Develop Reference

how to use a global variable when it takes a value in another file

I have a file called app.js:
let id = 0;
const Func = require('./func.js');
Func.myFunc();
console.log(id);
module.exports = {
id
};
Also I have another file called func.js:
const App = require('./app.js');
var myFunc = () => {
App.id = 100;
}
module.exports = {
myFunc
};
But console.log(id) returns: 0

What you are doing is termed circular dependencies. It is generally frowned upon and there is no allowed instance where this may be required. You're better off creating a third file that will use both of them...
Read this to have a better understanding:
https://nodejs.org/api/modules.html#modules_cycles
How to deal with cyclic dependencies in Node.js

Add another log like:
// app.js ...
console.log(module.exports);
module.exports = { id };
console.log(id);
to see that your code does work somehow, in the way that module.exports has an id property set, but you override that afterwards. Also the property of the export object has nothing todo with the id variable (well, the later gets copied into the first) so console.log will never log 100.

There are two problems with your piece of code:
the circular dependency
module.exports.id is not the same object as the variable id in app.js
In order to solve the first problem, you should create a third file where the variable will be declared and other modules will use that.
Now, to illustrate the second problem, look at the following.
// testModule.js
let variable = 0;
function get_variable() {
return variable;
}
module.exports = {variable, get_variable};
// app.js
const testModule = require('./testModule.js');
testModule.variable = 1234;
console.log(testModule.variable); // will print '1234'
console.log(testModule.get_variable()); // will print '0'
This little misunderstanding of modules, could lead to subtle nasty bugs. I consider that the best practice to solve this would be not to export the 'variable' property directly, but having getter/setter functions in the module, almost like transforming it into a class-like thing.
// testModule.js
let variable = 0;
function get_variable() {
return variable;
}
function set_variable(value) {
variable = value;
}
module.exports = {get_variable, set_variable};

Node.js use variable from module

I have app.js
var List = {};
var Entity = require('./entity.js');
var main = new Entity(); // should be changed List
console.log(List) // still empty
and entity.js
class Entity {
constructor(){
this.id = Math.random();
List[this.id] = this; // List == undefined
}
}
module.exports = Entity;
How can I use List as global variable?

Just import List in entity.js:
At the end of app.js:
module.exports = List;
At the start of entity.js:
const List = require('./app.js');
If your app.js needs to export something else as well, then export an object with a List property instead:
At the end of app.js:
module.exports.List = List;
At the start of entity.js:
const List = require('./app.js').List;
You could also consider putting List into its own module that both app.js and entity.js import.
Don't make List a global variable, if at all possible - work with the module system instead, explicit dependencies without global pollution is one of a module system's big advantages.

You need to pass List param and access in constructor ...
new Entity(List);
constructor(List){
...

Node.js double call to require()

//lib.js
var opt = 0
exports.set = function(arg) {
opt = arg
}
exports.prn = function() {
console.log(opt)
}
///prog.js
var lib = require('./lib')
var lib2 = require('./lib')
lib.set(222)
lib2.set(333)
lib.prn()
lib2.prn()
prog.js will output:
333
333
but I need it to output:
222
333
In ohter words, opt must be unique to variable lib and to variable lib2. How to achieve that?

That's because normally nodejs caches its modules which are got via require. You may use the following helper:
// RequireUncached.js
module.exports = function(module) {
delete require.cache[require.resolve(module)]
return require(module);
}
and the usage of the helper:
var requireUncached = require('RequireUncached.js');
requireUncached("./lib");
Have in mind that this approach is considered as bad practice and should not be used. I'll suggest to wrap your logic into a function, require the module and call the function. So, every time you get a new instance.

require will not load scripts multiple times, but always yield the same instance.
If you need different environments, make your module a constructor function that allows to be instantiated multiple times. Store opt on each object for that instead of in the (global) module scope.
// lib.js
module.exports = function constr() {
var opt = 0
this.set = function(arg) {
opt = arg
};
this.print = function() {
console.log(opt)
};
};
// prog.js
var lib = require('./lib'),
inst1 = new lib(),
inst2 = new lib();
/* or short:
var inst1 = new require('./lib')(),
inst2 = new require('./lib')(); */
inst1.set(222)
inst2.set(333)
inst1.print()
inst2.print()

The way the NodeJS module system works, the output is correct and your expectations contradict the design principle here.
Each module is loaded once and only once, and subsequent calls to require simply return the reference to the pre-existing module.
Maybe what you need to do is create a class you can create one or more instances of instead of using module-level globals.

