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Is @vitest/runner ESM-only? Can you require() it?

Vitest test runner

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against @vitest/runner@4.1.11. Markdown · JSON

ESM-only ESM-only — it has never shipped a CommonJS build

@vitest/runner has been ESM-only since its first stable release; there is no CommonJS version to pin.

On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, require("@vitest/runner") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 20, 22, 24 and 26. On Node.js 18, which has no require(esm), require("@vitest/runner") fails with ERR_REQUIRE_ESM.

What to do

  1. On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, require("@vitest/runner") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 20, 22, 24 and 26.
  2. From a CommonJS file, use a dynamic import inside an async function: const runner = await import("@vitest/runner"). That works on every Node.js version the package supports.
  3. There is no CommonJS release of @vitest/runner to pin; without require(esm) the only option is a dynamic import().
  4. TypeScript: types are bundled; install nothing extra.
Latest
4.1.11 (Aug 18, 2026)
Module format
ESM-only
Last CommonJS version
none
ESM-only since
0.28.0 (Jan 23, 2023)
TypeScript types
Bundled
Node engines
not declared
Weekly downloads
90.6M
License
MIT

Does @vitest/runner@4.1.11 actually load? Runtime test results

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

Runtimerequire("@vitest/runner")import "@vitest/runner"
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 @vitest/runner

ES modules (import)

import * as runner from "@vitest/runner";

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

CommonJS (require)

// Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer (verified):
const runner = require("@vitest/runner");

// Any Node.js version the package supports, from an async function:
async function main() {
  const runner = await import("@vitest/runner");
}

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 (127 versions; the newest 60 shown).

VersionsFormatFirst published
2.1.4 – 4.1.11ESM-onlyOct 28, 2024

Frequently asked

Is @vitest/runner ESM-only?

@vitest/runner@4.1.11 is ESM-only. @vitest/runner has been ESM-only since its first stable release; there is no CommonJS version to pin.

Which version of @vitest/runner still supports CommonJS / require()?

None. @vitest/runner has always been ESM-only. Use import, or a dynamic import("@vitest/runner") from an async function in CommonJS.

How do I use @vitest/runner from a CommonJS file?

From a CommonJS file, use a dynamic import inside an async function: const runner = await import("@vitest/runner"). That works on every Node.js version the package supports. On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, require("@vitest/runner") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 20, 22, 24 and 26.

Does @vitest/runner work in Bun?

Yes. import "@vitest/runner" loaded successfully in Bun 1.4.0 on Sep 9, 2026.

Does @vitest/runner ship TypeScript types?

Yes. @vitest/runner bundles its own type declarations; no @types package is needed.

Links

Other esm-only packages

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