What does require() actually return, the file or the function

Question

For example, I have profile.js

var EventEmitter = require("events").EventEmitter;

var https = require("https");

var http = require("http");

var util = require("util");



    function Profile(username) {

     // function code here

    }



    util.inherits( Profile, EventEmitter );



    module.exports = Profile;

In my app.js, I have

var Profile = require("./profile.js");





var studentProfile = new Profile("chalkers");



/**

* When the JSON body is fully recieved the 

* the "end" event is triggered and the full body

* is given to the handler or callback

**/

studentProfile.on("end", console.dir);



/**

* If a parsing, network or HTTP error occurs an

* error object is passed in to the handler or callback

**/

studentProfile.on("error", console.error);

So the variable is the profile.js itself or the function Profile(username)? What if the profile.js have different functions, say I have function SetProfile(username) in the profile.js, how should I export those two functions and use them in the app.js?

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Answer 1

The require(...) function returns the module.exports value from the "required" module, and in the case its the Profile function.

As an aside, I have no idea what "return the file" or "the Profile is the profile.js itself" means.

What does require() actually return, the file or the function

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