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Is color-string ESM-only? Can you require() it?

Parser and generator for CSS color strings

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against color-string@2.1.4. Markdown · JSON

ESM-only ESM-only since 2.0.0 — last CommonJS version is 1.9.1

color-string dropped its CommonJS build in 2.0.0 (February 2025). The last version with a plain require()-able CommonJS entry is 1.9.1, published Apr 22, 2022.

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

What to do

  1. On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, require("color-string") 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 colorString = await import("color-string"). 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 color-string@1.9.1, the last CommonJS release (published Apr 22, 2022).
  4. TypeScript: types are bundled; install nothing extra.
Latest
2.1.4 (Nov 15, 2025)
Module format
ESM-only
Last CommonJS version
1.9.1
ESM-only since
2.0.0 (Feb 6, 2025)
TypeScript types
Bundled
Node engines
>=18
Weekly downloads
36.7M
License
MIT

Does color-string@2.1.4 actually load? Runtime test results

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

Runtimerequire("color-string")import "color-string"
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 color-string

ES modules (import)

import * as colorString from "color-string";

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 colorString = require("color-string");

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

// Or pin the last CommonJS release:
// npm install color-string@1.9.1

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 (42 versions; the newest 42 shown).

VersionsFormatFirst published
2.0.0 – 2.1.4ESM-onlyFeb 6, 2025
0.1.0 – 1.9.1CommonJSJun 19, 2011

Frequently asked

Is color-string ESM-only?

color-string@2.1.4 is ESM-only. color-string dropped its CommonJS build in 2.0.0 (February 2025). The last version with a plain require()-able CommonJS entry is 1.9.1, published Apr 22, 2022.

Which version of color-string still supports CommonJS / require()?

1.9.1 is the last version of color-string with a CommonJS build. Install it with "npm install color-string@1.9.1". Every version from 2.0.0 on is ESM-only.

How do I use color-string from a CommonJS file?

From a CommonJS file, use a dynamic import inside an async function: const colorString = await import("color-string"). That works on every Node.js version the package supports (>=18). On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, require("color-string") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 20, 22, 24 and 26. Alternatively pin color-string@1.9.1.

Does color-string work in Bun?

Yes. import "color-string" loaded successfully in Bun 1.4.0 on Sep 9, 2026.

Does color-string ship TypeScript types?

Yes. color-string bundles its own type declarations; no @types package is needed.

Links

Other esm-only packages

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