module.exports vs exports in Node.js

Question

I\'ve found the following contract in a Node.js module:

module.exports = exports = nano = function database_module(cfg) {...}

I wonder what

Answer 1

Let's create one module with 2 ways:

One way

var aa = {
    a: () => {return 'a'},
    b: () => {return 'b'}
}

module.exports = aa;

Second way

exports.a = () => {return 'a';}
exports.b = () => {return 'b';}

And this is how require() will integrate module.

First way:

function require(){
    module.exports = {};
    var exports = module.exports;

    var aa = {
        a: () => {return 'a'},
        b: () => {return 'b'}
    }
    module.exports = aa;

    return module.exports;
}

Second way

function require(){
    module.exports = {};
    var exports = module.exports;

    exports.a = () => {return 'a';}
    exports.b = () => {return 'b';}

    return module.exports;
}