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

> jsesc@3.1.0 is a CommonJS package. CommonJS — require() works on every Node.js version we test.

Given some data, jsesc returns the shortest possible stringified & ASCII-safe representation of that data.

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against jsesc@3.1.0.

jsesc ships CommonJS only. require("jsesc") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >=6. import "jsesc" 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("jsesc") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >=6.
2. From ES modules use the default import: import jsesc from "jsesc"; then destructure. Named imports only work when Node.js can statically detect the exports.
3. TypeScript: npm install -D @types/jsesc

## Facts

- Latest: 3.1.0 (Dec 11, 2024)
- Module format: CommonJS
- Last CommonJS version: 3.1.0
- TypeScript types: @types/jsesc
- Node engines: >=6
- Weekly downloads: 158.9M
- License: MIT

## Runtime test results for jsesc@3.1.0

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

| Runtime | require("jsesc") | import "jsesc" |
|---|---|---|
| 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 jsesc

ES modules:

```js
import jsesc from "jsesc";
```

CommonJS:

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

## Module format by version

Derived from the type, main and exports fields of every stable release on npm (23 versions; the newest 23 shown).

| Versions | Format | First published |
|---|---|---|
| 0.3.0 – 3.1.0 | CommonJS | Jul 27, 2013 |

## Frequently asked

**Is jsesc ESM-only?**

jsesc@3.1.0 is a CommonJS package. jsesc ships CommonJS only. require("jsesc") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >=6. import "jsesc" 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 jsesc with ES module syntax?**

Yes. import jsesc from "jsesc" 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 jsesc work in Bun?**

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

**Does jsesc ship TypeScript types?**

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

## Links

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

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