Docs: Quickstart guide should be clear on type: module not being a requirement

[moltco]

Before You File a Documentation Request Please Confirm You Have Done The Following...

• I have looked for existing open or closed documentation requests that match my proposal.
• I have read the FAQ and my problem is not listed.

Suggested Changes

Improve the getting-started/Quickstart guide to mention that package.json must have "type":"module" otherwise the example will fail with import statement not being supported

Affected URL(s)

https://typescript-eslint.io/getting-started/

[bradzacher]

The reason we didn't specify this is because we treated it as assumed knowledge for using NodeJS.
I.e. if you want to use ESM you need to have type: module in your package.json - as has been the way with ESM support in NodeJS since its release.

My question here would be - do we need to tell people the constraints of NodeJS? Or are we okay to assume that people know "if you don't use ESM then you must translate this to CJS".

cc @typescript-eslint/triage-team thoughts?

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With the release of eslint 8.57.0 we could update this guide to use .mjs (prior to minor 57 - it was not supported by eslint).

[auvred]

Personally I'm +1 on recommending using .mjs config file with small note that it requires ESLint >= 8.57.0.

Also see the related conversation on Discord: https://discord.com/channels/1026804805894672454/1207049165079846962/1213212499713728553

[kirkwaiblinger]

+1 on calling out explicitly, and mentioning .mjs option.

[molt2020]

I think it's important to mention +add external references.

A lot of people are just setting up the dev environment and may not be familiar with intricacies of the various stack options. Most how-to's start with do yarn add my-package so it's fair to point out anything that a noob will need.

Aim for bullet proof instructions for idiot users like me! 🙂

[JoshuaKGoldberg]

Yeah, we need to be very careful to note that it's not a requirement to use a module type.

[ericmorand]

@bradzacher this is not true:

I.e. if you want to use ESM you need to have type: module in your package.json

I understand that you mention the .mjs extension later in your post, but for the sake of correctness, I think you should update your comment to "I.e. if you want to execute a file ending by .js as ESM, one of the solution is to have type: module in your package.json".

A lot (and I mean a looooot) of people are convinced that the module declaration is mandatory to execute ESM modules. I think it is our duty to make it clear, as often as possible, that it is not.