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Is supports-color ESM-only? Can you require() it?

Detect whether a terminal supports color

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against supports-color@11.0.0. Markdown · JSON

ESM-only ESM-only since 9.0.0 — last CommonJS version is 8.1.1

supports-color dropped its CommonJS build in 9.0.0 (April 2021). The last version with a plain require()-able CommonJS entry is 8.1.1, published Jan 23, 2021; it declares support for Node.js >=10.

On Node.js 22.12+ and newer (supports-color@11.0.0 declares Node.js >=22), require("supports-color") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 22, 24 and 26. Node.js 18 has no require(esm), and supports-color@11.0.0 declares Node.js >=22, so 18 is outside its supported range anyway.

supports-color@11.0.0 declares engines ">=22", so Node.js 18, 20 are outside its supported range regardless of module format.

What to do

  1. On Node.js 22.12+ and newer (supports-color@11.0.0 declares Node.js >=22), require("supports-color") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 22, 24 and 26.
  2. From a CommonJS file, use a dynamic import inside an async function: const supportsColor = await import("supports-color"). That works on every Node.js version the package supports (>=22).
  3. If you need a synchronous require() or run Node.js 18: npm install supports-color@8.1.1, the last CommonJS release (published Jan 23, 2021); it declares Node.js >=10.
  4. supports-color@11.0.0 declares engines ">=22", so Node.js 18, 20 are unsupported regardless: upgrade Node.js or pin an older release.
  5. TypeScript: types are bundled; install nothing extra.
Latest
11.0.0 (Jul 26, 2026)
Module format
ESM-only
Last CommonJS version
8.1.1
ESM-only since
9.0.0 (Apr 16, 2021)
TypeScript types
Bundled
Node engines
>=22
Weekly downloads
441.6M
License
MIT

Does supports-color@11.0.0 actually load? Runtime test results

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

Runtimerequire("supports-color")import "supports-color"
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 1.4.0✓ works✓ works

How to import supports-color

ES modules (import)

import * as supportsColor from "supports-color";

Namespace import shown because the ESM entry may have no default export; use named imports for what it exports.

CommonJS (require)

// Node.js 22.12+ and newer (verified):
const supportsColor = require("supports-color");

// Any Node.js version the package supports (>=22), from an async function:
async function main() {
  const supportsColor = await import("supports-color");
}

// Or pin the last CommonJS release (declares Node.js >=10):
// npm install supports-color@8.1.1

Module format by version

Derived from the type, main and exports fields of every stable release on npm, corrected where a runtime test of that version contradicted them (55 versions; the newest 55 shown).

VersionsFormatFirst published
9.0.0 – 11.0.0ESM-onlyApr 16, 2021
0.2.0 – 8.1.1CommonJSJun 14, 2014

Frequently asked

Is supports-color ESM-only?

supports-color@11.0.0 is ESM-only. supports-color dropped its CommonJS build in 9.0.0 (April 2021). The last version with a plain require()-able CommonJS entry is 8.1.1, published Jan 23, 2021; it declares support for Node.js >=10.

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

8.1.1 is the last version of supports-color with a CommonJS build; it declares Node.js >=10. Install it with "npm install supports-color@8.1.1". Every version from 9.0.0 on is ESM-only.

How do I use supports-color from a CommonJS file?

From a CommonJS file, use a dynamic import inside an async function: const supportsColor = await import("supports-color"). That works on every Node.js version the package supports (>=22). On Node.js 22.12+ and newer (supports-color@11.0.0 declares Node.js >=22), require("supports-color") works with the latest version: Node.js loads synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node.js 22, 24 and 26. Alternatively pin supports-color@8.1.1 (declares Node.js >=10).

Does supports-color work in Bun?

Yes. import "supports-color" loaded successfully in Bun 1.4.0 on Sep 9, 2026.

Does supports-color ship TypeScript types?

Yes. supports-color bundles its own type declarations; no @types package is needed.

Links

Other esm-only packages

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