canirequire

canirequire › ESM-only › cliui

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

easily create complex multi-column command-line-interfaces

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against cliui@9.0.1. Markdown · JSON

ESM-only ESM-only since 9.0.0 — last CommonJS version is 8.0.1

cliui dropped its CommonJS build in 9.0.0 (March 2025). The last version with a plain require()-able CommonJS entry is 8.0.1, published Oct 1, 2022; it declares support for Node.js >=12.

On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, require("cliui") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 20, 22, 24 and 26. Node.js 18 has no require(esm), and cliui@9.0.1 declares Node.js >=20, so 18 is outside its supported range anyway.

cliui@9.0.1 declares engines ">=20", so Node.js 18 is outside its supported range regardless of module format.

What to do

  1. On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, require("cliui") 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 cliui = await import("cliui"). That works on every Node.js version the package supports (>=20).
  3. If you need a synchronous require() or run Node.js 18: npm install cliui@8.0.1, the last CommonJS release (published Oct 1, 2022); it declares Node.js >=12.
  4. cliui@9.0.1 declares engines ">=20", so Node.js 18 is unsupported regardless: upgrade Node.js or pin an older release.
  5. TypeScript: no types are available for cliui; declare the module yourself if you need them.
Latest
9.0.1 (Mar 17, 2025)
Module format
ESM-only
Last CommonJS version
8.0.1
ESM-only since
9.0.0 (Mar 16, 2025)
TypeScript types
None
Node engines
>=20
Weekly downloads
212.4M
License
ISC

Does cliui@9.0.1 actually load? Runtime test results

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

Runtimerequire("cliui")import "cliui"
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 cliui

ES modules (import)

import * as cliui from "cliui";

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 cliui = require("cliui");

// Any Node.js version the package supports (>=20), from an async function:
async function main() {
  const cliui = await import("cliui");
}

// Or pin the last CommonJS release (declares Node.js >=12):
// npm install cliui@8.0.1

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 (27 versions; the newest 27 shown).

VersionsFormatFirst published
9.0.0 – 9.0.1ESM-onlyMar 16, 2025
7.0.0 – 8.0.1Dual (CommonJS + ESM)Aug 16, 2020
1.0.0 – 6.0.0CommonJSApr 20, 2015

Frequently asked

Is cliui ESM-only?

cliui@9.0.1 is ESM-only. cliui dropped its CommonJS build in 9.0.0 (March 2025). The last version with a plain require()-able CommonJS entry is 8.0.1, published Oct 1, 2022; it declares support for Node.js >=12.

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

8.0.1 is the last version of cliui with a CommonJS build; it declares Node.js >=12. Install it with "npm install cliui@8.0.1". Every version from 9.0.0 on is ESM-only.

How do I use cliui from a CommonJS file?

From a CommonJS file, use a dynamic import inside an async function: const cliui = await import("cliui"). That works on every Node.js version the package supports (>=20). On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, require("cliui") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 20, 22, 24 and 26. Alternatively pin cliui@8.0.1 (declares Node.js >=12).

Does cliui work in Bun?

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

Does cliui ship TypeScript types?

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

Links

Other esm-only packages

Similar popularity