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

> shell-quote@1.10.0 is a CommonJS package. CommonJS — require() works on every Node.js version we test.

quote and parse shell commands

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against shell-quote@1.10.0.

shell-quote ships CommonJS only. require("shell-quote") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >= 0.4. import "shell-quote" also works because Node.js and Bun can import CommonJS from ES modules, but only the default export is guaranteed; named imports depend on Node's static analysis of the module.

## What to do

1. require("shell-quote") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >= 0.4.
2. From ES modules use the default import: import shellQuote from "shell-quote"; then destructure. Named imports only work when Node.js can statically detect the exports.
3. TypeScript: types are bundled; install nothing extra.

## Facts

- Latest: 1.10.0 (Jul 10, 2026)
- Module format: CommonJS
- Last CommonJS version: 1.10.0
- TypeScript types: bundled
- Node engines: >= 0.4
- Weekly downloads: 65.9M
- License: MIT

## Runtime test results for shell-quote@1.10.0

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

| Runtime | require("shell-quote") | import "shell-quote" |
|---|---|---|
| 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 shell-quote

ES modules:

```js
import shellQuote from "shell-quote";
```

CommonJS:

```js
const shellQuote = require("shell-quote");
```

## Module format by version

Derived from the type, main and exports fields of every stable release on npm (32 versions; the newest 32 shown).

| Versions | Format | First published |
|---|---|---|
| 0.0.0 – 1.10.0 | CommonJS | May 18, 2012 |

## Frequently asked

**Is shell-quote ESM-only?**

shell-quote@1.10.0 is a CommonJS package. shell-quote ships CommonJS only. require("shell-quote") works on every Node.js version we test (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26) and in Bun. The package declares Node.js >= 0.4. import "shell-quote" also works because Node.js and Bun can import CommonJS from ES modules, but only the default export is guaranteed; named imports depend on Node's static analysis of the module.

**Can I import shell-quote with ES module syntax?**

Yes. import shellQuote from "shell-quote" works in Node.js and Bun because they support importing CommonJS modules. Named imports work only when Node.js can statically detect the exports.

**Does shell-quote work in Bun?**

Yes. import "shell-quote" loaded successfully in Bun 1.4.0 on Sep 9, 2026.

**Does shell-quote ship TypeScript types?**

Yes. shell-quote bundles its own type declarations; no @types package is needed.

## Links

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

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