Error [ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module not supported

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Borislav Hadzhiev

Last updated: Mar 6, 2024
10 min

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# Table of Contents

  1. Error ERR_REQUIRE_ESM: require() of ES Module not supported
  2. node-fetch ERR_REQUIRE_ESM
  3. got ERR_REQUIRE_ESM
  4. gulp ERR_REQUIRE_ESM
  5. chalk ERR_REQUIRE_ESM
  6. nanoid ERR_REQUIRE_ESM

If you got the error when using any of the packages from the table of contents, click on the link to navigate to the subheading, otherwise, continue reading.

# Error [ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module not supported

The error "[ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module not supported. Instead change the require of index.js to a dynamic import() which is available in all CommonJS modules" occurs because a package you are importing has been converted to an ESM-only package, which means that the package cannot be imported with require() anymore.

error err require esm require of es module

shell
Error [ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module /home/borislav/Desktop/node_modules/node-fetch/src/index.js not supported
Instead change the require of index.js to a dynamic import() which is available in all CommonJS modules.

# Using ESM imports/exports or downgrading your package version

You can solve the "[ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module not supported" by doing one of two things:

  1. Use ESM - use import foo from 'foo', instead of const foo = require('foo') and add the following line to your package.json file: "type": "module".
package.json
{
  "type": "module",

  // ...
  "scripts": {},
  "dependencies": {},
}
index.js
// 👇️ for default imports
import foo from 'foo';

// 👇️ for named imports
import {bar} from 'bar';
  1. Alternatively, you can downgrade to the last version of the package that is built with CommonJS. (Preferred approach if you use TypeScript).
The easiest way to solve the error if using TypeScript is to downgrade the version of the package to one that is built using CommonJS.

You can see which package is causing the error by looking at the error message in your terminal. The error message in the screenshot shows that the node-fetch package is causing the error.

error err require esm require of es module

# Solutions for packages that often cause the error

If you got the error when using any of the following packages, click on the link.

# Using ES Modules imports and exports to solve the error

If you go with using ES Modules, you won't be able to use the require() syntax to import any other packages and you need to update your import statements to ESM.

index.js
// 👇️ default import
import fetch from 'node-fetch'

// 👇️ named import
import {myPackage} from 'my-package'

You also have to add the following line to your package.json file:

package.json
{
  "type": "module",
  // 👇️ ...rest
}

You can read more about migrating from CommonJS to ESM by visiting this helpful Github Readme.

# Downgrading the version of the package to solve the error

At the time of writing, the best solution I've found (especially if using TypeScript) is to downgrade to the most recent version of the package that is built using CommonJS.

For example, the node-fetch package has been converted to be an ESM-only package in version 3, so we have to downgrade to version 2.6.7, which is the last version that is built with CommonJS which enables us to use the require() syntax.

To downgrade a package to a specific version, open your terminal in the root directory of your project and run a command that installs the particular version.

shell
npm install node-fetch@2.6.7

# 👇️ NOTE: you only need this if using TypeScript
npm install --save-dev @types/node-fetch@2.x

You can use the npm install package@X.X.X syntax to install a specific version of a package.

Once you have installed a version of the package that is built using CommonJS, you will be able to import the package using require().

Check out this GitHub Readme if you want to learn more about why this error occurs and possible fixes.

Another thing to note is you should be using Node.js version >= 14.

You can use the node --version command to check your version of Node.js.

shell
node --version

If you have an older version of Node.js, you can use nvm to install the long-term supported version if you have it installed.

shell
nvm install --lts

nvm use --lts
Want to learn more about installing and using NVM? Check out these resources: Install NVM on macOS and Linux,Install NVM on Windows.

Alternatively, you can install the long-term supported version from the nodejs.org website.

If you got the error when using any of the following packages, click on the link.

# node-fetch Error [ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module not supported

The node-fetch error "[ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module not supported" occurs because the node-fetch package has been converted to be an ESM-only package in version 3, which means that the package cannot be imported with require() anymore.

node fetch err require esm

To solve the node-fetch error, use a dynamic import to import the node-fetch package or downgrade the version of the package to 2.6.7, which is the last version that is built with CommonJS.

