node-async-require

Transparently require() remote contents (node modules) in server-side Node.js !

npm install --save node-async-require

Concept

Fetch the remote contents (node module) by http GET and require codes in Node.js.
I made up the file with .ajs extension.

• Only for the require.extension to recognize the file.
• The file contents is a node module that provides a remote url.

module.exports = {
   remoteUrl : "http://xxx.xxx.xxx/api/"
}

• Node.js will fetch the contents by the remote url and require codes into local.

Highlight

• Provide the PreParser config for parsing remote contents before Node.js requires it.
• Provide the queryString config for fetching different remote contents.
• Provide the PreParser for react-templates!
• How about isomorphic require() on client-side ? We got node-async-require-loader with webpack for it !

Basic Usage

Fetch the remote contents (node module) by http GET and require codes in Node.js.
.ajs extension is only for require.extension to recognize the file.

• Install this module

npm install --save node-async-require

• Use directly in the js file.

require("node-async-require").install();
require("./remote-contents.ajs"); //You can require any filename you want with .ajs extension

You may wondering what '.ajs' file is. The file contents of the .ajs file is a node module providing a remote url. The remote url that provides contents(node module). The .ajs extension is only for the loader to recognize the file.

Example of Basic Usage

Step 1. Provide an .ajs file

The file contents of the .ajs file is a node module providing a remote url.
The following is the example of it.

remote-contents.ajs

module.exports = {
   remoteUrl : "https://jaydenlin.github.io/fake-remote-contents-for-test/contents/pure-js/"
}

Step 2. Require the file like this

Require the files in this way.

require("node-async-require").install();
require("./remote-contents.ajs");

Then Node.js will fetch the remote contents by the url that .ajs file provides. The remote contents is as following.

module.exports=function(){ console.log("Hello World From Web"); }

The contents is a node module. It will be required to Node.js.

Usage with queryString

In some cases, the fixed remote url is not good. You may need to add queryString to fetch different remote contents (node module).

Example with queryString

Step 1. Provide an .ajs file

The file contents of the .ajs file is a node module providing a remote url.
The following is the example of it.

remote-contents.ajs

module.exports = {
   remoteUrl : "https://jaydenlin.github.io/fake-remote-contents-for-test/contents/pure-js/"
}

Step 2. Require the file like this

Require the files in this way. Pass a parameter queryString to it.

require("node-async-require").install({
	queryString:"en" //pass a parameter to it.
});
require("./remote-contents.ajs");

The url you are going to request will append the queryString value.

So the actual url will be :

https://jaydenlin.github.io/fake-remote-contents-for-test/contents/pure-js/en

Then Node.js will fetch the remote contents by the new url. The remote contents is as following.

module.export=function(){ console.log("Hello USA From Web"); }

The contents is a node module. It will be required to Node.js.

Usage with preParser

In some cases, the remote contents you fetch may not be a pure node module. You need a parser to do some stuffs before Node.js requires it. So you can set up a preParser for the remote contents.

Example with preParser

Step 1. Provide an .ajs file

The file contents of the .ajs file is a node module providing a remote url.
The following is the example of it.

remote-contents.ajs

```js
module.exports = {
   remoteUrl : "https://jaydenlin.github.io/fake-remote-contents-for-test/contents/pure-js/"
}

Step 2. Require the file like this

Require the files in this way. Pass a parameter preParser to it.

require("node-async-require").install({
	preParser:function(remoteRawContent){
		remoteRawContent = "module.exports=function(){ console.log('Replaced by custom preParser!');}";
            return remoteRawContent;
	} //pass a parameter to it.
});
require("./remote-contents.ajs");

The original contents will be replaced by preParser. So the actual contents will be :

module.exports=function(){ console.log('Replaced by custom preParser!');}

The contents is a node module. It will be required to Node.js.

Usage with preParser (React Templates)

We provide a pre-parser for parsing react-templates contents.
You can use it by setting the preParser:"rt"

require("node-async-require").install({
	preParser:"rt" //pass a parameter to it.
});
require("./remote-contents-using-react-template.ajs");

Example with preParser (React Templates)

Step 1. Provide an .ajs file

The file contents of the .ajs file is a node module providing a remote url.
The following is the example of it.

remote-contents-using-react-template.ajs

module.exports = {
   remoteUrl : "https://jaydenlin.github.io/fake-remote-contents-for-test/contents/react-template/"
}

Step 2. Require the file like this

Require the files in this way. Pass a parameter preParser to it. And set the value to rt.

require("node-async-require").install({
	preParser:"rt" //pass a parameter to it.
});
require("./remote-contents-using-react-template.ajs");

The remote contents of the url is the react-template as following.

<div>
  <h3>Hello World Form Web</h3>
</div>

The react-template contents will be parsed to the pure node module. And, it will be required to Node.js.

Test

You can use the following command to run mocha tests.

npm run test