Understanding "Unexpected Token Export" Error in ES6

When attempting to utilize ES6 code within a project, you may encounter the "unexpected token export" error. This error arises due to the incompatibility between your environment's JavaScript support and the ES6 syntax.

Reason for Unexpected Token Export

ES6 introduced the concept of EcmaScript Modules (ESM), denoted by the export keyword. However, environments that do not support ESM will interpret this syntax as an unexpected token. Notably, older versions of NodeJS (prior to v14.13.0) use CommonJS Modules, which employ the module.exports property syntax. Even in newer NodeJS versions that support ESM, it needs to be explicitly enabled.

Solutions to Resolve Unexpected Token Export

There are various approaches to address this issue:

• Enable ESM in NodeJS v14.13.0 or later: To activate ESM support, modify your project's package.json file by setting "type": "module."
• Refactor using CommonJS Module syntax: For older NodeJS versions, rewrite your code using the CommonJS Module syntax.
• Utilize TypeScript with ts-node/ts-node-dev: By utilizing TypeScript and the ts-node or ts-node-dev npm packages, you can transpile TypeScript files into JavaScript code compatible with your environment.
• Transpile ESM to CommonJS using esbuild: Employ esbuild package to transpile your ES6 code into CommonJS JavaScript, ensuring compatibility with your environment. (Note: Using babel is no longer recommended.)