Setting a path for require in node.js

Question

I have a folder structure like this.

• include/

  • index.js

  • plugin/

    • plugin.js
    • helper.js

Where:-

include/index.js

//Function for mapping the path of  "require" statement in  the plugin.js file.

var mapRequirePath = function(){

    var plugins = require('./plugin/plugin');
     return plugins;
}

//Now call the plugins..
var plugin = mapRequirePath();

include/plugin/plugin.js

    /*
       I want all four require statements to point to the same file location '/include/plugin/helper.js'

      i.e search in the same folder location for module irrespective of the '../' or '../../' present in the require statement
    */

    var helper1 = require('./helper');
    var helper2 = require('helper');
    var helper3 = require('../../helper');
    var helper4 = require('../helper');

I want to map the path of require in plugin.js file so that all require call should search for its module in the same directory only.

Answer 1

You might be able to dynamically change the NODE_PATH environment variable:

// First take a backup:
var _NODE_PATH = process.env.NODE_PATH;
// Add /includes/plugin to the path, also note that we need to support 
//   `require('../hello.js')`. We can do that by adding /includes/plugin/a, 
//   /includes/plugin/a/b, etc.. to the list
process.env.NODE_PATH+=':/includes/plugin:/includes/plugin/a';
// Do your think...
require('./plugins/plugin');
// Restore NODE_PATH 
process.env.NODE_PATH = _NODE_PATH;

Answer 2

Try changing the NODE_PATH variable via the command line:

exports NODE_PATH=directoryYouWant

If you don't want to have to change it for every other project, you could try just dynamically changing it in you .js file:

var currentNodePath = process.env.NODE_PATH;
process.env.NODE_PATH = directoryYouWant;
//do stuff then change it back
process.env.NODE_PATH = currentNodePath;