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

> ts-mocha@11.1.0 declares a CommonJS entry, but require() fails at runtime. CommonJS on paper — require() failed in our runtime test.

Mocha thin wrapper that allows running TypeScript tests with TypeScript runtime (ts-node) to get rid of compilation complexity

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against ts-mocha@11.1.0.

ts-mocha declares a CommonJS entry only, but require("ts-mocha") failed on every Node.js version in our probe: Error. import "ts-mocha" resolves to the same file, so it fails the same way. That usually means a missing peer dependency, a browser-only global, or a package that is not meant to be loaded directly; see the runtime table below.

## What to do

1. require("ts-mocha") failed in our probe on every Node.js version (Error); check the package README for peer dependencies or setup before relying on it.
2. From ES modules use the default import: import tsMocha from "ts-mocha"; then destructure. Named imports only work when Node.js can statically detect the exports.
3. TypeScript: no types are available for ts-mocha; declare the module yourself if you need them.

## Facts

- Latest: 11.1.0 (Feb 20, 2025)
- Module format: CommonJS
- Last CommonJS version: 11.1.0
- TypeScript types: none
- Node engines: >= 6.X.X
- Weekly downloads: 453K
- License: MIT

## Runtime test results for ts-mocha@11.1.0

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

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

## How to import ts-mocha

ES modules:

```js
import tsMocha from "ts-mocha";
```

CommonJS:

```js
// require("ts-mocha") failed in our probe on every Node.js version we test (Error); see the runtime table.
const tsMocha = require("ts-mocha");
```

## Module format by version

Derived from the type, main and exports fields of every stable release on npm (18 versions; the newest 18 shown).

| Versions | Format | First published |
|---|---|---|
| 0.1.1 – 11.1.0 | CommonJS | Dec 10, 2016 |

## Frequently asked

**Is ts-mocha ESM-only?**

ts-mocha@11.1.0 declares a CommonJS entry, but require() fails at runtime. ts-mocha declares a CommonJS entry only, but require("ts-mocha") failed on every Node.js version in our probe: Error. import "ts-mocha" resolves to the same file, so it fails the same way. That usually means a missing peer dependency, a browser-only global, or a package that is not meant to be loaded directly; see the runtime table below.

**Can I require ts-mocha?**

Not in practice. ts-mocha declares a CommonJS entry, but require("ts-mocha") failed on every Node.js version in our probe: Error. Check the package README for peer dependencies or setup before relying on it.

**Can I import ts-mocha with ES module syntax?**

Yes. import tsMocha from "ts-mocha" 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 ts-mocha work in Bun?**

Importing ts-mocha failed in Bun 1.4.0 on Sep 9, 2026.

**Does ts-mocha ship TypeScript types?**

No. ts-mocha ships no type declarations and there is no @types package for it.

## Links

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

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