SyntaxError: Cannot use import statement outside a module

[winstxnhdw]

I've seen this question asked repeatedly, only to find that the solution never worked for me, or the author did something blatantly stupid.

I receive the following error on ts-node src/index.ts, which I am sure we've all seen a thousand times.

(node:48328) Warning: To load an ES module, set "type": "module" in the package.json or use the .mjs extension.
(Use `node --trace-warnings ...` to show where the warning was created)
/home/winston/projects/latex-bot/src/index.ts:1
import get_mathjax_svg from './mathjax'
^^^^^^

SyntaxError: Cannot use import statement outside a module
    at Object.compileFunction (node:vm:360:18)
    at wrapSafe (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1049:15)
    at Module._compile (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1084:27)
    at Module._extensions..js (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1174:10)
    at Module.load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:998:32)
    at Module._load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:839:12)
    at Function.executeUserEntryPoint [as runMain] (node:internal/modules/run_main:81:12)
    at node:internal/main/run_main_module:17:47

Node.js v18.7.0

All I want is to execute a TypeScript file with ts-node. I am on the latest version for every package.

This is what I understood so far:

• This error is produced from Node
• ESNext is not supported by Node (Source: 2019, unsure if still valid)

I have tried:

• Setting module as CommonJS
• Setting target to ES3
• Setting moduleResolution to Node
• Adding type as module in package.json
• `ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND`, file extensions in imports using ES modules #1781

