Difference Between Export And Export Default In Javascript Duplicate

If you're delving into the world of JavaScript programming, you've likely come across the terms "export" and "export default" while working with modules. These two keywords play crucial roles in making your code modular and reusable. Let's break down the difference between them to help you better understand how they function.

When it comes to using modules in JavaScript, the "export" keyword is used to expose certain functions, objects, or values from a file so that they can be imported and used in other parts of your codebase. This keyword allows you to selectively choose what you want to make available to other modules. For example, if you have a utility function that you want to use in multiple files, you can export that function using the "export" keyword.

On the other hand, the "export default" keyword serves a slightly different purpose. It is used to export a single value or object as the default export of a file. This means that when another module imports from this file, it will receive the default export without needing to specify which part of the module is being imported. This can be particularly handy when you have a main function or class that you want to share with other modules.

Here's a simple example to illustrate the difference between "export" and "export default":

// sayHello.js

export function sayHello(name) {
  return `Hello, ${name}!`;
}

export default function greet(name) {
  return `Greetings, ${name}!`;
}

In this example, we have a file with two functions: "sayHello" and "greet". The "sayHello" function is exported using the "export" keyword, while the "greet" function is the default export of the file.

When importing these functions in another file, you would do the following:

import { sayHello } from './sayHello.js'; // importing the named export
import greet from './sayHello.js'; // importing the default export

By using the appropriate import syntax, you can access the exported functions in your code. When importing the default export, you don't need to use curly braces since there is only one default export per file.

In summary, "export" is used to export multiple items from a file, allowing you to pick and choose what you want to make available externally. "Export default" is used to provide a single default export from a file, making it convenient to import that specific item without specifying its name.

Understanding the distinction between these two keywords will help you structure your JavaScript code more effectively and make your modules more reusable and organized. So, whether you're building small projects or large-scale applications, mastering these concepts will undoubtedly enhance your development workflow.