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Is lit-element ESM-only? Can you require() it?

A simple base class for creating fast, lightweight web components

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against lit-element@4.2.2. Markdown · JSON

ESM-only ESM-only — it has never shipped a CommonJS build

lit-element has been ESM-only since its first stable release; there is no CommonJS version to pin.

On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, require("lit-element") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 20, 22, 24 and 26. On Node.js 18, which has no require(esm), require("lit-element") fails with ERR_REQUIRE_ESM.

What to do

  1. On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, require("lit-element") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 20, 22, 24 and 26.
  2. From a CommonJS file, use a dynamic import inside an async function: const litElement = await import("lit-element"). That works on every Node.js version the package supports.
  3. There is no CommonJS release of lit-element to pin; without require(esm) the only option is a dynamic import().
  4. TypeScript: types are bundled; install nothing extra.
Latest
4.2.2 (Dec 23, 2025)
Module format
ESM-only
Last CommonJS version
none
ESM-only since
0.1.0 (Sep 8, 2017)
TypeScript types
Bundled
Node engines
not declared
Weekly downloads
5.8M
License
BSD-3-Clause

Does lit-element@4.2.2 actually load? Runtime test results

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

Runtimerequire("lit-element")import "lit-element"
Node.js 18✗ failsERR_REQUIRE_ESM✓ 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 lit-element

ES modules (import)

import * as litElement from "lit-element";

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

CommonJS (require)

// Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer (verified):
const litElement = require("lit-element");

// Any Node.js version the package supports, from an async function:
async function main() {
  const litElement = await import("lit-element");
}

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 (58 versions; the newest 58 shown).

VersionsFormatFirst published
0.1.0 – 4.2.2ESM-onlySep 8, 2017

Frequently asked

Is lit-element ESM-only?

lit-element@4.2.2 is ESM-only. lit-element has been ESM-only since its first stable release; there is no CommonJS version to pin.

Which version of lit-element still supports CommonJS / require()?

None. lit-element has always been ESM-only. Use import, or a dynamic import("lit-element") from an async function in CommonJS.

How do I use lit-element from a CommonJS file?

From a CommonJS file, use a dynamic import inside an async function: const litElement = await import("lit-element"). That works on every Node.js version the package supports. On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, require("lit-element") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 20, 22, 24 and 26.

Does lit-element work in Bun?

Yes. import "lit-element" loaded successfully in Bun 1.4.0 on Sep 9, 2026.

Does lit-element ship TypeScript types?

Yes. lit-element bundles its own type declarations; no @types package is needed.

Links

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