Node.js re-usable code server-client

Question

I'm doing some R&D on Node.js and so far I like it, I'm just curious on how I could re-use code in order to have some shared code between client and server.

A good example of that need would be Backbone.js which I installed with npm.

Currently I have a directory that looks like this:

app.js
    public/
    routes/
    views/
    node_modules/
    tests/

Obviously I use express.js and all my client-side code is under public folder where css, images, js files are located.

So how I could have a model in backbone which I could use it in both server and back?

Also I used to use JavaScript AMD with Require.js in order to structure and modulize my application, I got used to it and I tend to like it I saw require.js is available via npm but now that I installed it I'm not sure how I cal use it in client-side since I used to have something like this: <script data-main="js/main" src="js/libs/Require/require.js"> but since require.js is installed via npm it is isn't under public folder so I can't see any possible way to load it.

Thanks

Answer 1

You could add a symbolic link (ln -s) to require.js from the public folder.

I think you can just place the backbone model in public as well and then use requirejs both on the server and the client to load the same file.

Answer 2

I guess this is somewhat late, but I just wanted to add that instead of using browserify on the client side, you can use https://npmjs.org/package/define on the server side, which lets you define modules in AMD-style, but require them with node's require()