How do I require something from index.js in the same directory?

Question

I have the following file structure:

models/
  index.js
  something.js
  user.js

In index.js (this is generated by Sequalize and importing stuff from here works in other directories):

'use strict';

var fs        = require('fs');
var path      = require('path');
var Sequelize = require('sequelize');
var basename  = path.basename(module.filename);
var env       = process.env.NODE_ENV || 'development';
var config    = require(__dirname + '/../config/config')[env];
var db        = {};

if (config.use_env_variable) {
  var sequelize = new Sequelize(process.env[config.use_env_variable]);
} else {
  var sequelize = new Sequelize(config.database, config.username, config.password, config);
}

fs
  .readdirSync(__dirname)
  .filter(function(file) {
    return (file.indexOf('.') !== 0) && (file !== basename) && (file.slice(-3) === '.js');
  })
  .forEach(function(file) {
    var model = sequelize['import'](path.join(__dirname, file));
    db[model.name] = model;
  });

Object.keys(db).forEach(function(modelName) {
  if (db[modelName].associate) {
    db[modelName].associate(db);
  }
});

db.sequelize = sequelize;
db.Sequelize = Sequelize;

module.exports = db; // <<< I want to import that in something.js

user.js:

'use strict';

module.exports = (sequelize, DataTypes) => {
  const User = sequelize.define('User', {
    username: { type: DataTypes.STRING, allowNull: false, unique: true },
    password: { type: DataTypes.STRING, allowNull: false },
  }, {
    classMethods: {
      associate() {},
    },
  });

  return User;
};

something.js:

'use strict';

// this all logs an empty object
console.log(require('./index'));
console.log(require('.'));
console.log(require('./'));
console.log(require('../models'));
console.log(require('../models/'));
console.log(require('../models/index'));

module.exports = (sequelize, DataTypes) => {
  const Something = sequelize.define('Something', {
    name: DataTypes.STRING,
  }, {
    classMethods: {
      associate(models) {
      },
    },
  });
  return Something;
};

If I require db from files in other directories it works so I guess it's not a problem with exporting.

How can I require db in something.js so it's not undefined?

Answer 1

const neededStuff = require('./'); // the best

or:

const neededStuff = require('./index');

or:

const neededStuff = require('../models/');

Answer 2

Turns out it was a circular dependency. index.js was importing stuff from something.js and then I tried to import index.js in something.js.

If module A requires('B') before it has finished setting up it's exports, and then module B requires('A'), it will get back an empty object instead what A may have intended to export.

http://selfcontained.us/2012/05/08/node-js-circular-dependencies/

But you can use methods from another model in sequelize with sequelize.models.Something.