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Is pkg-dir ESM-only? Can you require() it?

Find the root directory of a Node.js project or npm package

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against pkg-dir@9.0.0. JSON

ESM-only ESM-only since 6.0.0 — last CommonJS version is 5.0.0

pkg-dir dropped its CommonJS build in 6.0.0 (October 2021). The last version you can require() on every Node.js version, including 18 and older, is 5.0.0, published Oct 16, 2020.

On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and every newer release, require("pkg-dir") works anyway: Node can load synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node 20, 22, 24, 26. Node.js 18 and older still fail with ERR_REQUIRE_ESM.

Latest
9.0.0 (Jun 5, 2025)
Module format
ESM-only
Last CommonJS version
5.0.0
ESM-only since
6.0.0 (Oct 2, 2021)
TypeScript types
Bundled
Node engines
>=18
Weekly downloads
60.5M
License
MIT

Deprecated: Renamed to `package-directory`.

Does pkg-dir@9.0.0 actually load? Runtime test results

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

Runtimerequire("pkg-dir")import "pkg-dir"
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✓ works✓ works

How to import pkg-dir

ES modules (import)

import pkgDir from "pkg-dir";

CommonJS (require)

// Node.js 20.19+ / 22.12+ / newer (package has no top-level await):
const pkgDir = require("pkg-dir");

// Any Node.js version:
const pkgDir = await import("pkg-dir");

// Or pin the last CommonJS release:
// npm install pkg-dir@5.0.0

Module format by version

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

VersionsFormatFirst published
6.0.0 – 9.0.0ESM-onlyOct 2, 2021
1.0.0 – 5.0.0CommonJSSep 1, 2015

Frequently asked

Is pkg-dir ESM-only?

pkg-dir@9.0.0 is ESM-only. pkg-dir dropped its CommonJS build in 6.0.0 (October 2021). The last version you can require() on every Node.js version, including 18 and older, is 5.0.0, published Oct 16, 2020.

Which version of pkg-dir still supports CommonJS / require()?

5.0.0 is the last version of pkg-dir with a CommonJS build. Install it with "npm install pkg-dir@5.0.0". Every version from 6.0.0 on is ESM-only.

How do I use pkg-dir from a CommonJS file?

Use a dynamic import: const mod = await import("pkg-dir"). On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, a plain require("pkg-dir") also works for ESM packages that do not use top-level await. Alternatively pin pkg-dir@5.0.0.

Does pkg-dir work in Bun?

Yes. import "pkg-dir" loaded successfully in Bun 1.4 on Sep 9, 2026.

Does pkg-dir ship TypeScript types?

Yes. pkg-dir bundles its own type declarations; no @types package is needed.

Links

Other esm-only packages

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