Node.js - asynchronous module loading

Question

Is it possible to load a Node.js module asynchronously?

This is the standard code:

var foo = require(\"./foo.js\"); // waiting for I/O
foo.bar();
         


        

Answer 1

The npm module async-require can help you to do this.

Install

npm install --save async-require

Usage

var asyncRequire = require('async-require');

// Load script myModule.js 
asyncRequire('myModule').then(function (module) {
    // module has been exported and can be used here
    // ...
});

The module uses vm.runInNewContext(), a technique discussed in the accepted answer. It has bluebird as a dependency.

(This solution appeared in an earlier answer but that was deleted by review.)