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Global Objects

These object are available in all modules. Some of these objects aren't actually in the global scope but in the module scope - this will be noted.

global

The global namespace object.

In browsers, the top-level scope is the global scope. That means that in browsers if you're in the global scope var something will define a global variable. In Node this is different. The top-level scope is not the global scope; var something inside a Node module will be local to that module.

process

The process object. See the process object section.

console

Used to print to stdout and stderr. See the stdio section.

require()

To require modules. See the Modules section. require isn't actually a global but rather local to each module.

require.resolve()

Use the internal require() machinery to look up the location of a module, but rather than loading the module, just return the resolved filename.

require.cache

Modules are cached in this object when they are required. By deleting a key value from this object, the next require will reload the module.

require.paths

An array of search paths for require(). This array can be modified to add custom paths.

Example: add a new path to the beginning of the search list

require.paths.unshift('/usr/local/node');

__filename

The filename of the script being executed. This is the absolute path, and not necessarily the same filename passed in as a command line argument.

Example: running node example.js from /Users/mjr

console.log(__filename);
// /Users/mjr/example.js

__filename isn't actually a global but rather local to each module.

__dirname

The dirname of the script being executed.

Example: running node example.js from /Users/mjr

console.log(__dirname);
// /Users/mjr

__dirname isn't actually a global but rather local to each module.

module

A reference to the current module. In particular module.exports is the same as the exports object. See src/node.js for more information. module isn't actually a global but rather local to each module.

exports

An object which is shared between all instances of the current module and made accessible through require(). exports is the same as the module.exports object. See src/node.js for more information. exports isn't actually a global but rather local to each module.

setTimeout(cb, ms)

clearTimeout(t)

setInterval(cb, ms)

clearInterval(t)

The timer functions are global variables. See the timers section.