The terms CJS (CommonJS) and MJS (ES Module) refer to two module systems used in JavaScript to organize code into reusable components. Here's a comparison between the two:
1. CommonJS (CJS)
-
Syntax: CommonJS uses
require()
to load modules andmodule.exports
orexports
to export them. - Used in: It’s the module system primarily used in Node.js prior to the introduction of ES modules.
- Synchronous Loading: CommonJS modules are loaded synchronously, meaning they block execution until the module is loaded. This is ideal for server-side applications but less suitable for client-side code where async loading is preferred.
-
Example:
// Import const fs = require('fs'); // Export module.exports = function () { console.log("Hello from CJS"); };
2. ES Modules (MJS)
-
Syntax: ES Modules use
import
andexport
statements. -
Used in: Modern JavaScript environments, both in browsers and Node.js (with the
.mjs
extension or using"type": "module"
inpackage.json
). - Asynchronous Loading: ES modules are asynchronously loaded, which is better suited for client-side environments.
-
Example:
// Import import fs from 'fs'; // Export export function greet() { console.log("Hello from MJS"); }
Key Differences:
-
Loading Mechanism:
- CJS: Modules are loaded synchronously.
- MJS: Modules are loaded asynchronously, which makes them non-blocking and more efficient in certain scenarios (especially in the browser).
-
Syntax:
-
CJS: Uses
require()
andmodule.exports
. -
MJS: Uses
import
andexport
.
-
CJS: Uses
-
Compatibility:
- CJS: Widely supported in Node.js, but less compatible with browsers (without bundlers).
- MJS: Native support in modern browsers and Node.js (from version 12+), aligning with the ES6 module standard.
-
Default Exports:
- CJS: Can export an object or a function directly as a module.
- MJS: Supports both named and default exports, allowing more flexibility in exporting multiple functions or values.
When to Use:
- CJS (CommonJS): If working with older Node.js projects or existing libraries that are based on the CommonJS module system.
- MJS (ES Modules): When building modern applications, especially for client-side development or Node.js projects that target modern runtimes.
In modern development, ES Modules are becoming the standard, but many legacy projects still rely on CommonJS.