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Is cli-truncate ESM-only? Can you require() it?

Truncate a string to a specific width in the terminal

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against cli-truncate@6.1.1. Markdown · JSON

ESM-only ESM-only since 3.0.0 — last CommonJS version is 2.1.0

cli-truncate dropped its CommonJS build in 3.0.0 (August 2021). The last version with a plain require()-able CommonJS entry is 2.1.0, published Dec 6, 2019; it declares support for Node.js >=8.

On Node.js 22.12+ and newer (cli-truncate@6.1.1 declares Node.js >=22), require("cli-truncate") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 22, 24 and 26. Node.js 18 has no require(esm), and cli-truncate@6.1.1 declares Node.js >=22, so 18 is outside its supported range anyway.

cli-truncate@6.1.1 declares engines ">=22", so Node.js 18, 20 are outside its supported range regardless of module format.

What to do

  1. On Node.js 22.12+ and newer (cli-truncate@6.1.1 declares Node.js >=22), require("cli-truncate") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 22, 24 and 26.
  2. From a CommonJS file, use a dynamic import inside an async function: const cliTruncate = await import("cli-truncate"). That works on every Node.js version the package supports (>=22).
  3. If you need a synchronous require() or run Node.js 18: npm install cli-truncate@2.1.0, the last CommonJS release (published Dec 6, 2019); it declares Node.js >=8.
  4. cli-truncate@6.1.1 declares engines ">=22", so Node.js 18, 20 are unsupported regardless: upgrade Node.js or pin an older release.
  5. TypeScript: types are bundled; install nothing extra.
Latest
6.1.1 (Jul 9, 2026)
Module format
ESM-only
Last CommonJS version
2.1.0
ESM-only since
3.0.0 (Aug 10, 2021)
TypeScript types
Bundled
Node engines
>=22
Weekly downloads
36.0M
License
MIT

Does cli-truncate@6.1.1 actually load? Runtime test results

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

Runtimerequire("cli-truncate")import "cli-truncate"
Node.js 18✗ failsERR_REQUIRE_ESM✗ failsSyntaxError
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 cli-truncate

ES modules (import)

import * as cliTruncate from "cli-truncate";

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

CommonJS (require)

// Node.js 22.12+ and newer (verified):
const cliTruncate = require("cli-truncate");

// Any Node.js version the package supports (>=22), from an async function:
async function main() {
  const cliTruncate = await import("cli-truncate");
}

// Or pin the last CommonJS release (declares Node.js >=8):
// npm install cli-truncate@2.1.0

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 (18 versions; the newest 18 shown).

VersionsFormatFirst published
3.0.0 – 6.1.1ESM-onlyAug 10, 2021
0.1.0 – 2.1.0CommonJSMar 11, 2016

Frequently asked

Is cli-truncate ESM-only?

cli-truncate@6.1.1 is ESM-only. cli-truncate dropped its CommonJS build in 3.0.0 (August 2021). The last version with a plain require()-able CommonJS entry is 2.1.0, published Dec 6, 2019; it declares support for Node.js >=8.

Which version of cli-truncate still supports CommonJS / require()?

2.1.0 is the last version of cli-truncate with a CommonJS build; it declares Node.js >=8. Install it with "npm install cli-truncate@2.1.0". Every version from 3.0.0 on is ESM-only.

How do I use cli-truncate from a CommonJS file?

From a CommonJS file, use a dynamic import inside an async function: const cliTruncate = await import("cli-truncate"). That works on every Node.js version the package supports (>=22). On Node.js 22.12+ and newer (cli-truncate@6.1.1 declares Node.js >=22), require("cli-truncate") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 22, 24 and 26. Alternatively pin cli-truncate@2.1.0 (declares Node.js >=8).

Does cli-truncate work in Bun?

Yes. import "cli-truncate" loaded successfully in Bun 1.4.0 on Sep 9, 2026.

Does cli-truncate ship TypeScript types?

Yes. cli-truncate bundles its own type declarations; no @types package is needed.

Links

Other esm-only packages

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