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

> pnpm@12.3.4 has no importable main entry. No JavaScript entry point.

Fast, disk space efficient package manager

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against pnpm@12.3.4.

pnpm does not expose a JavaScript entry point in package.json. It is likely a CLI, a stylesheet, a type-definition package, or an asset bundle, so require() and import are not the way to use it.

## What to do

1. Do not require() or import pnpm: it has no JavaScript entry point. Use it as a CLI (npx pnpm), a stylesheet, an asset, or a type-definition package as its README describes.
2. TypeScript: no types are available for pnpm; declare the module yourself if you need them.

## Facts

- Latest: 12.3.4 (Sep 4, 2026)
- Module format: No JS entry point
- Last CommonJS version: 11.26.0
- TypeScript types: none
- Node engines: >=18.*
- Weekly downloads: 161.3M
- License: MIT

## Runtime test results for pnpm@12.3.4

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

| Runtime | require("pnpm") | import "pnpm" |
|---|---|---|
| Node.js 18 | fails (MODULE_NOT_FOUND) | fails (ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND) |
| Node.js 20 | fails (MODULE_NOT_FOUND) | fails (ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND) |
| Node.js 22 | fails (MODULE_NOT_FOUND) | fails (ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND) |
| Node.js 24 | fails (MODULE_NOT_FOUND) | fails (ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND) |
| Node.js 26 | fails (MODULE_NOT_FOUND) | fails (ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND) |
| Bun 1.4.0 | fails (Error) | fails (Error) |

## How to import pnpm

ES modules:

```js
import * as pnpm from "pnpm";
```

## Module format by version

Derived from the type, main and exports fields of every stable release on npm (980 versions; the newest 60 shown).

| Versions | Format | First published |
|---|---|---|
| 12.0.0 – 12.4.0 | No JS entry point | Aug 26, 2026 |
| 10.34.2 – 11.26.0 | CommonJS | Jun 10, 2026 |

## Frequently asked

**Is pnpm ESM-only?**

pnpm@12.3.4 has no importable main entry. pnpm does not expose a JavaScript entry point in package.json. It is likely a CLI, a stylesheet, a type-definition package, or an asset bundle, so require() and import are not the way to use it.

**Does pnpm work in Bun?**

Importing pnpm failed in Bun 1.4.0 on Sep 9, 2026: error: Cannot find package 'pnpm' from '/Users/boat/Projects/top-seo/data/probe-work/pnpm/imp.mjs'

**Does pnpm ship TypeScript types?**

No. pnpm ships no type declarations and there is no @types package for it.

## Links

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

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