PodRocket - A web development podcast from LogRocket Moving to ESM from CJS with Anthony Fu
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Mar 20, 2025 
Anthony Fu, Framework Developer at Nuxt Labs, dives into the pivotal shift from CommonJS to ECMAScript Modules (ESM) in JavaScript. He unpacks the controversies and advantages of ESM, emphasizing its role in modern web development. Listeners will discover why this transition is timely and crucial, along with best practices for navigating module formats. Fu also discusses tools that enhance package structure visualization and security, positioning ESM as essential for future-focused developers.
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ESM vs. CJS
- ESM (EcmaScript Modules) is the standard JavaScript module format, while CJS (CommonJS) is an older, de facto standard.
- The transition to ESM has been ongoing for over a decade.
Impact of ESM/CJS Divide
- The divide between ESM and CJS has caused some stiflement in the JavaScript ecosystem.
- However, it has also potentially fostered creativity by necessitating different approaches to module handling.
The Era of Many Module Formats
- Anthony Fu recalls a time with even more module formats like AMD, UMD, and IIFE.
- These formats arose from the lack of a standard and the differing needs of browsers and Node.js.