exports-loader

What is exports-loader?

The exports-loader npm package allows you to add exports to your modules. This can be useful when you need to export specific variables or functions from a module that does not export them by default.

What are exports-loader's main functionalities?

Exporting a single variable

This feature allows you to export a single variable from a module. In this example, the variable 'singleVar' from 'module.js' is exported.

module.exports = require('exports-loader?exports=singleVar!./module.js');

Exporting multiple variables

This feature allows you to export multiple variables from a module. In this example, 'var1' and 'var2' from 'module.js' are exported.

module.exports = require('exports-loader?exports[]=var1&exports[]=var2!./module.js');

Exporting a function

This feature allows you to export a function from a module. In this example, the function 'someFunction' from 'module.js' is exported.

module.exports = require('exports-loader?exports=someFunction!./module.js');

Other packages similar to exports-loader

expose-loader

The expose-loader package allows you to expose a module globally, making it available as a global variable. This is different from exports-loader, which focuses on exporting specific variables or functions from a module.

imports-loader

The imports-loader package allows you to inject variables into the scope of a module. This is useful for modifying the context of a module, whereas exports-loader is used for exporting specific variables or functions.

README

exports-loader

Allow to setup exports module.exports/export for source files.

Useful when a source file does not contain exports or something does not export.

For further hints on compatibility issues, check out Shimming of the official docs.

Warning

By default loader generate ES module named syntax.

Warning

Be careful, existing exports (export/module.exports/exports) in the original code and exporting new values can cause a failure.

Getting Started

To begin, you'll need to install exports-loader:

npm install exports-loader --save-dev

or

yarn add -D exports-loader

or

pnpm add -D exports-loader

Inline

The | or %20 (space) allow to separate the syntax, name and alias of export. The documentation and syntax examples can be read here.

Warning

%20 is space in a query string, because you can't use spaces in URLs

Then add the loader to the desired import statement or require calls. For example:

import { myFunction } from "exports-loader?exports=myFunction!./file.js";
// Adds the following code to the file's source:
//
// ...
// Code
// ...
//
// export { myFunction }

myFunction("Hello world");

import {
  myVariable,
  myFunction,
} from "exports-loader?exports=myVariable,myFunction!./file.js";
// Adds the following code to the file's source:
//
// ...
// Code
// ...
//
// export { myVariable, myFunction };

const newVariable = myVariable + "!!!";

console.log(newVariable);

myFunction("Hello world");

const {
  myFunction,
} = require("exports-loader?type=commonjs&exports=myFunction!./file.js");
// Adds the following code to the file's source:
//
// ...
// Code
// ...
//
// module.exports = { myFunction }

myFunction("Hello world");

// Alternative syntax:
// import myFunction from 'exports-loader?exports=default%20myFunction!./file.js';
import myFunction from "exports-loader?exports=default|myFunction!./file.js";
// `%20` is space in a query string, equivalently `default myFunction`
// Adds the following code to the file's source:
//
// ...
// Code
// ...
//
// exports default myFunction;

myFunction("Hello world");

const myFunction = require("exports-loader?type=commonjs&exports=single|myFunction!./file.js");
// `|` is separator in a query string, equivalently `single|myFunction`
// Adds the following code to the file's source:
//
// ...
// Code
// ...
//
// module.exports = myFunction;

myFunction("Hello world");

import { myFunctionAlias } from "exports-loader?exports=named|myFunction|myFunctionAlias!./file.js";
// `|` is separator in a query string, equivalently `named|myFunction|myFunctionAlias`
// Adds the following code to the file's source:
//
// ...
// Code
// ...
//
// exports { myFunction as myFunctionAlias };

myFunctionAlias("Hello world");

Description of string values can be found in the documentation below.

Using Configuration

webpack.config.js

module.exports = {
  module: {
    rules: [
      {
        // You can use `regexp`
        // test: /vendor\.js/$
        test: require.resolve("./path/to/vendor.js"),
        loader: "exports-loader",
        options: {
          exports: "myFunction",
        },
      },
    ],
  },
};

And run webpack via your preferred method.

Options

Name	Type	Default	Description
type	{String}	module	Format of generated exports
exports	{String|Object|Array<String|Object>}	undefined	List of exports

type

Type: String Default: module

Format of generated exports.

Possible values - commonjs (CommonJS module syntax) and module (ES module syntax).

commonjs

webpack.config.js

module.exports = {
  module: {
    rules: [
      {
        test: require.resolve("./path/to/vendor.js"),
        loader: "exports-loader",
        options: {
          type: "commonjs",
          exports: "Foo",
        },
      },
    ],
  },
};

Generate output:

// ...
// Code
// ...

module.exports = { Foo };

module

webpack.config.js

module.exports = {
  module: {
    rules: [
      {
        test: require.resolve("./path/to/vendor.js"),
        loader: "exports-loader",
        options: {
          type: "module",
          exports: "Foo",
        },
      },
    ],
  },
};

Generate output:

// ...
// Code
// ...

export { Foo };

exports

Type: String|Array Default: undefined

List of exports.

String

Allows to use a string to describe an export.

Syntax

The | or %20 (space) allow to separate the syntax, name and alias of export.

String syntax - [[syntax] [name] [alias]] or [[syntax]|[name]|[alias]], where:

• [syntax] (may be omitted) -

  • if type is module- can be default and named,
  • if type is commonjs- can be single and multiple

• [name] - name of an exported value (required)

• [alias] - alias of an exported value (may be omitted)

Examples:

• [Foo] - generates export { Foo };.
• [default Foo] - generates export default Foo;.
• [named Foo] - generates export { Foo };.
• [named Foo FooA] - generates export { Foo as FooA };.
• [single Foo] - generates module.exports = Foo;.
• [multiple Foo] - generates module.exports = { Foo };.
• [multiple Foo FooA] - generates module.exports = { 'FooA': Foo };.
• [named [name] [name]Alias] - generates ES module named exports and exports a value equal to the filename under other name., for single.js it will be single and singleAlias, generates export { single as singleAlias };.

