Finally using --import tsx/esm as --experimental-strip-types is too buggy (tried to fix the loader introduced too many side effects)

Enable direct TypeScript imports from node_modules using Node.js --experimental-strip-types flag without requiring a separate compilation step.

Node.js introduced the --experimental-strip-types flag which allows running TypeScript files directly without compilation. However, Node.js doesn't allow direct importing of TypeScript files from node_modules. This package provides a workaround by creating a dedicated ts_modules folder that mirrors TypeScript-enabled packages.

This project was inspired by discussions in:

• Node.js Issue #57215: Support for importing TypeScript files from node_modules
• Reddit Discussion on TypeScript publishing practices

Instead of creating individual symlinks for each package, this tool creates a single symlink called ts_modules that points to the project's node_modules directory. This simplifies the setup and maintenance process.

A custom loader intercepts module imports:

• For CommonJS: Monkey-patches Node's resolution to check ts_modules first
• For ESM: Uses an experimental loader hook

When a bare import (e.g., require('my-package')) is made, the loader resolves it through the ts_modules symlink, which points to node_modules.

For directory imports, the loader looks for a defined entry file using:

1. A custom "ts:main" field in package.json
2. Falling back to "main" field
3. Looking for index.ts or index.js

This ensures Node loads a file, not a directory.

# Using npm
npm install node-ts-modules
# Using Yarn
yarn add node-ts-modules

1. Install the package as shown above.

2. Run your application with the appropriate loader:

   For CommonJS:

   # Directly with Node.js
   node -r @esbuild-kit/esm-loader your-script.js

   For ESM:

   # Directly with Node.js
   node --experimental-loader=@esbuild-kit/esm-loader your-script.js

1. When a bare import is encountered (e.g., import { something } from 'package-name'), the loader intercepts it.
2. The loader resolves the import through the ts_modules symlink, which points to node_modules.
3. If the package has TypeScript source files, they can be loaded directly.
4. Node.js then uses the --experimental-strip-types flag to strip the types and execute the TypeScript file directly.

• Requires Node.js version 22 or higher
• The --experimental-strip-types flag is still experimental
• Not all TypeScript features are supported by the type stripping mechanism

The ts_modules directory is created at runtime and contains symlinks specific to your environment. It should not be committed to version control. Make sure to add it to your .gitignore file:

# ts-modules specific
ts_modules/

MIT