Introducing Require-by-String

[SubatomicTurtle]

[Update] Jan 8, 2026

@SubatomicTurtle

Hello! We have another update for you all regarding require-by-string. We now support the @game alias, which allows require-by-string to point to the root of the DataModel. You can start using this new functionality now!

Example usage:

-- Can access top-level services using the `@game` alias
local myModule = require("@game/ReplicatedStorage/MyModule")

On a related note, we’re also currently working on making it possible to define your own custom require aliases, so stay tuned for that.

[Update] May 20, 2025

@SubatomicTurtle

Hello Creators! We have a new update regarding require-by-string.

We’ve heard your feedback about requiring script children and are happy to announce that we have now enabled the @self alias platform-wide. This new alias allows you to directly require children of the current script as follows:

-- without require-by-string
require(script.Child)

-- old way
require("./{CurrentScriptName}/Child")

-- new way
require("@self/Child")

Based on other feedback, we’ve also decided to remove the special treatment of Init ModuleScripts. Previously, any instance could be require’d by string if it had a child ModuleScript named Init or init. This behavior was originally implemented to mimic the treatment of init.luau files on the filesystem. In a conventional filesystem context, files cannot have children, so a code module with children must be represented as a folder containing an init.luau file. In Roblox, however, this issue is not present: code modules are represented as ModuleScripts, which can have children.

Rather than creating a Folder with a child Init ModuleScript, we recommend simply converting the Folder to a ModuleScript itself and nesting children under it—the new @self alias makes it simple for the top-level ModuleScript to access its children. To make this simpler, Roblox Studio now throws a runtime error with migration instructions when attempting to implicitly require an Init ModuleScript.

For more information, please refer to our updated documentation!

Hello, everyone!

We are excited to announce a new Luau feature available in the Roblox engine: require by string! With this feature, you’ll be able to use string paths to require modules instead of navigating with Instances, making your code compatible with Luau code written for other runtimes and easier to read and write.

Details

String Path Resolution

Require-by-string allows you to require modules using relative paths.

• The / symbol is used as a separator in paths.
• Relative paths must start with ./, ../, or @self/.

For example, each pair of require calls below are now equivalent.

require("./MySibling")
require(script.Parent.MySibling)

require("../SiblingOfMyParent")
require(script.Parent.Parent.SiblingOfMyParent)

require("../../SiblingOfMyGrandparent")
require(script.Parent.Parent.Parent.SiblingOfMyGrandparent)

require("@self/MyChild")
require(script.MyChild)

Autocomplete

To aid with development, autocomplete suggestions will pop up in Script Editor for each component as you type out paths in a require expression.

Type Checking

With strict mode enabled, you’ll also receive a type error for any path that cannot be resolved to a ModuleScript.

Conclusion

This new feature, along with the early preview for Studio Script Sync, will make it easier for you to work with Luau written outside of Roblox. We’re excited for you to try out require-by-string, and we welcome your feedback. Please share your thoughts and experiences in this thread!

FAQs

Does require-by-string wait for ModuleScripts to replicate?

No, but waiting for game.Loaded to be fired using game.Loaded:Wait() will be sufficient when your scripts are not in Workspace. Otherwise, you can use Instance:WaitForChild() for manual synchronization.

Are absolute paths supported?

No. We intend to remain aligned with open-source Luau, which does not support requiring absolute paths. However, we are already working on solutions to make it easier to access common libraries regardless of where your scripts are in the experience or on the file system.

Are aliased paths supported?

Not yet, but we’re working on it! Support for aliases in require paths is an important step toward full cross-platform compatibility.

How does this work with external tools?

In our initial release of require-by-string, the treatment of ModuleScripts named Init/init diverged from the behavior of tools like Rojo. This behavior has now been amended to improve compatibility.

Please refer to this update for more information: https://devforum.roblox.com/t/introducing-require-by-string/3405078/146?u=subatomicturtle.

Documentation

For additional information about require, please visit our documentation .

[jackdotink]

For a script to require a child of itself, you’ll have to do require("./{script}/child") where {script} is the name of the current script. Great stuff.

