canirequire

canirequire › ESM-only › color

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

Color conversion and manipulation with CSS string support

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against color@5.0.3. Markdown · JSON

ESM-only ESM-only since 5.0.0 — last CommonJS version is 4.2.3

color dropped its CommonJS build in 5.0.0 (February 2025). The last version with a plain require()-able CommonJS entry is 4.2.3, published Apr 5, 2022; it declares support for Node.js >=12.5.0.

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

What to do

  1. On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, require("color") 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 color = await import("color"). 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@4.2.3, the last CommonJS release (published Apr 5, 2022); it declares Node.js >=12.5.0.
  4. TypeScript: types are bundled; install nothing extra.
Latest
5.0.3 (Nov 14, 2025)
Module format
ESM-only
Last CommonJS version
4.2.3
ESM-only since
5.0.0 (Feb 12, 2025)
TypeScript types
Bundled
Node engines
>=18
Weekly downloads
45.5M
License
MIT

Does color@5.0.3 actually load? Runtime test results

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

Runtimerequire("color")import "color"
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

ES modules (import)

import * as color from "color";

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 color = require("color");

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

// Or pin the last CommonJS release (declares Node.js >=12.5.0):
// npm install color@4.2.3

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 (51 versions; the newest 51 shown).

VersionsFormatFirst published
5.0.0 – 5.0.3ESM-onlyFeb 12, 2025
0.1.0 – 4.2.3CommonJSJun 23, 2011

Frequently asked

Is color ESM-only?

color@5.0.3 is ESM-only. color dropped its CommonJS build in 5.0.0 (February 2025). The last version with a plain require()-able CommonJS entry is 4.2.3, published Apr 5, 2022; it declares support for Node.js >=12.5.0.

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

4.2.3 is the last version of color with a CommonJS build; it declares Node.js >=12.5.0. Install it with "npm install color@4.2.3". Every version from 5.0.0 on is ESM-only.

How do I use color from a CommonJS file?

From a CommonJS file, use a dynamic import inside an async function: const color = await import("color"). That works on every Node.js version the package supports (>=18). On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, require("color") 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@4.2.3 (declares Node.js >=12.5.0).

Does color work in Bun?

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

Does color ship TypeScript types?

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

Links

Other esm-only packages

Similar popularity