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Created June 27, 2025 23:07
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ERR_REQUIRE_ASYNC_MODULE.md

ERR_REQUIRE_ASYNC_MODULE

Node 20.18.0 vs 20.19.0

Error [ERR_REQUIRE_ASYNC_MODULE]: require() cannot be used on an ESM graph with top-level await. 
Use import() instead. To see where the top-level await comes from, use --experimental-print-required-tla.

This error is due to a Node.js updating the name of the error with a special "backport" of the require(esm) feature.

  • In Node <= 20.18.0 the error is ERR_REQUIRE_ESM.
  • In Node >= 20.19.0 the error is ERR_REQUIRE_ASYNC_MODULE.

I noticed this error when trying to run Serverless 3.40.0 after upgrading Node from 20.18.0 to 20.19.3. Serverless has a method to handl require/import differenced based on catching ERR_REQUIRE_ESM error.

The handling is in the file serverless/lib/utils/require-with-import-fallback.js https://github.com/serverless/serverless/blob/v3.40.0/lib/utils/require-with-import-fallback.js#L9

The workaround is to either downgrade to 20.18.0 or use Node arguments or environment variables.

Example:

node --no-experimental-require-module foo.js

Or environment vars

NODE_OPTIONS="--no-experimental-require-module" sls deloy foo
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