Module._load sources

Module_load.js

// Check the cache for the requested file.
// 1. If a module already exists in the cache: return its exports object.
// 2. If the module is native: call `NativeModule.require()` with the
//    filename and return the result.
// 3. Otherwise, create a new module for the file and save it to the cache.
//    Then have it load  the file contents before returning its exports
//    object.
Module._load = function(request, parent, isMain) {
  if (parent) {
    debug('Module._load REQUEST %s parent: %s', request, parent.id);
  }

  var filename = Module._resolveFilename(request, parent, isMain);

  var cachedModule = Module._cache[filename];
  if (cachedModule) {
    return cachedModule.exports;
  }

  if (NativeModule.nonInternalExists(filename)) {
    debug('load native module %s', request);
    return NativeModule.require(filename);
  }

  var module = new Module(filename, parent);

  if (isMain) {
    process.mainModule = module;
    module.id = '.';
  }

  Module._cache[filename] = module;

  tryModuleLoad(module, filename);

  return module.exports;
};