Introduction to ES6 Modules in Node.js

ES6 modules represent a standardized and efficient way to structure and reuse code across JavaScript projects, providing developers with a clean and modern syntax. This system introduces import and export statements, which replace the older require and module.exports syntax used in Node.js's CommonJS module system. Although CommonJS was essential in Node.js’s early development, providing modularity in JavaScript applications, ES6 modules are now the standard in modern JavaScript and are increasingly used in Node.js due to several key advantages.

• First, the syntax for ES6 modules is more intuitive and declarative. The import statement allows developers to explicitly declare the dependencies a file needs at the top, making it easier to understand how different parts of the application interact. Similarly, the export statement makes it straightforward to define what parts of a module are accessible to other files in the program.

• Second, ES6 modules have native support in modern browsers and are now fully supported in Node.js, allowing developers to use a unified module system across client and server environments. While CommonJS is still widely used in Node.js for compatibility, ES6 modules reduce the need for separate module formats, making it easier to share and reuse code between front-end and back-end applications.

• Finally, ES6 modules integrate seamlessly with modern JavaScript tools and frameworks, such as Webpack, Babel, and Rollup. ES6 modules follow a static module structure, meaning their import/export relationships are determined at compile time. This enables tools to perform advanced optimizations, such as tree shakingTree shaking is a term that refers to a process of eliminating unused code from a codebase. , which eliminates unused code during the build process, resulting in smaller and faster applications.

By adopting ES6 modules, developers can future-proof their applications, ensuring compatibility with evolving JavaScript standards and ecosystems.

Key features of ES6 modules

ES6 modules provide a cleaner and more powerful syntax for modular JavaScript. Following are some key features offered by ES6 modules.

Named exports

Named exports allow us to export multiple variables or functions from a single module, providing flexibility for reusable code. For instance, in a file math.js, we can export multiple functions like this: