How to Resolve the \'Unexpected Token Export\' Error in NodeJS?

Unexpected Token Export: A Comprehensive Guide

When attempting to utilize ES6 syntax in your project, encountering the "unexpected token export" error can be frustrating. This error arises due to a mismatch between your code syntax and the environment in which you're running it.

Understanding the Error: ES Modules vs. CommonJS Modules

The ES6 module system introduces the export keyword to define and export functionality, while CommonJS modules use the module.exports property to accomplish the same. By default, environments like NodeJS versions prior to v14.13.0 do not support ES modules and instead expect CommonJS syntax.

Solutions:

• Upgrading NodeJS and Enabling ES Modules:

  • Upgrade to NodeJS v14.13.0 or newer, which supports ES modules.
  • Configure your project's package.json by adding "type": "module" within the "module" section in the JSON file.

• Employing CommonJS Syntax (Legacy NodeJS Versions):

  • Refactor your code using the module.exports syntax, which is compatible with older NodeJS versions.

• Leveraging TypeScript with ts-node:

  • Utilize TypeScript alongside ts-node or ts-node-dev to transpile TypeScript code to JavaScript on the fly during development.

• Transpiling ES6 to CommonJS with esbuild:

  • Configure esbuild to transpile your ES6 code into CommonJS modules, allowing it to run in environments that do not natively support ES modules.

By understanding the nature of the error and implementing the appropriate solutions, you can effectively resolve the "unexpected token export" issue and run ES6 code in your project seamlessly.

The above is the detailed content of How to Resolve the \'Unexpected Token Export\' Error in NodeJS?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!