const [e1, nsfw] = mayRequire('./lib/watchers/nsfw.js');
    const [e2, sane] = mayRequire('./lib/watchers/sane.js');
    const w = nsfw || sane;
    if (!w) {
        let err = new Error('Unable to provide a default file watcher.');
        err.chain = [e1, e2];
        throw err;
    }
    return w;
}
// false means no watchers
return false;
...

By default, modules are required from the context of the calling file's directory - just like require() normally works. However, may-require allows you to specify a directory to require "from" if you need to:

const [err, watcher] = mayRequire({
    from: process.cwd()
})('watcher');
 
if (err) {
    // why did we optionally require?
    throw err;
}
 
return watcher;

may-require also allows you to "reload" modules

const [e1, clone1] = mayRequire({
    reload: true
})('clone-me');
const [e2, clone2] = mayRequire({
    reload: true
})('clone-me');
 
if (clone1 !== clone2) {
    console.log('They look the same, but are not the same.');
}

mayRequire(options)

Returns a function which will optionally require() a module using the supplied options. This is useful if you'd like to optionally require more than one module using the same options.

mayRequire(moduleId)

Optionally require()s the moduleId using the default options.

mayRequire(options, moduleId)

Optionally require()s the moduleId using the specified options.

options

from

The directory path from which to resolve the moduleId. This is particularly relevant for relative local module paths, but may also impact which node_modules folders are checked.

reload

A flag indicating whether a cached version of the module should be ignored and a new copy loaded.

Similar modules

• optional - requires relative modules in the context of process.cwd(). Returns null for errors that are not rethrown by specifying an option.
• optional-require - pass it require and get back a function that optionally requires from your module. Errors can be handled via callback options.
• tyr-require - optionally takes require as a second parameter. Errors must be obtained through tryRequire.lastError().

License

Copyright (c) 2017 Aaron Madsen

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.