# Is unbox-primitive ESM-only? Can you require() it?

> unbox-primitive@1.1.0 is a CommonJS package. CommonJS — require() works on every Node.js version we test.

Unbox a boxed JS primitive value.

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against unbox-primitive@1.1.0.

unbox-primitive ships CommonJS only. require("unbox-primitive") 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 "unbox-primitive" 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("unbox-primitive") 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 unboxPrimitive from "unbox-primitive"; then destructure. Named imports only work when Node.js can statically detect the exports.
3. TypeScript: types are bundled; install nothing extra.

## Facts

- Latest: 1.1.0 (Dec 16, 2024)
- Module format: CommonJS
- Last CommonJS version: 1.1.0
- TypeScript types: bundled
- Node engines: >= 0.4
- Weekly downloads: 44.9M
- License: MIT

## Runtime test results for unbox-primitive@1.1.0

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

| Runtime | require("unbox-primitive") | import "unbox-primitive" |
|---|---|---|
| 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 unbox-primitive

ES modules:

```js
import unboxPrimitive from "unbox-primitive";
```

CommonJS:

```js
const unboxPrimitive = require("unbox-primitive");
```

## Module format by version

Derived from the type, main and exports fields of every stable release on npm (4 versions; the newest 4 shown).

| Versions | Format | First published |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0.0 – 1.1.0 | CommonJS | Aug 11, 2019 |

## Frequently asked

**Is unbox-primitive ESM-only?**

unbox-primitive@1.1.0 is a CommonJS package. unbox-primitive ships CommonJS only. require("unbox-primitive") 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 "unbox-primitive" 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 unbox-primitive with ES module syntax?**

Yes. import unboxPrimitive from "unbox-primitive" 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 unbox-primitive work in Bun?**

Yes. import "unbox-primitive" loaded successfully in Bun 1.4.0 on Sep 9, 2026.

**Does unbox-primitive ship TypeScript types?**

Yes. unbox-primitive bundles its own type declarations; no @types package is needed.

## Links

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

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