# Is babel-plugin-external-helpers ESM-only? Can you require() it?

> babel-plugin-external-helpers@6.22.0 is a CommonJS package. CommonJS — require() works on every Node.js version we test.

This plugin contains helper functions that’ll be placed at the top of the generated code

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against babel-plugin-external-helpers@6.22.0.

babel-plugin-external-helpers ships CommonJS only. require("babel-plugin-external-helpers") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. import "babel-plugin-external-helpers" also works because Node.js and Bun can import CommonJS from ES modules, but only the default export is guaranteed; named imports depend on Node's static analysis of the module.

## What to do

1. require("babel-plugin-external-helpers") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun.
2. From ES modules use the default import: import babelPluginExternalHelpers from "babel-plugin-external-helpers"; then destructure. Named imports only work when Node.js can statically detect the exports.
3. TypeScript: no types are available for babel-plugin-external-helpers; declare the module yourself if you need them.

## Facts

- Latest: 6.22.0 (Jan 20, 2017)
- Module format: CommonJS
- Last CommonJS version: 6.22.0
- TypeScript types: none
- Node engines: not declared
- Weekly downloads: 68K
- License: MIT

## Runtime test results for babel-plugin-external-helpers@6.22.0

Installed and executed on Sep 9, 2026 with require("babel-plugin-external-helpers") from a CommonJS file and import "babel-plugin-external-helpers" from an ES module.

| Runtime | require("babel-plugin-external-helpers") | import "babel-plugin-external-helpers" |
|---|---|---|
| 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 babel-plugin-external-helpers

ES modules:

```js
import babelPluginExternalHelpers from "babel-plugin-external-helpers";
```

CommonJS:

```js
const babelPluginExternalHelpers = require("babel-plugin-external-helpers");
```

## Module format by version

Derived from the type, main and exports fields of every stable release on npm (9 versions; the newest 9 shown).

| Versions | Format | First published |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0.0 – 6.22.0 | CommonJS | Aug 16, 2015 |

## Frequently asked

**Is babel-plugin-external-helpers ESM-only?**

babel-plugin-external-helpers@6.22.0 is a CommonJS package. babel-plugin-external-helpers ships CommonJS only. require("babel-plugin-external-helpers") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. import "babel-plugin-external-helpers" also works because Node.js and Bun can import CommonJS from ES modules, but only the default export is guaranteed; named imports depend on Node's static analysis of the module.

**Can I import babel-plugin-external-helpers with ES module syntax?**

Yes. import babelPluginExternalHelpers from "babel-plugin-external-helpers" works in Node.js and Bun because they support importing CommonJS modules. Named imports work only when Node.js can statically detect the exports.

**Does babel-plugin-external-helpers work in Bun?**

Yes. import "babel-plugin-external-helpers" loaded successfully in Bun 1.4.0 on Sep 9, 2026.

**Does babel-plugin-external-helpers ship TypeScript types?**

No. babel-plugin-external-helpers ships no type declarations and there is no @types package for it.

## Links

- [babel-plugin-external-helpers on npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/babel-plugin-external-helpers)
- [Source repository](https://github.com/babel/babel/tree/master/packages/babel-plugin-external-helpers)
- [HTML version](https://canirequire.com/package/babel-plugin-external-helpers/)
- [JSON version](https://canirequire.com/package/babel-plugin-external-helpers.json)

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