'Directory import is not supported resolving ES modules' with Node.js

I'm using Node.js **v14.13.0**.

**app.js** file:

import database from './database';

database();

**database/index.js** file:

import mongoose from 'mongoose';

export default connect = async () => {
try {
await mongoose.connect('...', { });
} catch (error) {}
};

In **package.json** I added `"type": "module"`.

After running the app I get the following error:

> Error [ERR_UNSUPPORTED_DIR_IMPORT]: Directory import
> '/Users/xx/Desktop/Projects/node-starter/src/database' is not
> supported resolving ES modules imported from
> /Users/xx/Desktop/Projects/node-starter/src/app.js

With ES6 modules you can not (yet?) import directories. Your import should look like this:

import database from "./database/index.js"

According to nodejs [documentation][1], directory imports doesn't work


[1]:

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What happens here is that Node [mandates](

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) using an extension in `import` statements and also states,

> Directory indexes (e.g. `'./startup/index.js'`) must also be fully specified.

Your `import database from './database';` statement doesn't specify the `index.js`. You can add `index.js` as suggested in another answer, but that approach doesn't look elegant [in TypeScript projects](

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), when you'd end up importing a `.js` file from a `.ts` one.

You can change this Node extension resolution behavior by passing the `--experimental-specifier-resolution=node` [flag](

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). This will work and will keep your code unchanged:

**app.js**
```js
import database from './database';
database();
```

Run as: `node --experimental-specifier-resolution=node app.js`.


A Node developer admitted that the documentation [wasn't that clear](

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).

TValidator's answer is somewhat right, you can use babel to resolve this issue.<br>
However, you must install @babel/core, @babel/node, @babel/preset-env.<br>
And, you must make [babel.config.json][1] like belows;

{
"presets": ["@babel/preset-env"]
}
You should stay babel.config.json in the root folder of your project.<br>
Now, you don't have to set "type": "module" to the package.json.<br>


[1]:

[To see links please register here]

You can use babel. I used following babel library in node project and every ES6 features work properly.

"devDependencies": {
"babel-cli": "^6.26.0",
"babel-plugin-transform-class-properties": "^6.24.1",
"babel-preset-env": "^1.6.1"
}

Although it may be old version but you can use latest version.

With ES6 modules you can not (yet?) import directories.

Here you can see I made this changes and it worked for me this are my two files below and I needed to write require to import user for it but in ES6 it doesn't support require so in my solution I created the export default of users and it comes with sequelize and datatypes values so now I created import of users above in index.js file so I can use those values without using require.

Also you have to add (.js) extension in the imported files path just like I did in index.js files second line.

Your import should look like this:



Index.js

import { DataTypes, Sequelize } from "sequelize";
**import Users from "./users.js";**

const sequelize = new Sequelize("Users", "root", "", {
host: "localhost",
dialect: "mysql",
pool: { max: 5, min: 0, idle: 10000 },
});
sequelize
.authenticate()
.then(() => {
console.log("Connected !");
})
.catch((err) => {
console.log("Error", err);
});

const db = {};

db.sequelize = Sequelize;
db.sequelize = sequelize;

**db.users = Users(sequelize, DataTypes);**

db.sequelize.sync().then(() => {
console.log("YES Re-Sync !");
});

export default sequelize;


Users.js

const Users = (sequelize, DataTypes) => {
sequelize.define(
"Users",
{
name: {
type: DataTypes.STRING,
},
email: {
type: DataTypes.STRING,
defaultValue: "[email protected]",
},
gender: {
type: DataTypes.STRING,
},
},
{
// timestamps: false,
// updatedAt: false,
// createdAt: false,
// createdAt: created_at,
// updatedAt: modified_at,
// engine: "Kishan",
}
`);
};


export default Users;