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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. 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 you can require() on every Node.js version, including 18 and older, is 1.9.1, published Apr 22, 2022.

On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and every newer release, require("color-string") works anyway: Node can load synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node 20, 22, 24, 26. Node.js 18 and older still fail with ERR_REQUIRE_ESM.

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✓ works✓ works

How to import color-string

ES modules (import)

import colorString from "color-string";

CommonJS (require)

// Node.js 20.19+ / 22.12+ / newer (package has no top-level await):
const colorString = require("color-string");

// Any Node.js version:
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 (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 you can require() on every Node.js version, including 18 and older, 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?

Use a dynamic import: const mod = await import("color-string"). On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, a plain require("color-string") also works for ESM packages that do not use top-level await. Alternatively pin color-string@1.9.1.

Does color-string work in Bun?

Yes. import "color-string" loaded successfully in Bun 1.4 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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