Modules

Example

Plugin.lua File

local M = {}

local function iAmSecret()
    print("I am a caveman")
end

function M.greet()
    print("Hello World")
    iAmSecret()
end

return M

Some other File

local plugin = require("Plugin")
 -- translates to
local plugin = (
    function()
        -- contents of `Plugin.lua` are loaded here
)() -- invokes the function

The iAmSecret() function is only visible inside the Plugin.lua file itself, not outside of it.

Caching

local a = require("Plugin") -- included and ran
local b = require("Plugin") -- not ran, cached

-- a = b

local x = dofile("Plugin.lua") -- ran
local y = dofile("Plugin.lua") -- ran

local f = loadfile("Plugin.lua") -- load but don't run