reload.js

// Reloading modules from the repl in Node.js
// Benjamin Gleitzman (gleitz@mit.edu)
//
// Inspired by Ben Barkay
// http://stackoverflow.com/a/14801711/305414
//
// Usage: `node reload.js`
// You can load the module as usual
// var mymodule = require('./mymodule')
// And the reload it when needed
// mymodule = require.reload('./mymodule')
//
// I suggest using an alias in your .bashrc/.profile:
// alias node_reload='node /path/to/reload.js'


var myrepl = require("repl").start({});

/**
 * Removes a module from the cache.
 */
myrepl.context.require.uncache = function (moduleName) {
    // Run over the cache looking for the files
    // loaded by the specified module name
    myrepl.context.require.searchCache(moduleName, function (mod) {
        delete require.cache[mod.id];
    });
};

/**
 * Runs over the cache to search for all the cached files.
 */
myrepl.context.require.searchCache = function (moduleName, callback) {
    // Resolve the module identified by the specified name
    var mod = require.resolve(moduleName);

    // Check if the module has been resolved and found within
    // the cache
    if (mod && ((mod = require.cache[mod]) !== undefined)) {
        // Recursively go over the results
        (function run(mod) {
            // Go over each of the module's children and
            // run over it
            mod.children.forEach(function (child) {
                run(child);
            });

            // Call the specified callback providing the
            // found module
            callback(mod);
        })(mod);
    }
};

/*
 * Load a module, clearing it from the cache if necessary.
 */
myrepl.context.require.reload = function(moduleName) {
    myrepl.context.require.uncache(moduleName);
    return myrepl.context.require(moduleName);
};