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

Get the visual width of a string - the number of columns required to display it

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against string-width@8.2.2. JSON

ESM-only ESM-only since 5.0.0 — last CommonJS version is 4.2.3

string-width dropped its CommonJS build in 5.0.0 (April 2021). The last version you can require() on every Node.js version, including 18 and older, is 4.2.3, published Sep 23, 2021.

On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and every newer release, require("string-width") 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.

string-width@8.2.2 declares engines ">=20", so Node.js 18 is outside its supported range regardless of module format.

Latest
8.2.2 (Jul 8, 2026)
Module format
ESM-only
Last CommonJS version
4.2.3
ESM-only since
5.0.0 (Apr 16, 2021)
TypeScript types
Bundled
Node engines
>=20
Weekly downloads
350.0M
License
MIT

Does string-width@8.2.2 actually load? Runtime test results

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

Runtimerequire("string-width")import "string-width"
Node.js 18✗ failsERR_REQUIRE_ESM✗ failsSyntaxError
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 string-width

ES modules (import)

import stringWidth from "string-width";

CommonJS (require)

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

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

// Or pin the last CommonJS release:
// npm install string-width@4.2.3

Module format by version

Derived from the type, main and exports fields of every stable release on npm (30 versions; the newest 30 shown).

VersionsFormatFirst published
5.0.0 – 8.2.2ESM-onlyApr 16, 2021
1.0.0 – 4.2.3CommonJSJul 16, 2015

Frequently asked

Is string-width ESM-only?

string-width@8.2.2 is ESM-only. string-width dropped its CommonJS build in 5.0.0 (April 2021). The last version you can require() on every Node.js version, including 18 and older, is 4.2.3, published Sep 23, 2021.

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

4.2.3 is the last version of string-width with a CommonJS build. Install it with "npm install string-width@4.2.3". Every version from 5.0.0 on is ESM-only.

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

Use a dynamic import: const mod = await import("string-width"). On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, a plain require("string-width") also works for ESM packages that do not use top-level await. Alternatively pin string-width@4.2.3.

Does string-width work in Bun?

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

Does string-width ship TypeScript types?

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

Links

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