glue.js

glue.js is a library to help with implementation of ESM modules into commonJS or typescript environments. glue.js dynamically loads ESM modules for you based on configuration inside of your package.json. Its an insanely light weight package which depends on nothing.

Catches

• You cannot run glue top level you will need call the load method on glue for this to work.
• Import types have to be specified manually.

Installation

npm i jsglue

Note: glue.js is currently only works on node.

Usage

glue.js can enable integrations which were before quite tricky. Take for example integration of the library ipfs-core. This is an ESM module and thus will break in most environments where having type: "module" in the package.json is not possible or any common js file.

Simply add the following to your package.json to be able to use it anywhere.

  "glue": {
    "ipfs-core": true
  },

Then, in your script, or at the top of your express.js main file. Simply add the following lines.

const glue = require("glue-js");

(async () => {
  let wrapper = await glue.load();
  /**
   * @type {import('ipfs-core')}
   **/
  let ipfsCore = wrapper.getSync("ipfs-core");
})()
  .catch((err) => {
    console.error(err);
    process.exit(1);
  })
  .then(() => {
    process.exit(0);
  });

Credits

• Llydia Cross
• Kae Bowen (GitHub Workflows)