Es6 Import Equivalent Of Require Without Exports

When you're working on a project using ES6 modules, you might come across a situation where you need to import a module without relying on its exports. This is a common need for various reasons, such as initializing a module that has side effects, like setting up a logger or configuring a library. In ES5, we used `require` for these scenarios, but how can you achieve the same in ES6? Let's dive into the ES6 import equivalent of `require` without exports.

In ES6, the `import` statement is used to bring in modules. However, when you simply want to load a module without importing any of its exports explicitly, you can use a slightly different approach. You can achieve this by using the `import` statement followed by an underscore `_` and declaring a side effect import like this:

import '_path_to_your_module.js';

In this syntax, the leading underscore `_` indicates to the JavaScript runtime that the module should be executed for its side effects only without importing any bindings explicitly. This is similar to how `require` worked in ES5.

It's important to note that this feature is a bit of a convention rather than an official syntax. It's commonly used in various JavaScript projects to import modules without leveraging their exports, especially for initialization tasks or setting up third-party libraries.

Let's walk through a quick example scenario to illustrate this. Assume you have a file called `logger.js` that sets up a logging library in your project. You want this file to be executed for its side effects only and not import any specific functions or variables.

Here's how you can achieve this using the ES6 import equivalent of `require` without exports:

1. Create a `logger.js` file with the following content:

// logger.js
const logger = new Logger();
logger.configure({ level: 'debug' });

2. In your main file, let's say `app.js`, import the `logger.js` file for its side effects:

// app.js
import '_logger.js';
console.log('Application started!');

By importing `'_logger.js'` in `app.js`, you ensure that the `logger.js` file is executed, setting up the logging functionality as desired without importing any specific bindings into `app.js`.

This approach provides a workaround in ES6 to achieve a behavior similar to `require` in ES5 for loading modules solely for their side effects. While it's not a core feature of ES6 modules, this convention is widely used in JavaScript development for specific use cases like initialization tasks.

Remember, ES6 modules encourage explicit imports to promote better code maintainability and readability. Still, in scenarios where you need to import a module solely for its side effects, utilizing the ES6 import syntax with an underscore can come in handy.