Question

Uncaught ReferenceError: require is not defined = node.js install

Posted on July 31, 2023
JavaScript
Asked by HappyTurquoiseMorel

I am trying to get node.js running. When I execute a REQUIRE, I get the error Uncaught ReferenceError: require is not defined

console.log("2");

const fs = require('fs');  // file system module

console.log("2222");

     fs.writeFile("test.txt", "Hey there", function(err) {
        if(err) {
            return console.log(err);
        }
        console.log("The file was saved!");
    }); 
    
console.log("3")

If I run straight node.js it works

If I run this on an HTML page I get Uncaught ReferenceError:

require is not defined

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Bobby Iliev

Site Moderator

• August 25, 2023

Hi there,

The require function is specific to Node.js and is used to import modules in a CommonJS environment. When you’re running JavaScript in a browser, this function isn’t defined, leading to the Uncaught ReferenceError: require is not defined error.

If you want to use Node.js modules like fs in a browser environment, you’ll need to use a tool like Browserify or Webpack, which can bundle your Node.js code into a format that’s suitable for the browser. These tools can’t handle some Node.js-specific modules like fs (since filesystem access is not available in browsers), so you’ll have to reconsider your approach if you need to use such modules.

Here’s a brief overview of how you might use Browserify to make your code browser-compatible:

Install Browserify: If you haven’t installed Browserify yet, you can do so using npm:
```
npm install -g browserify
```
Create an Entry File: Move the JavaScript code you want to run in the browser to a separate file, like main.js.
Modify Your Code: Remove or replace code that is specific to Node.js and won’t run in a browser. This includes the fs module usage in your example.
Bundle Your Code: Run Browserify on your entry file to create a bundle:
```
browserify main.js -o bundle.js
```
Include the Bundle in Your HTML: You can now include bundle.js in your HTML file using a <script> tag:
```
<script src="bundle.js"></script>
```

You need to keep in mind that Node.js modules like fs that depend on server-side features won’t be usable in a browser environment, even with Browserify or similar tools. You may need to find a client-side alternative or rearchitect your application to perform these operations on the server and communicate with the client using APIs or other methods.

Feel free to share more information about your use-case and I will be happy to advise you further!

Best,

Bobby