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

A CSS parser, transformer, and minifier written in Rust

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against lightningcss@1.33.0. Markdown · JSON

Dual (CommonJS + ESM) Dual package — require() works on every Node.js version we test; import works too

lightningcss publishes both a CommonJS entry and a native ESM entry (ESM added in 1.14.0). require("lightningcss") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >= 12.0.0. import "lightningcss" works alongside it.

What to do

  1. Nothing to change. require("lightningcss") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >= 12.0.0. import * as lightningcss from "lightningcss" works alongside it; use named imports for what the ESM entry exports.
  2. TypeScript: types are bundled; install nothing extra.
Latest
1.33.0 (Jul 20, 2026)
Module format
Dual (CommonJS + ESM)
Last CommonJS version
1.33.0
Native ESM since
1.14.0
TypeScript types
Bundled
Node engines
>= 12.0.0
Weekly downloads
128.6M
License
MPL-2.0

Does lightningcss@1.33.0 actually load? Runtime test results

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

Runtimerequire("lightningcss")import "lightningcss"
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 lightningcss

ES modules (import)

import * as lightningcss from "lightningcss";

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

CommonJS (require)

const lightningcss = require("lightningcss");

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 (43 versions; the newest 43 shown).

VersionsFormatFirst published
1.14.0 – 1.33.0Dual (CommonJS + ESM)Sep 8, 2022
0.0.0CommonJSAug 22, 2022

Frequently asked

Is lightningcss ESM-only?

lightningcss@1.33.0 ships CommonJS and ESM builds. lightningcss publishes both a CommonJS entry and a native ESM entry (ESM added in 1.14.0). require("lightningcss") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >= 12.0.0. import "lightningcss" works alongside it.

Can I require lightningcss?

Yes. lightningcss ships a CommonJS entry alongside the native ESM entry. require("lightningcss") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >= 12.0.0.

Does lightningcss work in Bun?

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

Does lightningcss ship TypeScript types?

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

Links

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