Why is the "module" field used in the package.json file?

Recently, I came across certain npm packages such as vue that contain a module field in their package.json files.

Interestingly, the official documentation for package.json does not mention the module field - is this some kind of convention being followed? Is there any specific documentation available regarding this practice?

Answer №1

Latest Update: April 2022

The usage of the module field in Node.js is not officially defined and is not on the roadmap for support. The Node.js community has instead embraced package exports, which they view as more adaptable.

Despite this, JavaScript bundlers will continue to accommodate the module field for practical reasons. The esbuild documentation provides guidance on when to utilize module, along with other associated fields like main and browser.

Original Question Asked

Is the use of "module" an official npm standard or just a common practice?

Although originally a proposal, it is likely to gain widespread acceptance due to its current usage patterns.

Where can I find documentation regarding this topic?

Documentation can be accessed here initially, and later moved to this location.

What is the purpose of using it?

It serves to enhance ES6 Module compatibility within the Node ecosystem. Further discussions are available here and here. Additionally, Rich Harris delves deeper into the subject in his blog post.

Answer №2

This specific code snippet is crucial for detecting ECMAScript Modules (ESM) by bundler tools. According to the documentation provided by Rollup:

If your package.json includes a module field, then advanced ES6-compatible tools such as Rollup and webpack 2 have the capability to directly import the ES6 module version.

An article regarding Rollup 1.0 presents this concept in a slightly different manner:

The presence of the main field ensures that Node users utilizing require will receive the UMD version. While not an official npm feature, the module field serves as a common convention among bundlers to indicate how to import an ESM version of our library.

Further details on the usage of pkg.module can be found in the Rollup Github Wiki as well as the webpack Docs.

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