esbuild-node-loader

0.8.0 verified Fri May 01 auth: no javascript

Transpile TypeScript to ESM using Node.js loader hooks, leveraging esbuild for fast compilation. Current stable version is 0.8.0. Release cadence is irregular, with updates addressing loader hook deprecations and minor features. Compared to esbuild-register, this package targets Node.js ESM (ECMAScript Modules) rather than CommonJS. It supports .ts, .tsx, and .json files, and resolves extensions automatically. Primarily used as a development tool for running TypeScript files directly with Node.js without a separate build step.

Common errors

error TypeError: is not a function ↓

cause Using --experimental-loader with Node.js <16.12 or incorrect loader format.

fix

Ensure Node.js >=16.12 and use --loader, not --experimental-loader.

Warnings

deprecated --experimental-loader is deprecated; use --loader instead ↓

fix Use --loader (without experimental) for Node.js >=18.8.

breaking Loader hooks changed in Node.js >=16.12 ↓

fix Use Node.js >=16.12 or downgrade loader version.

gotcha Requires esbuild to be installed separately ↓

fix Run npm install esbuild --save-dev alongside esbuild-node-loader.

Install

npm install esbuild-node-loader

yarn add esbuild-node-loader

pnpm add esbuild-node-loader

Imports

default
wrong
```
node -r esbuild-node-loader file.ts
```
correct
```
node --loader esbuild-node-loader file.ts
```
Use --loader for ESM, not -r which is for CJS require hooks.
N/A (loader)
wrong
```
require('esbuild-node-loader')
```
correct
```
node --loader esbuild-node-loader/register.mjs file.ts
```
This package is a loader, not a programmatic API. Use the --experimental-loader flag.

Quickstart

Shows installation and running a TypeScript file directly via Node.js loader.

npm install esbuild-node-loader --save-dev
echo "console.log('Hello from TypeScript');" > hello.ts
node --loader esbuild-node-loader hello.ts