Programming Basics

Import / Module

intermediate

Definition

A module is one file of code that shares some of its pieces with other files, and an import is the line in another file that brings those pieces in.

In the wild

The date formatter lives in `dates.js`. The receipts file borrows it with `import { formatDate } from "./dates";` instead of writing its own copy.

More from Programming Basics

Array
An ordered list of items kept together under one name, where each item has a numbered position that usually starts at 0.
async / await
Two JavaScript words that let code wait for a slow step, like loading orders from the internet, before moving on, without freezing the rest of the app. `async` marks a function that will wait, and `await` marks the exact step to wait for (usually a promise, a placeholder for a result that isn't ready yet).
Boolean
A value that can only be true or false, used for yes-or-no questions such as "has this order been paid?"
Callback
A function you hand to another piece of code so it can run it later, when something happens, such as a click, a timer ending, or data arriving.
Data Type
The kind of value a piece of data is, such as text, a number, true or false, or a list, which decides what you can do with it.
Dependency (Package)
A piece of code written by someone else that your project installs and relies on instead of building that part itself.