canirequire

canirequire › ESM-only › @oclif/plugin-help

Is @oclif/plugin-help ESM-only? Can you require() it?

Standard help for oclif.

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against @oclif/plugin-help@7.0.0. Markdown · JSON

ESM-only ESM-only since 6.0.1 — last CommonJS version is 5.2.20

@oclif/plugin-help dropped its CommonJS build in 6.0.1 (October 2023). The last version with a plain require()-able CommonJS entry is 5.2.20, published Sep 28, 2023; it declares support for Node.js >=12.0.0.

On Node.js 22.12+ and newer (@oclif/plugin-help@7.0.0 declares Node.js >=22.0.0), require("@oclif/plugin-help") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 22, 24 and 26. Node.js 18 has no require(esm), and @oclif/plugin-help@7.0.0 declares Node.js >=22.0.0, so 18 is outside its supported range anyway.

@oclif/plugin-help@7.0.0 declares engines ">=22.0.0", so Node.js 18, 20 are outside its supported range regardless of module format.

What to do

  1. On Node.js 22.12+ and newer (@oclif/plugin-help@7.0.0 declares Node.js >=22.0.0), require("@oclif/plugin-help") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 22, 24 and 26.
  2. From a CommonJS file, use a dynamic import inside an async function: const pluginHelp = await import("@oclif/plugin-help"). That works on every Node.js version the package supports (>=22.0.0).
  3. If you need a synchronous require() or run Node.js 18: npm install @oclif/plugin-help@5.2.20, the last CommonJS release (published Sep 28, 2023); it declares Node.js >=12.0.0.
  4. @oclif/plugin-help@7.0.0 declares engines ">=22.0.0", so Node.js 18, 20 are unsupported regardless: upgrade Node.js or pin an older release.
  5. TypeScript: types are bundled; install nothing extra.
Latest
7.0.0 (Aug 31, 2026)
Module format
ESM-only
Last CommonJS version
5.2.20
ESM-only since
6.0.1 (Oct 12, 2023)
TypeScript types
Bundled
Node engines
>=22.0.0
Weekly downloads
5.1M
License
MIT

Does @oclif/plugin-help@7.0.0 actually load? Runtime test results

Installed and executed on Sep 9, 2026 with require("@oclif/plugin-help") from a CommonJS file and import "@oclif/plugin-help" from an ES module.

Runtimerequire("@oclif/plugin-help")import "@oclif/plugin-help"
Node.js 18✗ failsERR_REQUIRE_ESM✓ works
Node.js 20✓ works✓ works
Node.js 22✓ works✓ works
Node.js 24✓ works✓ works
Node.js 26✓ works✓ works
Bun 1.4.0✓ works✓ works

How to import @oclif/plugin-help

ES modules (import)

import * as pluginHelp from "@oclif/plugin-help";

Namespace import shown because the ESM entry may have no default export; use named imports for what it exports.

CommonJS (require)

// Node.js 22.12+ and newer (verified):
const pluginHelp = require("@oclif/plugin-help");

// Any Node.js version the package supports (>=22.0.0), from an async function:
async function main() {
  const pluginHelp = await import("@oclif/plugin-help");
}

// Or pin the last CommonJS release (declares Node.js >=12.0.0):
// npm install @oclif/plugin-help@5.2.20

Module format by version

Derived from the type, main and exports fields of every stable release on npm, corrected where a runtime test of that version contradicted them (207 versions; the newest 60 shown).

VersionsFormatFirst published
6.2.1 – 7.0.0ESM-onlyJun 9, 2024

Frequently asked

Is @oclif/plugin-help ESM-only?

@oclif/plugin-help@7.0.0 is ESM-only. @oclif/plugin-help dropped its CommonJS build in 6.0.1 (October 2023). The last version with a plain require()-able CommonJS entry is 5.2.20, published Sep 28, 2023; it declares support for Node.js >=12.0.0.

Which version of @oclif/plugin-help still supports CommonJS / require()?

5.2.20 is the last version of @oclif/plugin-help with a CommonJS build; it declares Node.js >=12.0.0. Install it with "npm install @oclif/plugin-help@5.2.20". Every version from 6.0.1 on is ESM-only.

How do I use @oclif/plugin-help from a CommonJS file?

From a CommonJS file, use a dynamic import inside an async function: const pluginHelp = await import("@oclif/plugin-help"). That works on every Node.js version the package supports (>=22.0.0). On Node.js 22.12+ and newer (@oclif/plugin-help@7.0.0 declares Node.js >=22.0.0), require("@oclif/plugin-help") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 22, 24 and 26. Alternatively pin @oclif/plugin-help@5.2.20 (declares Node.js >=12.0.0).

Does @oclif/plugin-help work in Bun?

Yes. import "@oclif/plugin-help" loaded successfully in Bun 1.4.0 on Sep 9, 2026.

Does @oclif/plugin-help ship TypeScript types?

Yes. @oclif/plugin-help bundles its own type declarations; no @types package is needed.

Links

Other esm-only packages

Similar popularity