Adding to Bergi's answer, You may also try it like
// prog.js
var lib = require('./lib')(),
lib2 = require('./lib')();
lib.set(222)
lib2.set(333)
lib.print()
lib2.print()
// lib.js
module.exports = function constr() {
var opt = 0
return { set : function(arg) {
opt = arg
},
print : function() {
console.log(opt)
}
}
};

Add this line as first line of your lib.js
delete require.cache[__filename]
now your module becomes in a separate namespace each time you require it.

Express.JS not recognizing required js file's functions

Even though, I've imported the JS file that includes the function that I will use, Node.JS says that it is undefined.
require('./game_core.js');
Users/dasdasd/Developer/optionalassignment/games.js:28
thegame.gamecore = new game_core( thegame );
^
ReferenceError: game_core is not defined
Do you have any idea what's wrong? Game_core includes the function:
var game_core = function(game_instance){....};

Add to the end of game_core.js:
module.exports = {
game_core : game_core
}
to games.js:
var game_core = require('./game_core').game_core(game_istance);

Requiring a module in Node doesn't add its contents to the global scope. Every module is wrapped in its own scope, so you have to export public names:
// game_core.js
module.exports = function (game_instance){...};
Then keep a reference in your main script to the exported object:
var game_core = require('./game_core.js');
...
thegame.gamecore = new game_core( thegame );
You can read more about it in the docs: http://nodejs.org/api/modules.html#modules_modules

An alternative approach:
if( 'undefined' != typeof global ) {
module.exports = global.game_core = game_core;
}

Share variables between files in Node.js?

Here are 2 files:
// main.js
require('./module');
console.log(name); // prints "foobar"
// module.js
name = "foobar";
When I don't have "var" it works. But when I have:
// module.js
var name = "foobar";
name will be undefined in main.js.
I have heard that global variables are bad and you better use "var" before the references. But is this a case where global variables are good?

Global variables are almost never a good thing (maybe an exception or two out there...). In this case, it looks like you really just want to export your "name" variable. E.g.,
// module.js
var name = "foobar";
// export it
exports.name = name;
Then, in main.js...
//main.js
// get a reference to your required module
var myModule = require('./module');
// name is a member of myModule due to the export above
var name = myModule.name;

I'm unable to find an scenario where a global var is the best option, of course you can have one, but take a look at these examples and you may find a better way to accomplish the same:
Scenario 1: Put the stuff in config files
You need some value that it's the same across the application, but it changes depending on the environment (production, dev or test), the mailer type as example, you'd need:
// File: config/environments/production.json
{
"mailerType": "SMTP",
"mailerConfig": {
"service": "Gmail",
....
}
and
// File: config/environments/test.json
{
"mailerType": "Stub",
"mailerConfig": {
"error": false
}
}
(make a similar config for dev too)
To decide which config will be loaded make a main config file (this will be used all over the application)
// File: config/config.js
var _ = require('underscore');
module.exports = _.extend(
require(__dirname + '/../config/environments/' + process.env.NODE_ENV + '.json') || {});
And now you can get the data like this:
// File: server.js
...
var config = require('./config/config');
...
mailer.setTransport(nodemailer.createTransport(config.mailerType, config.mailerConfig));
Scenario 2: Use a constants file
// File: constants.js
module.exports = {
appName: 'My neat app',
currentAPIVersion: 3
};
And use it this way
// File: config/routes.js
var constants = require('../constants');
module.exports = function(app, passport, auth) {
var apiroot = '/api/v' + constants.currentAPIVersion;
...
app.post(apiroot + '/users', users.create);
...
Scenario 3: Use a helper function to get/set the data
Not a big fan of this one, but at least you can track the use of the 'name' (citing the OP's example) and put validations in place.
// File: helpers/nameHelper.js
var _name = 'I shall not be null'
exports.getName = function() {
return _name;
};
exports.setName = function(name) {
//validate the name...
_name = name;
};
And use it
// File: controllers/users.js
var nameHelper = require('../helpers/nameHelper.js');
exports.create = function(req, res, next) {
var user = new User();
user.name = req.body.name || nameHelper.getName();
...
There could be a use case when there is no other solution than having a global var, but usually you can share the data in your app using one of these scenarios, if you are starting to use node.js (as I was sometime ago) try to organize the way you handle the data over there because it can get messy really quick.

