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

Human-friendly and powerful HTTP request library for Node.js

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against got@16.0.0. Markdown · JSON

ESM-only ESM-only since 12.0.0 — last CommonJS version is 11.8.6

got dropped its CommonJS build in 12.0.0 (December 2021). The last version with a plain require()-able CommonJS entry is 11.8.6, published Dec 8, 2022; it declares support for Node.js >=10.19.0.

On Node.js 22.12+ and newer (got@16.0.0 declares Node.js >=22), require("got") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 22, 24 and 26. Node.js 18 has no require(esm), and got@16.0.0 declares Node.js >=22, so 18 is outside its supported range anyway.

got@16.0.0 declares engines ">=22", so Node.js 18, 20 are outside its supported range regardless of module format.

What to do

  1. On Node.js 22.12+ and newer (got@16.0.0 declares Node.js >=22), require("got") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 22, 24 and 26.
  2. From a CommonJS file, use a dynamic import inside an async function: const got = await import("got"). That works on every Node.js version the package supports (>=22).
  3. If you need a synchronous require() or run Node.js 18: npm install got@11.8.6, the last CommonJS release (published Dec 8, 2022); it declares Node.js >=10.19.0.
  4. got@16.0.0 declares engines ">=22", so Node.js 18, 20 are unsupported regardless: upgrade Node.js or pin an older release.
  5. TypeScript: types are bundled; install nothing extra.
Latest
16.0.0 (Aug 30, 2026)
Module format
ESM-only
Last CommonJS version
11.8.6
ESM-only since
12.0.0 (Dec 10, 2021)
TypeScript types
Bundled
Node engines
>=22
Weekly downloads
27.6M
License
MIT

Does got@16.0.0 actually load? Runtime test results

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

Runtimerequire("got")import "got"
Node.js 18✗ failsERR_REQUIRE_ESM✗ failsSyntaxError
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 got

ES modules (import)

import * as got from "got";

Namespace import shown because the ESM entry may have no default export; use named imports for what it exports.

CommonJS (require)

// Node.js 22.12+ and newer (verified):
const got = require("got");

// Any Node.js version the package supports (>=22), from an async function:
async function main() {
  const got = await import("got");
}

// Or pin the last CommonJS release (declares Node.js >=10.19.0):
// npm install got@11.8.6

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 (186 versions; the newest 60 shown).

VersionsFormatFirst published
12.0.0 – 16.0.0ESM-onlyDec 10, 2021
11.6.1 – 11.8.6CommonJSSep 8, 2020

Frequently asked

Is got ESM-only?

got@16.0.0 is ESM-only. got dropped its CommonJS build in 12.0.0 (December 2021). The last version with a plain require()-able CommonJS entry is 11.8.6, published Dec 8, 2022; it declares support for Node.js >=10.19.0.

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

11.8.6 is the last version of got with a CommonJS build; it declares Node.js >=10.19.0. Install it with "npm install got@11.8.6". Every version from 12.0.0 on is ESM-only.

How do I use got from a CommonJS file?

From a CommonJS file, use a dynamic import inside an async function: const got = await import("got"). That works on every Node.js version the package supports (>=22). On Node.js 22.12+ and newer (got@16.0.0 declares Node.js >=22), require("got") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 22, 24 and 26. Alternatively pin got@11.8.6 (declares Node.js >=10.19.0).

Does got work in Bun?

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

Does got ship TypeScript types?

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

Links

Other esm-only packages

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