How to properly pass mysql connection to routes with express.js - node.js

Question

I am trying to figure out the best way to pass a mysql connection (using node-mysql) between my routes for express.js. I am dynamically adding each route (using a for each file loop in routes), meaning I can't just pass in the connection to routes that need it. I either need to pass it to every route or none at all. I didn't like the idea of passing it to ones that dont need it so I created a dbConnection.js that the routes can individually import if they need. The problem is that I dont think I am doing it correctly. As of now, my dbConnection.js contains:
var mysql = require('mysql');
var db = null;
module.exports = function () {
if(!db) {
db = mysql.createConnection({
socketPath: '/tmp/mysql.sock',
user: '*********',
password: '*********',
database: '**********'
});
}
return db;
};
And I am importing it into each route using:
var db = require('../dbConnection.js');
var connection = new db();
But I would like to do it like this:
var connection = require('../dbConnection.js');
When I try it like this, however, I get an error saying connection has no method 'query' when I try to make a query.

Answer 1

I find it more reliable to use node-mysql's pool object. Here's how I set mine up. I use environment variable for database information. Keeps it out of the repo.
database.js
var mysql = require('mysql');
var pool = mysql.createPool({
host: process.env.MYSQL_HOST,
user: process.env.MYSQL_USER,
password: process.env.MYSQL_PASS,
database: process.env.MYSQL_DB,
connectionLimit: 10,
supportBigNumbers: true
});
// Get records from a city
exports.getRecords = function(city, callback) {
var sql = "SELECT name FROM users WHERE city=?";
// get a connection from the pool
pool.getConnection(function(err, connection) {
if(err) { console.log(err); callback(true); return; }
// make the query
connection.query(sql, [city], function(err, results) {
connection.release();
if(err) { console.log(err); callback(true); return; }
callback(false, results);
});
});
};
Route
var db = require('../database');
exports.GET = function(req, res) {
db.getRecords("San Francisco", function(err, results) {
if(err) { res.send(500,"Server Error"); return;
// Respond with results as JSON
res.send(results);
});
};

Answer 2

your solution will work if use db() instead of new db(), which returns an object and not the db connection
var db = require('../dbConnection.js');
//var connection = new db();
var connection = db();