{
  "compilerOptions": {
    /* Visit https://aka.ms/tsconfig to read more about this file */
    /* Projects */
    // "incremental": true,                              /* Save .tsbuildinfo files to allow for incremental compilation of projects. */
    // "composite": true,                                /* Enable constraints that allow a TypeScript project to be used with project references. */
    // "tsBuildInfoFile": "./.tsbuildinfo",              /* Specify the path to .tsbuildinfo incremental compilation file. */
    // "disableSourceOfProjectReferenceRedirect": true,  /* Disable preferring source files instead of declaration files when referencing composite projects. */
    // "disableSolutionSearching": true,                 /* Opt a project out of multi-project reference checking when editing. */
    // "disableReferencedProjectLoad": true,             /* Reduce the number of projects loaded automatically by TypeScript. */
    /* Language and Environment */
    "target": "ESNext" /* Set the JavaScript language version for emitted JavaScript and include compatible library declarations. */,
    // "lib": [],                                        /* Specify a set of bundled library declaration files that describe the target runtime environment. */
    // "jsx": "preserve",                                /* Specify what JSX code is generated. */
    // "experimentalDecorators": true,                   /* Enable experimental support for TC39 stage 2 draft decorators. */
    // "emitDecoratorMetadata": true,                    /* Emit design-type metadata for decorated declarations in source files. */
    // "jsxFactory": "",                                 /* Specify the JSX factory function used when targeting React JSX emit, e.g. 'React.createElement' or 'h'. */
    // "jsxFragmentFactory": "",                         /* Specify the JSX Fragment reference used for fragments when targeting React JSX emit e.g. 'React.Fragment' or 'Fragment'. */
    // "jsxImportSource": "",                            /* Specify module specifier used to import the JSX factory functions when using 'jsx: react-jsx*'. */
    // "reactNamespace": "",                             /* Specify the object invoked for 'createElement'. This only applies when targeting 'react' JSX emit. */
    // "noLib": true,                                    /* Disable including any library files, including the default lib.d.ts. */
    // "useDefineForClassFields": true,                  /* Emit ECMAScript-standard-compliant class fields. */
    // "moduleDetection": "auto",                        /* Control what method is used to detect module-format JS files. */
    /* Modules */
    "module": "ESNext" /* Specify what module code is generated. */,
    "moduleResolution": "NodeNext",
    // "rootDir": "./",                                  /* Specify the root folder within your source files. */
    "baseUrl": "./" /* Specify the base directory to resolve non-relative module names. */,
    "paths": {
      "@/*": ["src/*"]
    } /* Specify a set of entries that re-map imports to additional lookup locations. */,
    // "rootDirs": [],                                   /* Allow multiple folders to be treated as one when resolving modules. */
    // "typeRoots": [],                                  /* Specify multiple folders that act like './node_modules/@types'. */
    // "types": [],                                      /* Specify type package names to be included without being referenced in a source file. */
    // "allowUmdGlobalAccess": true,                     /* Allow accessing UMD globals from modules. */
    // "moduleSuffixes": [],                             /* List of file name suffixes to search when resolving a module. */
    // "resolveJsonModule": true,                        /* Enable importing .json files. */
    // "noResolve": true,                                /* Disallow 'import's, 'require's or '<reference>'s from expanding the number of files TypeScript should add to a project. */
    /* JavaScript Support */
    // "allowJs": true,                                  /* Allow JavaScript files to be a part of your program. Use the 'checkJS' option to get errors from these files. */
    // "checkJs": true,                                  /* Enable error reporting in type-checked JavaScript files. */
    // "maxNodeModuleJsDepth": 1,                        /* Specify the maximum folder depth used for checking JavaScript files from 'node_modules'. Only applicable with 'allowJs'. */
    /* Emit */
    // "declaration": true,                              /* Generate .d.ts files from TypeScript and JavaScript files in your project. */
    // "declarationMap": true,                           /* Create sourcemaps for d.ts files. */
    // "emitDeclarationOnly": true,                      /* Only output d.ts files and not JavaScript files. */
    // "sourceMap": true,                                /* Create source map files for emitted JavaScript files. */
    // "outFile": "./",                                  /* Specify a file that bundles all outputs into one JavaScript file. If 'declaration' is true, also designates a file that bundles all .d.ts output. */
    // "outDir": "./",                                   /* Specify an output folder for all emitted files. */
    // "removeComments": true,                           /* Disable emitting comments. */
    "noEmit": true /* Disable emitting files from a compilation. */,
    // "importHelpers": true,                            /* Allow importing helper functions from tslib once per project, instead of including them per-file. */
    "importsNotUsedAsValues": "error" /* Specify emit/checking behavior for imports that are only used for types. */,
    // "downlevelIteration": true,                       /* Emit more compliant, but verbose and less performant JavaScript for iteration. */
    // "sourceRoot": "",                                 /* Specify the root path for debuggers to find the reference source code. */
    // "mapRoot": "",                                    /* Specify the location where debugger should locate map files instead of generated locations. */
    // "inlineSourceMap": true,                          /* Include sourcemap files inside the emitted JavaScript. */
    // "inlineSources": true,                            /* Include source code in the sourcemaps inside the emitted JavaScript. */
    // "emitBOM": true,                                  /* Emit a UTF-8 Byte Order Mark (BOM) in the beginning of output files. */
    // "newLine": "crlf",                                /* Set the newline character for emitting files. */
    // "stripInternal": true,                            /* Disable emitting declarations that have '@internal' in their JSDoc comments. */
    // "noEmitHelpers": true,                            /* Disable generating custom helper functions like '__extends' in compiled output. */
    // "noEmitOnError": true,                            /* Disable emitting files if any type checking errors are reported. */
    // "preserveConstEnums": true,                       /* Disable erasing 'const enum' declarations in generated code. */
    // "declarationDir": "./",                           /* Specify the output directory for generated declaration files. */
    // "preserveValueImports": true,                     /* Preserve unused imported values in the JavaScript output that would otherwise be removed. */
    /* Interop Constraints */
    // "isolatedModules": true,                          /* Ensure that each file can be safely transpiled without relying on other imports. */
    // "allowSyntheticDefaultImports": true,             /* Allow 'import x from y' when a module doesn't have a default export. */
    "esModuleInterop": true /* Emit additional JavaScript to ease support for importing CommonJS modules. This enables 'allowSyntheticDefaultImports' for type compatibility. */,
    // "preserveSymlinks": true,                         /* Disable resolving symlinks to their realpath. This correlates to the same flag in node. */
    "forceConsistentCasingInFileNames": true /* Ensure that casing is correct in imports. */,
    /* Type Checking */
    "strict": true /* Enable all strict type-checking options. */,
    // "noImplicitAny": true,                            /* Enable error reporting for expressions and declarations with an implied 'any' type. */
    // "strictNullChecks": true,                         /* When type checking, take into account 'null' and 'undefined'. */
    // "strictFunctionTypes": true,                      /* When assigning functions, check to ensure parameters and the return values are subtype-compatible. */
    // "strictBindCallApply": true,                      /* Check that the arguments for 'bind', 'call', and 'apply' methods match the original function. */
    // "strictPropertyInitialization": true,             /* Check for class properties that are declared but not set in the constructor. */
    // "noImplicitThis": true,                           /* Enable error reporting when 'this' is given the type 'any'. */
    // "useUnknownInCatchVariables": true,               /* Default catch clause variables as 'unknown' instead of 'any'. */
    // "alwaysStrict": true,                             /* Ensure 'use strict' is always emitted. */
    // "noUnusedLocals": true,                           /* Enable error reporting when local variables aren't read. */
    // "noUnusedParameters": true,                       /* Raise an error when a function parameter isn't read. */
    // "exactOptionalPropertyTypes": true,               /* Interpret optional property types as written, rather than adding 'undefined'. */
    // "noImplicitReturns": true,                        /* Enable error reporting for codepaths that do not explicitly return in a function. */
    // "noFallthroughCasesInSwitch": true,               /* Enable error reporting for fallthrough cases in switch statements. */
    // "noUncheckedIndexedAccess": true,                 /* Add 'undefined' to a type when accessed using an index. */
    // "noImplicitOverride": true,                       /* Ensure overriding members in derived classes are marked with an override modifier. */
    // "noPropertyAccessFromIndexSignature": true,       /* Enforces using indexed accessors for keys declared using an indexed type. */
    // "allowUnusedLabels": true,                        /* Disable error reporting for unused labels. */
    // "allowUnreachableCode": true,                     /* Disable error reporting for unreachable code. */
    /* Completeness */
    // "skipDefaultLibCheck": true,                      /* Skip type checking .d.ts files that are included with TypeScript. */
    "skipLibCheck": true /* Skip type checking all .d.ts files. */
  }
}

