Third party modules and libraries
You can load third-party Common.js-type modules via the require() function.
Load an external module in one of the following ways:
Load a single file |
You can load a single file written in Common.js format by copying the file into the script folder and requiring it. The standard Node.js require functionality is used. For more information, see https://nodejs.org/en/knowledge/getting-started/what-is-require/. Example: If the file is myLibrary.js and it is in the script folder, add the following lines to the script: const myLibrary = require('./myLibrary.js'); myLibrary.myFunc1(); myLibrary.js then contains: module.exports = { myFunc1(){ }, … Example: For a JSON file, add the following lines to the script: const someData = require('data.json'); data.json then contains: { "user":"bob", "age":36 } |
Load an npm module |
You can load any npm module that runs within Node.js. To use this method, Node.js must be installed on your computer. For example, use the following procedure to install the lodash library (https://www.npmjs.com/package/lodash):
Tip: If Node.js is not installed, you can download an npm module using standalone npm or using a third-party package manager such as Yarn. |
Manage multiple modules via package.json (advanced use case) |
If you are using multiple third-party npm modules and want to manage their dependencies, you can create a package.json file and manage all the dependencies with npm. To use this method, Node.js must be installed on your computer.
Tip: If Node.js is not installed, you can download an npm module using standalone npm or using a third-party package manager such as Yarn. |