If we need to share multiple variables use the below format
//module.js
let name='foobar';
let city='xyz';
let company='companyName';
module.exports={
name,
city,
company
}
Usage
// main.js
require('./modules');
console.log(name); // print 'foobar'

Save any variable that want to be shared as one object. Then pass it to loaded module so it could access the variable through object reference..
// main.js
var myModule = require('./module.js');
var shares = {value:123};
// Initialize module and pass the shareable object
myModule.init(shares);
// The value was changed from init2 on the other file
console.log(shares.value); // 789
On the other file..
// module.js
var shared = null;
function init2(){
console.log(shared.value); // 123
shared.value = 789;
}
module.exports = {
init:function(obj){
// Save the shared object on current module
shared = obj;
// Call something outside
init2();
}
}

a variable declared with or without the var keyword got attached to the global object. This is the basis for creating global variables in Node by declaring variables without the var keyword. While variables declared with the var keyword remain local to a module.
see this article for further understanding - https://www.hacksparrow.com/global-variables-in-node-js.html

Not a new approach but a bit optimized. Create a file with global variables and share them by export and require. In this example, Getter and Setter are more dynamic and global variables can be readonly. To define more globals, just add them to globals object.
global.js
const globals = {
myGlobal: {
value: 'can be anytype: String, Array, Object, ...'
},
aReadonlyGlobal: {
value: 'this value is readonly',
protected: true
},
dbConnection: {
value: 'mongoClient.db("database")'
},
myHelperFunction: {
value: function() { console.log('do help') }
},
}
exports.get = function(global) {
// return variable or false if not exists
return globals[global] && globals[global].value ? globals[global].value : false;
};
exports.set = function(global, value) {
// exists and is protected: return false
if (globals[global] && globals[global].protected && globals[global].protected === true)
return false;
// set global and return true
globals[global] = { value: value };
return true;
};
examples to get and set in any-other-file.js
const globals = require('./globals');
console.log(globals.get('myGlobal'));
// output: can be anytype: String, Array, Object, ...
globals.get('myHelperFunction')();
// output: do help
let myHelperFunction = globals.get('myHelperFunction');
myHelperFunction();
// output: do help
console.log(globals.set('myGlobal', 'my new value'));
// output: true
console.log(globals.get('myGlobal'));
// output: my new value
console.log(globals.set('aReadonlyGlobal', 'this shall not work'));
// output: false
console.log(globals.get('aReadonlyGlobal'));
// output: this value is readonly
console.log(globals.get('notExistingGlobal'));
// output: false

With a different opinion, I think the global variables might be the best choice if you are going to publish your code to npm, cuz you cannot be sure that all packages are using the same release of your code. So if you use a file for exporting a singleton object, it will cause issues here.
You can choose global, require.main or any other objects which are shared across files.
Otherwise, install your package as an optional dependency package can avoid this problem.
Please tell me if there are some better solutions.

If the target is the browser (by bundling Node code via Parcel.js or similar), you can simply set properties on the window object, and they become global variables:
window.variableToMakeGlobal = value;
Then you can access this variable from all modules (and more generally, from any Javascript context).