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

> esutils@2.0.3 is a CommonJS package. CommonJS — require() works on every Node.js version we test.

utility box for ECMAScript language tools

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against esutils@2.0.3.

esutils ships CommonJS only. require("esutils") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >=0.10.0. import "esutils" also works because Node.js and Bun can import CommonJS from ES modules, but only the default export is guaranteed; named imports depend on Node's static analysis of the module.

## What to do

1. require("esutils") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >=0.10.0.
2. From ES modules use the default import: import esutils from "esutils"; then destructure. Named imports only work when Node.js can statically detect the exports.
3. TypeScript: npm install -D @types/esutils

## Facts

- Latest: 2.0.3 (Jul 31, 2019)
- Module format: CommonJS
- Last CommonJS version: 2.0.3
- TypeScript types: @types/esutils
- Node engines: >=0.10.0
- Weekly downloads: 139.0M
- License: BSD-2-Clause

## Runtime test results for esutils@2.0.3

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

| Runtime | require("esutils") | import "esutils" |
|---|---|---|
| Node.js 18 | works | 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 esutils

ES modules:

```js
import esutils from "esutils";
```

CommonJS:

```js
const esutils = require("esutils");
```

## Module format by version

Derived from the type, main and exports fields of every stable release on npm (12 versions; the newest 12 shown).

| Versions | Format | First published |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0.0 – 2.0.3 | CommonJS | Nov 25, 2013 |

## Frequently asked

**Is esutils ESM-only?**

esutils@2.0.3 is a CommonJS package. esutils ships CommonJS only. require("esutils") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >=0.10.0. import "esutils" also works because Node.js and Bun can import CommonJS from ES modules, but only the default export is guaranteed; named imports depend on Node's static analysis of the module.

**Can I import esutils with ES module syntax?**

Yes. import esutils from "esutils" works in Node.js and Bun because they support importing CommonJS modules. Named imports work only when Node.js can statically detect the exports.

**Does esutils work in Bun?**

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

**Does esutils ship TypeScript types?**

Not bundled. Install the community types with "npm install -D @types/esutils".

## Links

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

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