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Is update-notifier ESM-only? Can you require() it?

Update notifications for your CLI app

Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against update-notifier@7.3.1. JSON

ESM-only ESM-only since 6.0.0 — last CommonJS version is 5.1.0

update-notifier dropped its CommonJS build in 6.0.0 (June 2022). The last version you can require() on every Node.js version, including 18 and older, is 5.1.0, published Jan 31, 2021.

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

Latest
7.3.1 (Sep 9, 2024)
Module format
ESM-only
Last CommonJS version
5.1.0
ESM-only since
6.0.0 (Jun 23, 2022)
TypeScript types
@types/update-notifier
Node engines
>=18
Weekly downloads
8.8M
License
BSD-2-Clause

Does update-notifier@7.3.1 actually load? Runtime test results

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

Runtimerequire("update-notifier")import "update-notifier"
Node.js 18✗ failsERR_REQUIRE_ESM✓ works
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 update-notifier

ES modules (import)

import updateNotifier from "update-notifier";

CommonJS (require)

// Node.js 20.19+ / 22.12+ / newer (package has no top-level await):
const updateNotifier = require("update-notifier");

// Any Node.js version:
const updateNotifier = await import("update-notifier");

// Or pin the last CommonJS release:
// npm install update-notifier@5.1.0

Module format by version

Derived from the type, main and exports fields of every stable release on npm (52 versions; the newest 52 shown).

VersionsFormatFirst published
6.0.0 – 7.3.1ESM-onlyJun 23, 2022
0.1.0 – 5.1.0CommonJSDec 8, 2012

Frequently asked

Is update-notifier ESM-only?

update-notifier@7.3.1 is ESM-only. update-notifier dropped its CommonJS build in 6.0.0 (June 2022). The last version you can require() on every Node.js version, including 18 and older, is 5.1.0, published Jan 31, 2021.

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

5.1.0 is the last version of update-notifier with a CommonJS build. Install it with "npm install update-notifier@5.1.0". Every version from 6.0.0 on is ESM-only.

How do I use update-notifier from a CommonJS file?

Use a dynamic import: const mod = await import("update-notifier"). On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, a plain require("update-notifier") also works for ESM packages that do not use top-level await. Alternatively pin update-notifier@5.1.0.

Does update-notifier work in Bun?

Yes. import "update-notifier" loaded successfully in Bun 1.4 on Sep 9, 2026.

Does update-notifier ship TypeScript types?

Not bundled. Install the community types with "npm install -D @types/update-notifier".

Links

Other esm-only packages

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