Warning

You need to set type: "commonjs" to use single or multiple syntaxes.

Warning

Aliases can't be used together with default or single syntaxes.

Examples

ES Module Default Export

webpack.config.js

module.exports = {
  module: {
    rules: [
      {
        test: require.resolve("./path/to/vendor.js"),
        loader: "exports-loader",
        options: {
          exports: "default Foo",
        },
      },
    ],
  },
};

Generate output:

// ...
// Code
// ...

export default Foo;

ES Module Named Exports

webpack.config.js

module.exports = {
  module: {
    rules: [
      {
        test: require.resolve("./path/to/vendor.js"),
        loader: "exports-loader",
        options: {
          exports: "named Foo FooA",
        },
      },
    ],
  },
};

Generate output:

// ...
// Code
// ...

export { Foo as FooA };

CommonJS Single Export

webpack.config.js

module.exports = {
  module: {
    rules: [
      {
        test: require.resolve("./path/to/vendor.js"),
        loader: "exports-loader",
        options: {
          type: "commonjs",
          exports: "single Foo",
        },
      },
    ],
  },
};

Generate output:

// ...
// Code
// ...

module.exports = Foo;

CommonJS Multiple Exports

webpack.config.js

module.exports = {
  module: {
    rules: [
      {
        test: require.resolve("./path/to/vendor.js"),
        loader: "exports-loader",
        options: {
          type: "commonjs",
          exports: "multiple Foo FooA",
        },
      },
    ],
  },
};

Generate output:

// ...
// Code
// ...

module.exports = { FooA: Foo };

Object

Allows to use an object to describe an export.

Properties:

• syntax - can be default or named for the module type (ES modules module format), and single or multiple for the commonjs type (CommonJS module format) (may be omitted)
• name - name of an exported value (required)
• alias - alias of an exported value (may be omitted)

Examples

ES Module Default Export

webpack.config.js

module.exports = {
  module: {
    rules: [
      {
        test: require.resolve("./path/to/vendor.js"),
        loader: "exports-loader",
        options: {
          exports: {
            syntax: "default",
            name: "Foo",
          },
        },
      },
    ],
  },
};

Generate output:

// ...
// Code
// ...

export default Foo;

ES Module Named Exports

webpack.config.js

module.exports = {
  module: {
    rules: [
      {
        test: require.resolve("./path/to/vendor.js"),
        loader: "exports-loader",
        options: {
          exports: {
            syntax: "named",
            name: "Foo",
            alias: "FooA",
          },
        },
      },
    ],
  },
};

Generate output:

// ...
// Code
// ...

export { Foo as FooA };

CommonJS Single Export

webpack.config.js

module.exports = {
  module: {
    rules: [
      {
        test: require.resolve("./path/to/vendor.js"),
        loader: "exports-loader",
        options: {
          type: "commonjs",
          exports: {
            syntax: "single",
            name: "Foo",
          },
        },
      },
    ],
  },
};

Generate output:

// ...
// Code
// ...

module.exports = Foo;

CommonJS Multiple Exports

webpack.config.js

module.exports = {
  module: {
    rules: [
      {
        test: require.resolve("./path/to/vendor.js"),
        loader: "exports-loader",
        options: {
          type: "commonjs",
          exports: {
            syntax: "multiple",
            name: "Foo",
            alias: "FooA",
          },
        },
      },
    ],
  },
};

Generate output:

// ...
// Code
// ...

module.exports = { FooA: Foo };

Array

Allow to specify multiple exports. Each item can be a string or an object.

Warning

Not possible to use single and multiple syntaxes together due to CommonJS format limitations.

Warning

Not possible to use multiple default values due to ES module format limitations.

Warning

Not possible to use multiple single values due to CommonJS format limitations.

Examples

CommonJS Multiple Exports

webpack.config.js

module.exports = {
  module: {
    rules: [
      {
        test: require.resolve("./path/to/vendor.js"),
        loader: "exports-loader",
        options: {
          type: "commonjs",
          exports: ["Foo", "multiple Bar", "multiple Baz BazA"],
        },
      },
    ],
  },
};

Generate output:

// ...
// Code
// ...

module.exports = { Foo, Bar, BazA: Bar };

ES Module Default Export And Named Exports Together

webpack.config.js

module.exports = {
  module: {
    rules: [
      {
        test: require.resolve("./path/to/vendor.js"),
        loader: "exports-loader",
        options: {
          exports: ["default Foo", "named Bar BarA"],
        },
      },
    ],
  },
};

Generate output:

// ...
// Code
// ...

export default Foo;
export { Bar as BarA };

Named Exports

webpack.config.js

module.exports = {
  module: {
    rules: [
      {
        test: require.resolve("./path/to/vendor.js"),
        loader: "exports-loader",
        options: {
          exports: [
            { syntax: "named", name: "Foo", alias: "FooA" },
            { syntax: "named", name: "Bar" },
            "Baz",
          ],
        },
      },
    ],
  },
};

Generate output:

// ...
// Code
// ...

export { Foo as FooA, Bar, Baz };

Contributing

Please take a moment to read our contributing guidelines if you haven't yet done so.

CONTRIBUTING

License

MIT

Changelog

5.0.0 (2024-01-16)

⚠ BREAKING CHANGES

• minimum supported Node.js version is 18.12.0 (#146) (0c658f1)