/errors /nodejs/require-is-not-defined-in-es-module-scope

ReferenceError: require is not defined in ES module scope, you can use import instead

updated 2026-10-20

tool: Node.js
exit code: 1
versions: Node.js 14+, import.meta.dirname: Node.js 20.11+
os: any

ReferenceError: require is not defined in ES module scope, you can use import instead means the file is an ES module, and ES modules have no require, module.exports, __dirname or __filename. Node treats a file as ESM when it ends in .mjs or when the nearest package.json has "type": "module". Use import, or rename the file to .cjs if it must stay CommonJS.

Reproduce it

bash

echo '{ "type": "module" }' > package.json
echo 'const fs = require("node:fs"); console.log(typeof fs.readFileSync);' > app.js
node app.js 2>&1 | grep -v '^    at ' | sed -E 's/\(node:[0-9]+\)/(node:<pid>)/; s/\\\\\?\\//g'

Output

file:///tmp/work/app.js:1
const fs = require("node:fs"); console.log(typeof fs.readFileSync);
           ^

ReferenceError: require is not defined in ES module scope, you can use import instead
This file is being treated as an ES module because it has a '.js' file extension and '/tmp/work/package.json' contains "type": "module". To treat it as a CommonJS script, rename it to use the '.cjs' file extension.

Node.js v24.20.0

Node also explains why the file is ESM and that renaming it to .cjs would make it CommonJS.

Fixes

bash

echo '{ "type": "module" }' > package.json
echo '{ "port": 8080 }' > config.json
cat > app.js <<'EOF'
import fs from "node:fs";                    // 1. use import
import { createRequire } from "node:module";
const require = createRequire(import.meta.url);
const config = require("./config.json");     // 2. require where you still need it
console.log(typeof fs.readFileSync, config.port);
console.log(import.meta.filename.endsWith("app.js"), typeof import.meta.dirname);
EOF
node app.js
echo 'console.log(typeof require, typeof __dirname);' > legacy.cjs
node legacy.cjs                              # 3. .cjs stays CommonJS

Output

function 8080
true string
function string

CommonJS globals and their ESM replacement

CommonJS	ES module
require("x")	import x from "x", or await import("x")
module.exports = f	export default f
__dirname	import.meta.dirname (Node.js 20.11+)
__filename	import.meta.filename (Node.js 20.11+)
require.resolve("x")	import.meta.resolve("x")
require("./data.json")	import data from "./data.json" with { type: "json" }

ReferenceError: __dirname is not defined in ES module scope has the same cause and the same fix.

Sources

errors · nodejsSyntaxError: Cannot use import statement outside a moduleNode.js throws this when a file it loads as CommonJS uses import. Rename the file to .mjs, set type to module in package.json, or switch the code to require().config · nodejspackage.json "type": "module": ES modules in Node.jsSetting "type": "module" in package.json makes Node.js load .js files as ES modules: import and export work, require is undefined, and .cjs stays CommonJS.compare · nodejsrequire vs import in Node.js: CommonJS vs ES modulesrequire() loads CommonJS synchronously at runtime; import is static ES module syntax with top-level await. How Node.js picks one, and how to mix them.

Reproduce it

Fixes

CommonJS globals and their ESM replacement

Sources

Related pages