Don't add var when compiling Coffeescript

Question

Don't add var when compiling Coffeescript

I'm writing a simple app that uses John Resig's simple class inheritance. I'm doing this in Node.js and I'm also using CoffeeScript. I was trying to write CoffeeScript that would output code similar to this file in the BrowserQuest game.

When I write CoffeeScript like this, though:

cls = require './class'

module.exports = Model = cls.Class.extend({
  init: () ->
    console.log 'Model.init()'
})

The "var" is automatically added to Model, so it doesn't seem to be exported properly.

var Model, cls;

cls = require('../class');

module.exports = Model = cls.Class.extend({
  init: function() {
    return console.log('Model.init()');
  }
});

Is there a way to mark a variable to not use "var" with CoffeeScript?

javascript
node.js
inheritance
coffeescript

Answer 1

Every variable is defined with a var on CoffeeScript unless it's given a scope:

cls = require './class'

module.exports = GLOBAL.Model = cls.Class.extend({
  init: () ->
    console.log 'Model.init()'
})

compiles to:

var cls;

cls = require('./class');

module.exports = GLOBAL.Model = cls.Class.extend({
  init: function() {
    return console.log('Model.init()');
  }
});

I've used GLOBAL as an example, but you can use any scope.