Using import fs from 'fs'

I want to use import fs from 'fs' in JavaScript. Here is a sample:

import fs from 'fs'

var output = fs.readFileSync('someData.txt')

console.log(output)

The error I get when I run my file using node main.js is:

(function (exports, require, module, __filename, __dirname) { import fs from 'fs
'
                                                              ^^^^^^
SyntaxError: Unexpected token import

What should I install in Node.js in order to achieve importing modules and functions from other places?

Solution 1:

For default exports you should use:

import * as fs from 'fs';

Or in case the module has named exports:

import {fs} from 'fs';

Example:

//module1.js

export function function1() {
  console.log('f1')
}

export function function2() {
  console.log('f2')
}

export default function1;

And then:

import defaultExport, { function1, function2 } from './module1'

defaultExport();  // This calls function1
function1();
function2();

Additionally, you should use Webpack or something similar to be able to use ES6 import

Solution 2:

ES6 modules support in Node.js is fairly recent; even in the bleeding-edge versions, it is still experimental. With Node.js 10, you can start Node.js with the --experimental-modules flag, and it will likely work.

To import on older Node.js versions - or standard Node.js 10 - use CommonJS syntax:

const fs = require('fs');

Solution 3:

In order to use import { readFileSync } from 'fs', you have to:

1. Be using Node.js 10 or later
2. Use the --experimental-modules flag (in Node.js 10), e.g. node --experimental-modules server.mjs (see #3 for explanation of .mjs)
3. Rename the file extension of your file with the import statements, to .mjs, .js will not work, e.g. server.mjs

The other answers hit on 1 and 2, but 3 is also necessary. Also, note that this feature is considered extremely experimental at this point (1/10 stability) and not recommended for production, but I will still probably use it.

Here's the Node.js 10 ESM documentation.