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

Create boxes in the terminal

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against boxen@8.0.1. Markdown · JSON

ESM-only ESM-only since 6.0.0 — last CommonJS version is 5.1.2

boxen dropped its CommonJS build in 6.0.0 (September 2021). The last version with a plain require()-able CommonJS entry is 5.1.2, published Sep 17, 2021; it declares support for Node.js >=10.

On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, require("boxen") 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("boxen") fails with ERR_REQUIRE_ESM.

What to do

  1. On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, require("boxen") 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 boxen = await import("boxen"). That works on every Node.js version the package supports (>=18).
  3. If you need a synchronous require() or run Node.js 18: npm install boxen@5.1.2, the last CommonJS release (published Sep 17, 2021); it declares Node.js >=10.
  4. TypeScript: types are bundled; install nothing extra.
Latest
8.0.1 (Aug 5, 2024)
Module format
ESM-only
Last CommonJS version
5.1.2
ESM-only since
6.0.0 (Sep 30, 2021)
TypeScript types
Bundled
Node engines
>=18
Weekly downloads
20.2M
License
MIT

Does boxen@8.0.1 actually load? Runtime test results

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

Runtimerequire("boxen")import "boxen"
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 boxen

ES modules (import)

import * as boxen from "boxen";

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 boxen = require("boxen");

// Any Node.js version the package supports (>=18), from an async function:
async function main() {
  const boxen = await import("boxen");
}

// Or pin the last CommonJS release (declares Node.js >=10):
// npm install boxen@5.1.2

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 (41 versions; the newest 41 shown).

VersionsFormatFirst published
6.0.0 – 8.0.1ESM-onlySep 30, 2021
0.1.0 – 5.1.2CommonJSDec 21, 2015

Frequently asked

Is boxen ESM-only?

boxen@8.0.1 is ESM-only. boxen dropped its CommonJS build in 6.0.0 (September 2021). The last version with a plain require()-able CommonJS entry is 5.1.2, published Sep 17, 2021; it declares support for Node.js >=10.

Which version of boxen still supports CommonJS / require()?

5.1.2 is the last version of boxen with a CommonJS build; it declares Node.js >=10. Install it with "npm install boxen@5.1.2". Every version from 6.0.0 on is ESM-only.

How do I use boxen from a CommonJS file?

From a CommonJS file, use a dynamic import inside an async function: const boxen = await import("boxen"). That works on every Node.js version the package supports (>=18). On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, require("boxen") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 20, 22, 24 and 26. Alternatively pin boxen@5.1.2 (declares Node.js >=10).

Does boxen work in Bun?

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

Does boxen ship TypeScript types?

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

Links

Other esm-only packages

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