Here is how to import the node-fetch package using a dynamic import in JavaScript and TypeScript.

index.js
// ✅ Do this if using JAVASCRIPT
const fetch = (...args) =>
  import('node-fetch').then(({ default: fetch }) => fetch(...args));

// -------------------------------------

// ✅ Do this if using TYPESCRIPT
import { RequestInfo, RequestInit } from 'node-fetch';

const fetch = (url: RequestInfo, init?: RequestInit) =>
  import('node-fetch').then(({ default: fetch }) => fetch(url, init));
Only use the import that applies to you. The first import if you use JavaScript or the second one if you use TypeScript.

You can read more about the breaking changes in the node-fetch package in their GitHub upgrade guide.

# Converting to ESM imports

If your environment supports ES Modules, you should try to convert the require() import to ESM.

index.js
import fetch from 'fetch';

console.log(fetch)

But this might not work depending on your setup.

# Downgrading your node-fetch version

Alternatively, you can downgrade the node-fetch package to version 2.6.7 and use the require syntax.

Version 2 of the node-fetch package is built with CommonJS.

This is the recommendation in the upgrade guide because they continue to publish critical bug fixes for version 2.

To downgrade to version 2.6.7, open your terminal in the root directory of your project and run the following commands.

shell
npm install node-fetch@2.6.7

# 👇️ NOTE: you only need this if using TypeScript
npm install --save-dev @types/node-fetch@2.x

Make sure to only install the type definitions if you're using TypeScript.

The types are bundled with the node-fetch package starting at version 3.x, but if you use version 2.x, you have to install them separately.

Now you can use the require() syntax to import the node-fetch package.

index.ts
const fetch = require('node-fetch');

console.log(fetch);

If you still get the error, open your package.json file and make sure you have version 2.6.7 of node-fetch installed.

package.json
{
  "dependencies": {
    "node-fetch": "^2.6.7"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "@types/node-fetch": "^2.6.2",
  }
}

You can also try to uninstall the package and then install version 2.6.7.

shell
npm uninstall node-fetch

npm install node-fetch@2.6.7

Check out this GitHub Readme if you want to learn more about why this error occurs and possible fixes.

If you got the error when using any of the following packages, click on the link.

# got Error [ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module not supported

The got error "[ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module not supported" occurs because the got package has been converted to an ESM-only package in version 12, which means that the package cannot be imported with require() anymore.

got err require esm

To solve the got error, downgrade the version of the package to 11.8.3 by running the following command: npm install got@11.8.3.

This is the last version of got that is built with CommonJS.

To install version 11.8.3 of got, open your terminal in your project's root directory and run the following command.

shell
npm install got@11.8.3

Now you can use the got package with the require() syntax.

index.js
const got = require('got');

async function makeRequest() {
  const { data } = await got
    .post('https://httpbin.org/anything', {
      json: {
        hello: 'world',
      },
    })
    .json();

  console.log(data);
}

makeRequest();

And here is the output I get in my terminal when I run the code from the snippet.

got import success

If your environment supports ES Modules, you should try to convert the require() import to ESM.

index.js
import got from 'got';

async function makeRequest() {
  const { data } = await got
    .post('https://httpbin.org/anything', {
      json: {
        hello: 'world',
      },
    })
    .json();

  console.log(data);
}

makeRequest();

But this might not work, depending on your setup.

Note that if you use TypeScript with a version less than 4.6, you should be staying on got version 11.8.3. You can read more about this in this GitHub issue.

If you use a bundler and want to use ES Modules, you have to make sure that the bundler supports ESM and you have to configure it.

If you got the error when using any of the following packages, click on the link.

# gulp Error [ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module not supported

The gulp error "[ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module not supported" occurs because the gulp-imagemin package has been converted to be an ESM-only package in version 8.0.0, which means that the package cannot be imported with require() anymore.

gulp err require esm

To solve the gulp error, downgrade the version of the gulp-imagemin package to 7.1.0 by running the following command: npm install --save-dev gulp-imagemin@7.1.0 .

This is the last version of gulp-imagemin that is built with CommonJS.

