LTS verison issue

[utkarsh232005]

Bug: ERR_REQUIRE_ASYNC_MODULE when running kdm on Node.js v24

Description

Running the kdm CLI on Node.js v24 fails with an ESM/CommonJS compatibility error caused by attempting to require() an ESM module (ink) that uses top-level await.

The CLI crashes immediately on startup.

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Steps to Reproduce

1. Install the CLI globally:

npm install -g kdm-cli

2. Run the CLI:

kdm

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Expected Behavior

The CLI should start normally and display the application UI.

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Actual Behavior

The CLI exits immediately with the following error:

node:internal/modules/esm/module_job:537
      throw new ERR_REQUIRE_ASYNC_MODULE(filename, parentFilename);
      ^

Error [ERR_REQUIRE_ASYNC_MODULE]: require() cannot be used on an ESM graph with top-level await. Use import() instead.

From:
/home/utkarsh-patrikar/.nvm/versions/node/v24.15.0/lib/node_modules/kdm-cli/dist/index.js

Requiring:
/home/utkarsh-patrikar/.nvm/versions/node/v24.15.0/lib/node_modules/kdm-cli/node_modules/ink/build/index.js

    at ModuleJobSync.runSync (node:internal/modules/esm/module_job:537:13)
    at ModuleLoader.importSyncForRequire (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:366:47)
    at loadESMFromCJS (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1649:24)
    at Module._compile (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1812:5)
    at Object..js (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1961:10)
    at Module.load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1553:32)
    at Module._load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1355:12)
    at wrapModuleLoad (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:255:19)
    at Module.require (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1576:12)
    at require (node:internal/modules/helpers:153:16) {
  code: 'ERR_REQUIRE_ASYNC_MODULE'
}

Node.js v24.15.0

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Environment

Component	Version
OS	Ubuntu Linux
Node.js	v24.15.0
Package	kdm-cli

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Root Cause

kdm-cli is currently compiled or configured as CommonJS while the ink package is ESM-only and internally uses top-level await.

Node.js v24 strictly prevents loading ESM modules with top-level await using require().

The issue originates from:

const { render } = require("ink");

or any CommonJS import path that attempts to load ink.

---

Suggested Fix

Migrate the CLI to native ESM.

1. Update package.json

{
  "type": "module"
}

---

2. Update tsconfig.json

{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "module": "NodeNext",
    "moduleResolution": "NodeNext",
    "target": "ES2022"
  }
}

---

3. Replace CommonJS imports

Replace:

const { render } = require("ink");

with:

import { render } from "ink";

---

4. Rebuild the project

npm run build

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Temporary Workaround

Downgrade ink to a CommonJS-compatible version:

npm install ink@4

or

npm install ink@3

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Additional Notes

This issue appears specifically on newer Node.js versions (v24+) where ESM restrictions are more strictly enforced.

Older Node.js versions may still work due to more permissive ESM/CommonJS interoperability behavior.