Troubleshooting webpack: Error with import and module.exports in same module

Introduction

When working with webpack, it's common to encounter errors related to importing and exporting modules. One such error involves using both import and module.exports in the same module. In this article, we'll explore this error in depth and provide a step-by-step guide to troubleshooting it.

The Error

The error message typically looks something like this:
Module build failed: SyntaxError: Unexpected token import

This error occurs when a module uses both import and module.exports to define its exports. Since import is not a valid CommonJS module export, webpack throws an error.

The Solution

To resolve this error, you need to choose one method of exporting modules and stick with it throughout your project. The two most common methods are:

Using import/export syntax

This method involves using the ES6 import and export keywords to define your module exports. This method is preferred for modern projects that use webpack 2 or higher.

For example:

import { myFunction } from './myModule';
export default myFunction;

Using module.exports

This method involves using the CommonJS module.exports property to define your module exports. This method is preferred for legacy projects that use webpack 1 or lower.

For example:

const myFunction = require('./myModule');
module.exports = myFunction;

Conclusion

In conclusion, the error related to using both import and module.exports in the same module is a common issue in webpack. By choosing one method of exporting modules and sticking with it, you can avoid this error and ensure that your project is compatible with webpack. Remember to always check your code for syntax errors before running webpack to save time troubleshooting.