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Is query-string ESM-only? Can you require() it?

Parse and stringify URL query strings

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against query-string@9.5.1. JSON

ESM-only ESM-only since 8.0.0 — last CommonJS version is 7.1.3

query-string dropped its CommonJS build in 8.0.0 (December 2022). The last version you can require() on every Node.js version, including 18 and older, is 7.1.3, published Dec 2, 2022.

On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and every newer release, require("query-string") 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
9.5.1 (Sep 1, 2026)
Module format
ESM-only
Last CommonJS version
7.1.3
ESM-only since
8.0.0 (Dec 12, 2022)
TypeScript types
Bundled
Node engines
>=18
Weekly downloads
22.1M
License
MIT

Does query-string@9.5.1 actually load? Runtime test results

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

Runtimerequire("query-string")import "query-string"
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 query-string

ES modules (import)

import queryString from "query-string";

CommonJS (require)

// Node.js 20.19+ / 22.12+ / newer (package has no top-level await):
const queryString = require("query-string");

// Any Node.js version:
const queryString = await import("query-string");

// Or pin the last CommonJS release:
// npm install query-string@7.1.3

Module format by version

Derived from the type, main and exports fields of every stable release on npm (92 versions; the newest 60 shown).

VersionsFormatFirst published
8.0.0 – 9.5.1ESM-onlyDec 12, 2022
5.0.0 – 7.1.3CommonJSJul 22, 2017

Frequently asked

Is query-string ESM-only?

query-string@9.5.1 is ESM-only. query-string dropped its CommonJS build in 8.0.0 (December 2022). The last version you can require() on every Node.js version, including 18 and older, is 7.1.3, published Dec 2, 2022.

Which version of query-string still supports CommonJS / require()?

7.1.3 is the last version of query-string with a CommonJS build. Install it with "npm install query-string@7.1.3". Every version from 8.0.0 on is ESM-only.

How do I use query-string from a CommonJS file?

Use a dynamic import: const mod = await import("query-string"). On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, a plain require("query-string") also works for ESM packages that do not use top-level await. Alternatively pin query-string@7.1.3.

Does query-string work in Bun?

Yes. import "query-string" loaded successfully in Bun 1.4 on Sep 9, 2026.

Does query-string ship TypeScript types?

Yes. query-string bundles its own type declarations; no @types package is needed.

Links

Other esm-only packages

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