Not a Node app but the above config has worked for me with zero issues in a separate project: https://github.com/winstxnhdw/NoTimeForDuty/blob/master/tsconfig.json

Trying node --experimental-specifier-resolution=node --loader ts-node/esm src/index.ts causes the following error.

node:59809) ExperimentalWarning: Custom ESM Loaders is an experimental feature. This feature could change at any time
(Use `node --trace-warnings ...` to show where the warning was created)
(node:59809) ExperimentalWarning: The Node.js specifier resolution flag is experimental. It could change or be removed at any time.
(node:59809) ExperimentalWarning: The Node.js specifier resolution in ESM is experimental.
(node:59809) ExperimentalWarning: The Node.js specifier resolution in ESM is experimental.
(node:59809) ExperimentalWarning: The Node.js specifier resolution in ESM is experimental.
(node:59809) ExperimentalWarning: The Node.js specifier resolution in ESM is experimental.
(node:59809) ExperimentalWarning: The Node.js specifier resolution in ESM is experimental.
RangeError [ERR_UNKNOWN_MODULE_FORMAT]: Unknown module format: null for URL file:///<cwd>/node_modules/mathjax-full/ts/mathjax.ts
    at new NodeError (node:internal/errors:387:5)
    at ESMLoader.load (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:661:13)
    at async ESMLoader.moduleProvider (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:472:11) {
  code: 'ERR_UNKNOWN_MODULE_FORMAT'
}

[cspotcode]

You can try this example and see if it works.
https://github.com/TypeStrong/ts-node-examples/tree/main/recommended-esm

It uses swc: true. If you'd rather not use that, you can remove it, maybe switch to transpileOnly: true

[winstxnhdw]

I gave up on ts-node and swapped over to swc-node since I'll have to give up on typechecking anyways.