# Is commitlint ESM-only? Can you require() it?

> commitlint@21.2.2 has no importable main entry. No JavaScript entry point.

Lint your commit messages

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against commitlint@21.2.2.

commitlint does not expose a JavaScript entry point in package.json. It is likely a CLI, a stylesheet, a type-definition package, or an asset bundle, so require() and import are not the way to use it.

## What to do

1. Do not require() or import commitlint: it has no JavaScript entry point. Use it as a CLI (npx commitlint), a stylesheet, an asset, or a type-definition package as its README describes.
2. TypeScript: no types are available for commitlint; declare the module yourself if you need them.

## Facts

- Latest: 21.2.2 (Aug 13, 2026)
- Module format: No JS entry point
- Last CommonJS version: n/a
- TypeScript types: none
- Node engines: >=22.12.0
- Weekly downloads: 523K
- License: MIT

## Runtime test results for commitlint@21.2.2

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

| Runtime | require("commitlint") | import "commitlint" |
|---|---|---|
| Node.js 18 | fails (MODULE_NOT_FOUND) | fails (ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND) |
| Node.js 20 | fails (MODULE_NOT_FOUND) | fails (ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND) |
| Node.js 22 | fails (MODULE_NOT_FOUND) | fails (ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND) |
| Node.js 24 | fails (MODULE_NOT_FOUND) | fails (ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND) |
| Node.js 26 | fails (MODULE_NOT_FOUND) | fails (ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND) |
| Bun 1.4.0 | fails (Error) | fails (Error) |

## How to import commitlint

ES modules:

```js
import * as commitlint from "commitlint";
```

## Module format by version

Derived from the type, main and exports fields of every stable release on npm (148 versions; the newest 60 shown).

| Versions | Format | First published |
|---|---|---|
| 17.5.1 – 21.2.2 | No JS entry point | Mar 28, 2023 |

## Frequently asked

**Is commitlint ESM-only?**

commitlint@21.2.2 has no importable main entry. commitlint does not expose a JavaScript entry point in package.json. It is likely a CLI, a stylesheet, a type-definition package, or an asset bundle, so require() and import are not the way to use it.

**Does commitlint work in Bun?**

Importing commitlint failed in Bun 1.4.0 on Sep 9, 2026: error: Cannot find package 'commitlint' from '/Users/boat/Projects/top-seo/data/probe-work/commitlint/imp.mjs'

**Does commitlint ship TypeScript types?**

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

## Links

- [commitlint on npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/commitlint)
- [Source repository](https://github.com/conventional-changelog/commitlint)
- [HTML version](https://canirequire.com/package/commitlint/)
- [JSON version](https://canirequire.com/package/commitlint.json)

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