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Is acorn ESM-only? Can you require() it?

ECMAScript parser

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against acorn@8.18.0. Markdown · JSON

Dual (CommonJS + ESM) Dual package — require() works on every Node.js version we test; import works too

acorn publishes both a CommonJS entry and a native ESM entry (ESM added in 8.0.0). require("acorn") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >=0.4.0. import "acorn" works alongside it.

What to do

  1. Nothing to change. require("acorn") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >=0.4.0. import * as acorn from "acorn" works alongside it; use named imports for what the ESM entry exports.
  2. TypeScript: types are bundled; install nothing extra.
Latest
8.18.0 (Jul 28, 2026)
Module format
Dual (CommonJS + ESM)
Last CommonJS version
8.18.0
Native ESM since
8.0.0
TypeScript types
Bundled
Node engines
>=0.4.0
Weekly downloads
221.9M
License
MIT

Does acorn@8.18.0 actually load? Runtime test results

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

Runtimerequire("acorn")import "acorn"
Node.js 18✓ works✓ 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 acorn

ES modules (import)

import * as acorn from "acorn";

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

CommonJS (require)

const acorn = require("acorn");

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 (140 versions; the newest 60 shown).

VersionsFormatFirst published
8.0.0 – 8.18.0Dual (CommonJS + ESM)Aug 12, 2020
6.0.2 – 7.4.1CommonJSSep 26, 2018

Frequently asked

Is acorn ESM-only?

acorn@8.18.0 ships CommonJS and ESM builds. acorn publishes both a CommonJS entry and a native ESM entry (ESM added in 8.0.0). require("acorn") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >=0.4.0. import "acorn" works alongside it.

Can I require acorn?

Yes. acorn ships a CommonJS entry alongside the native ESM entry. require("acorn") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >=0.4.0.

Does acorn work in Bun?

Yes. import "acorn" loaded successfully in Bun 1.4.0 on Sep 9, 2026.

Does acorn ship TypeScript types?

Yes. acorn bundles its own type declarations; no @types package is needed.

Links

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