globals - Node.js Manual & Documentation

## Global Objects

These object are available in all modules. Some of these objects aren't actually in the global scope but in the module scope - this will be noted.

### global

The global namespace object.

In browsers, the top-level scope is the global scope. That means that in browsers if you're in the global scope `var something` will define a global variable. In Node this is different. The top-level scope is not the global scope; `var something` inside a Node module will be local to that module.

### process

The process object. See the process object section.

### require()

To require modules. See the Modules section. `require` isn't actually a global but rather local to each module.

### require.resolve()

Use the internal `require()` machinery to look up the location of a module, but rather than loading the module, just return the resolved filename.

### require.paths

An array of search paths for `require()`. This array can be modified to add custom paths.

Example: add a new path to the beginning of the search list

    require.paths.unshift('/usr/local/node');

### __filename

The filename of the script being executed. This is the absolute path, and not necessarily the same filename passed in as a command line argument.

Example: running `node example.js` from `/Users/mjr`

    console.log(__filename);
    // /Users/mjr/example.js

`__filename` isn't actually a global but rather local to each module.

### __dirname

The dirname of the script being executed.

Example: running `node example.js` from `/Users/mjr`

    console.log(__dirname);
    // /Users/mjr

`__dirname` isn't actually a global but rather local to each module.

### module

A reference to the current module. In particular `module.exports` is the same as the `exports` object. See `src/node.js` for more information.

### setTimeout(cb, ms)

### clearTimeout(t)

### setInterval(cb, ms)

### clearInterval(t)

The timer functions are global variables. See the timers section.

`module` isn't actually a global but rather local to each module.