[Dekkonot]

@SubatomicTurtle

Additionally, you can now require Instances containing a ModuleScript named Init or init. This aligns with the behavior we support for folders in external Luau code, where the folder’s init.luau script is used as the entry point. With this change, you can organize your code into a folder and require the folder itself, simplifying your project structure!

Before anyone asks: no, Rojo won’t be getting a toggle for this. At least for now. We made our position very clear during the extensive OSS discussion on this, and Roblox went down this path anyway. It won’t matter unless you intend to write cross-runtime code. But for those of you that do want to, blame Roblox. Don’t blame Rojo.

It’s impossible to overstate how disappointing I find it that there was no changes in behavior made from the initial OSS release of this feature to its public announcement, despite the feedback given. It feels borderline disrespectful.

@SubatomicTurtle

To address this, we’re planning to introduce project-relative requires which will provide a consistent way to reference files in Roblox, on the file system, and when using external tools such as Rojo. We’ll share more details about that in the future. However, for now this is just the first step to enabling consistency between Luau runtimes.

What are projects, exactly? I’ve never gotten an answer from anyone on this, despite it being pushed as a priority. Evidently more so than aliasing, which is what most people will need to replace module loaders with require-by-string.

[Uzixt (Uzi)]

What about if you want to require a module script that is parented directly underneath the script?

[LeVraiKaiYT (Kai)]

This seems interesting? does this mean we wont have to type too many stuff like “game.replicatedstorage.modules.clientmodules.modulename” ? and instead type the module name

[jmesrje]

can’t believe this is real ive been waiting for this day my entire life

[abidbmt (abid)]

It will allow for better package management

[BackspaceRGB]

This feels pretty half-baked…

Why is the dot amount capped at 2, and why is there no way to require a child module?

Just doesn’t feel very useful at the moment.

[jmesrje]

this is just how globs work, and it won’t change
in “real” filesystems there aren’t things like children

[Dekkonot]

Okay just so you and everyone reading this is aware those aren’t globs. Like, I get what you’re saying but they’re closer to being URIs than globs.

@BackspaceRGB

Why is the dot amount capped at 2, and why is there no way to require a child module?

The dots have special meaning. . is sibling, .. is parent. They’re limited because they’re special prefixes with meaning; more doesn’t mean anything.

[BackspaceRGB]

@Dekkonot

The dots have special meaning. . is sibling, .. is parent. They’re limited because they’re special prefixes with meaning; more doesn’t mean anything.

Thats good to know.
I always thought that a single dot would be representing something like script.Parent, and 2 dots would be script.Parent.Parent and so on.

[TheRealANDRO (ANDRO)]

@Dekkonot

Before anyone asks: no, Rojo won’t be getting a toggle for this. At least for now. We made our position very clear during the extensive OSS discussion on this, and Roblox went down this path anyway. It won’t matter unless you intend to write cross-runtime code. But for those of you that do want to, blame Roblox. Don’t blame Rojo.

Can I see the discussion post if available? I want to learn why they didn’t initially release this with cross-runtime support.

[Den_vers]

Don’t mind me, but I am wondering why this functionality is being added? Why can’t we just use indexes by “.”?

[jmesrje]

it introduces more compat between vanilla luau and roblox luau, and it’s also just preferred

[Yuria_theWitch]

As described in the announcement itself and in the RFCs on the subject, the long-term goal is to standardize the behavior of require in Luau to function the same across platforms. Luau is embedded in Roblox, but it’s also available as a standalone programming language, and is increasingly being embedded in other game engines. By defining a standard for how require works, we’re working towards a future where Luau code can be written in a runtime-agnostic way and be used in any of those environments. Essentially, this is part of a larger effort to make Luau itself a more consistent programming language in the interest of growing a healthy open source ecosystem around the language.

[Den_vers]

Interesting to see how Luau is being utilizing into different game-engines!

[BanTech]

I’m curious what the main issue is - scripts inside of scripts is a weird thing that doesn’t exist in normal file systems, and is a bit of a Robloxism.

What were the alternatives you guys suggested that were not favoured?

[LeVraiKaiYT (Kai)]

Im kinda confused… WHAT is a package?? isnt that like a modulescript that can be required from the web?

[jmesrje]

a package is a piece of software designed to be distributed to many people