To install version 7.1.0 of the gulp-imagemin package, open your terminal in the root directory of your project and run the following command.

shell
npm install --save-dev gulp-imagemin@7.1.0

# 👇️ Only run this if using TypeScript
npm install --save-dev @types/gulp-imagemin@7.0.3

Now you can use the gulp and gulp-imagemin packages with the require() syntax.

index.js
const gulp = require('gulp');
const imagemin = require('gulp-imagemin');

console.log(gulp);
console.log(imagemin);

# Try to convert your import statements to ESM

If your environment supports ES Modules, you should try to convert the require() import to ESM.

index.js
import gulp from 'gulp';
import imagemin from 'gulp-imagemin';

console.log(gulp);
console.log(imagemin);

But this might not work, depending on your setup.

An ESM-only package means that you should be using import imagemin from 'gulp-imagemin' instead of const imagemin = require('gulp-imagemin') (if your environment supports it).

If you want to read more about ESM packages and why more and more packages are adopting ES modules, check out this Github Readme file.

If you got the error when using any of the following packages, click on the link.

# chalk Error [ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module not supported

The chalk error "[ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module not supported" occurs because the chalk package has been converted to an ESM-only package in version 5, which means that the package cannot be imported with require() anymore.

chalk err require esm

# Downgrading your chalk version

To solve the chalk error, downgrade the version of the package to 4.1.2 by running the following command: npm install chalk@4.1.2 .

This is the last version of chalk that is built with CommonJS.

The recommendation in the release notes of the chalk package is that if you're using chalk with TypeScript or a build tool you should downgrade to version 4.1.2.

To install version 4 of chalk, open your terminal in the root directory of your project and run the following command.

shell
npm install chalk@4.1.2

Now you can use the chalk package with the require() syntax.

index.js
const chalk = require('chalk');

console.log(chalk.red('Hello world!!! 🎉🎉🎉'));

And here is the output I get in my terminal when I run the code from the snippet.

chalk import success

# Converting your import statements to ESM

If your environment supports ES Modules, you should try to convert the require() import to ESM.

index.js
import chalk from 'chalk';

console.log(chalk.red('Hello world!!! 🎉🎉🎉'));

But this might not work, depending on your setup.

The release notes of the chalk package state that it's fine to stay on v4 for now as it has been stable for years.

Note that if you use TypeScript with a version less than 4.6, you should be staying on chalk version 4.x. You can read more about this in this GitHub issue.

# nanoid Error [ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module not supported

The nanoid error "[ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module not supported" occurs because the nanoid package has been converted to an ESM-only package in version 4, which means that the package cannot be imported with require() anymore.

error err require esm require of es module not supported nanoid

shell
const {nanoid} = require('nanoid');
                 ^

Error [ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module /home/borislav/Desktop/bobbyhadz-rest/bobbyhadz-js/node_modules/nanoid/index.js from /home/borislav/Desktop/bobbyhadz-rest/bobbyhadz-js/index.js not supported.

Instead change the require of /home/borislav/Desktop/bobbyhadz-rest/bobbyhadz-js/node_modules/nanoid/index.js in /home/borislav/Desktop/bobbyhadz-rest/bobbyhadz-js/index.js to a dynamic import() which is available in all CommonJS modules.

To solve the nanoid error, downgrade the version of the nanoid package to 3, which is the last version that is built with CommonJS.

If your environment supports ES Modules, you should try to convert the require() import to ESM.
index.js
import {nanoid} from 'nanoid';

console.log(nanoid);

But this might not work depending on your setup.

Alternatively, you can downgrade the nanoid package to version 3 and still use the require syntax. Version 3 of the nanoid package is built with CommonJS.

To downgrade to version 3, open your terminal in the root directory of your project (where your package.json file is) and run the following command.

shell
npm install nanoid@3

You can use the npm install package@X.X.X syntax to install a specific version of a package.

Once you have installed a version of the nanoid package that is built using CommonJS, you will be able to import the package using require().
index.js
const {nanoid} = require('nanoid');

console.log(nanoid);

If you still get the error, open your package.json file and make sure you have version 3.X.X of nanoid installed.

package.json
{
  "dependencies": {
    "nanoid": "^3.3.4"
  },
}

You can also try to uninstall the package and then install version 3.

shell
npm uninstall nanoid

npm install nanoid@3

Check out this GitHub Readme if you want to learn more about why this error occurs and possible fixes.

The types for TypeScript are bundled in the nanoid package, so you don't have to install them separately.

# Additional Resources

You can learn more about the related topics by checking out the following tutorials:

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