How to use global variable in node.js?

Most people advise against using global variables. If you want the same logger class in different modules you can do this

logger.js

  module.exports = new logger(customConfig);

foobar.js

  var logger = require('./logger');
  logger('barfoo');

If you do want a global variable you can do:

global.logger = new logger(customConfig);

global.myNumber; //Delclaration of the global variable - undefined
global.myNumber = 5; //Global variable initialized to value 5. 
var myNumberSquared = global.myNumber * global.myNumber; //Using the global variable. 

Node.js is different from client Side JavaScript when it comes to global variables. Just because you use the word var at the top of your Node.js script does not mean the variable will be accessible by all objects you require such as your 'basic-logger' .

To make something global just put the word global and a dot in front of the variable's name. So if I want company_id to be global I call it global.company_id. But be careful, global.company_id and company_id are the same thing so don't name global variable the same thing as any other variable in any other script - any other script that will be running on your server or any other place within the same code.

you can define it with using global or GLOBAL, nodejs supports both.

for e.g

global.underscore = require("underscore");

or

GLOBAL.underscore = require("underscore");

I would suggest everytime when using global check if the variable is already define by simply check

if (!global.logger){
  global.logger = require('my_logger');
}

I've found it to have better performance