Using fetch in nodejs returns Unexpected token import

Question

My file fetch.js:

import fetch from 'node-fetch'
url = "https://www.google.com"

const getTours = async (url) => {
    try {
        const resp = await fetch(url)
        console.log("fetch", resp)
        return resp
    }
    catch(error){
        console.log(error)
    }
}

getTours(url)

I did in terminal:

npm init
npm install node-fetch
node fetch.js

I got as a result:

/home/yan/Desktop/Node Tutorial/fetch.js:1
(function (exports, require, module, __filename, __dirname) { import fetch from 'node-fetch'
                                                              ^^^^^^

SyntaxError: Unexpected token import
    at createScript (vm.js:80:10)
    at Object.runInThisContext (vm.js:139:10)
    at Module._compile (module.js:617:28)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:664:10)
    at Module.load (module.js:566:32)
    at tryModuleLoad (module.js:506:12)

I tried to replace the import with a require as such:

const fetch = require('node-fetch')
url = "https://www.google.com"

const getTours = async (url) => {
    try {
        const resp = await fetch(url)
        console.log("fetch", resp)
        return resp
    }
    catch(error){
        console.log(error)
    }
}

getTours(url)

but I got a similar error:

/home/yan/Desktop/Node Tutorial/node_modules/node-fetch/src/index.js:9
import http from 'node:http';
^^^^^^

SyntaxError: Unexpected token import
    at createScript (vm.js:80:10)
    at Object.runInThisContext (vm.js:139:10)
    at Module._compile (module.js:617:28)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:664:10)
    at Module.load (module.js:566:32)
    at tryModuleLoad (module.js:506:12)
    at Function.Module._load (module.js:498:3)
    at Module.require (module.js:597:17)
    at require (internal/module.js:11:18)
    at Object.<anonymous> (/home/yan/Desktop/Node Tutorial/fetch.js:1:77)

Can you tell me what is going on ? I'm following some tutorials who have the same code and are running with no errors.

Ellon · Accepted Answer · 2021-11-09 18:13:29Z

1

The similar error is related to the first, but for a different package: node-http

Try this:

const NodeHttp = require('node-http');

answered Nov 9, 2021 at 18:13

Ellon

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3 Comments

Yannick Pezeu Over a year ago

Hi, I did as you told but I still have the same error: Unexpected token import for import http from 'node:http'; I guess this line is called by the line const fetch = require("node-fetch")

Ellon Over a year ago

The error is not coming from the fetch.js file but an index.js file. Do you have any file like that? @YannickPezeu

Yannick Pezeu Over a year ago

Yes I have a file like that but I guess it has been created in the node module when I ran npm install node-fetch It looks like my computer does not recognize the "import" keyWord

Ray3du · Accepted Answer · 2021-11-09 18:39:53Z

0

In your "package.json" add "type":"module" and also declare url using const.

{
  "main": "fetch.js",
  "type": "module",
}

import fetch from "node-fetch";
const url = "https://www.google.com"

const getTours = async (url) => {
 try {
     const resp = await fetch(url)
     console.log("fetch", resp)
     return resp
  } 
  catch(error){
    console.log(error)
  }
 }

 getTours(url)

Output

edited Nov 9, 2021 at 18:39

answered Nov 9, 2021 at 18:27

Ray3du

12 bronze badges

3 Comments

Yannick Pezeu Over a year ago

Hi, I did as you told but it does not help. Here is my package.json:

{   "name": "node-tutorial",   "version": "1.0.0",   "description": "",   "main": "fetch.js",   "type": "module",   "dependencies": {     "node-fetch": "^3.1.0",     "nodemon": "^2.0.14"   },   "devDependencies": {     "@babel/cli": "^7.16.0",     "@babel/core": "^7.16.0",     "@babel/node": "^7.16.0",     "@babel/preset-env": "^7.16.0"   },   "scripts": {     "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"   },   "author": "",   "license": "ISC" }

Ray3du Over a year ago

Hi, the url variable was also undeclared. have you fixed it?

Yannick Pezeu Over a year ago

Ray3du: Yes I did add the const as suggested: const url = "https://www.google.com"

Ran Turner · Accepted Answer · 2021-11-09 19:36:49Z

0

You can use the esm module which allows to use either import or require.

First, install esm in your project running this:

$ npm install --save esm

Then, update your node start script to use esm with the following line:

node -r esm app.js

answered Nov 9, 2021 at 19:36

Ran Turner

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1 Comment

Yannick Pezeu Over a year ago

Hi, I did as you told and I get this error:

yan@yan-VirtualBox:~/Desktop/Node Tutorial$ node -r esm fetch.js /home/yan/Desktop/Node Tutorial/node_modules/node-fetch/src/index.js:1 Error [ERR_INVALID_PROTOCOL]: Protocol 'node:' not supported. Expected 'file:'     at Object.<anonymous> (/home/yan/Desktop/Node Tutorial/node_modules/node-fetch/src/index.js:1)     at Generator.next (<anonymous>)

Yannick Pezeu · Accepted Answer · 2021-11-10 21:50:31Z

0

I could resolve this issue by upgrading my node version with nvm.

I have a node version of v8.17.0 I upgraded it to the LTS (long term support) of my current time which was v16.13.0 by running the code:

nvm install 16.13.0

To find your current LTS please follow this page: https://nodejs.org/en/

answered Nov 10, 2021 at 21:50

Yannick Pezeu

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