Node.js Express using require vs app.get

Question

Node.js Express using require vs app.get

# app.get "/example", example.index

# require("./routes/index") app

I know my first line goes to my controller called example and uses the index function. I'm not really sure what the second line does. Is one better than the other? A full explanation would be appreciated.

node.js
express
coffeescript

Answer 1

The first line: app.get "/example", example.index says that if someone hits the URL http://localhost:3000/example, then you are loading the example file (presumably required somewhere above) and running the index function on it.

The second line require("./routes/index") app is simply requireing some file called index.coffee in the routes folder and passing app as a variable.