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

> browser-sync@3.0.4 is a CommonJS package. CommonJS — require() works on every Node.js version we test.

Live CSS Reload & Browser Syncing

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against browser-sync@3.0.4.

browser-sync ships CommonJS only. require("browser-sync") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >= 8.0.0. import "browser-sync" 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("browser-sync") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >= 8.0.0.
2. From ES modules use the default import: import browserSync from "browser-sync"; then destructure. Named imports only work when Node.js can statically detect the exports.
3. TypeScript: npm install -D @types/browser-sync

## Facts

- Latest: 3.0.4 (Apr 2, 2025)
- Module format: CommonJS
- Last CommonJS version: 3.0.4
- TypeScript types: @types/browser-sync
- Node engines: >= 8.0.0
- Weekly downloads: 650K
- License: Apache-2.0

## Runtime test results for browser-sync@3.0.4

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

| Runtime | require("browser-sync") | import "browser-sync" |
|---|---|---|
| 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 browser-sync

ES modules:

```js
import browserSync from "browser-sync";
```

CommonJS:

```js
const browserSync = require("browser-sync");
```

## Module format by version

Derived from the type, main and exports fields of every stable release on npm (271 versions; the newest 60 shown).

| Versions | Format | First published |
|---|---|---|
| 2.18.13 – 3.0.4 | CommonJS | Jul 20, 2017 |

## Frequently asked

**Is browser-sync ESM-only?**

browser-sync@3.0.4 is a CommonJS package. browser-sync ships CommonJS only. require("browser-sync") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >= 8.0.0. import "browser-sync" 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 browser-sync with ES module syntax?**

Yes. import browserSync from "browser-sync" 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 browser-sync work in Bun?**

Yes. import "browser-sync" loaded successfully in Bun 1.4.0 on Sep 9, 2026.

**Does browser-sync ship TypeScript types?**

Not bundled. Install the community types with "npm install -D @types/browser-sync".

## Links

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

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