# Is bower ESM-only? Can you require() it?

> bower@1.8.14 is a CommonJS package. CommonJS — require() works on every Node.js version we test.

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Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against bower@1.8.14.

bower ships CommonJS only. require("bower") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >=0.10.0. import "bower" 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("bower") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >=0.10.0.
2. From ES modules use the default import: import bower from "bower"; then destructure. Named imports only work when Node.js can statically detect the exports.
3. TypeScript: no types are available for bower; declare the module yourself if you need them.

## Facts

- Latest: 1.8.14 (Mar 14, 2022)
- Module format: CommonJS
- Last CommonJS version: 1.8.14
- TypeScript types: none
- Node engines: >=0.10.0
- Weekly downloads: 376K
- License: MIT

## Runtime test results for bower@1.8.14

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

| Runtime | require("bower") | import "bower" |
|---|---|---|
| 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 bower

ES modules:

```js
import bower from "bower";
```

CommonJS:

```js
const bower = require("bower");
```

## Module format by version

Derived from the type, main and exports fields of every stable release on npm (99 versions; the newest 60 shown).

| Versions | Format | First published |
|---|---|---|
| 1.2.0 – 1.8.14 | CommonJS | Aug 19, 2013 |

## Frequently asked

**Is bower ESM-only?**

bower@1.8.14 is a CommonJS package. bower ships CommonJS only. require("bower") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >=0.10.0. import "bower" 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 bower with ES module syntax?**

Yes. import bower from "bower" 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 bower work in Bun?**

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

**Does bower ship TypeScript types?**

No. bower ships no type declarations and there is no @types package for it.

## Links

- [bower on npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/bower)
- [Source repository](bower/bower)
- [HTML version](https://canirequire.com/package/bower/)
- [JSON version](https://canirequire.com/package/bower.json)

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