Why you should move to ESM from CJS | Anthony Fu (Nuxt) | PodRocket #webdevelopment #javascript

Should You Migrate to ESM?

"The move to ESM isn't just about adopting a new module system—it’s a trade-off between cost and long-term benefits."

While the transition from CJS to ESM has been widely discussed, the real question is: Does the benefit outweigh the migration cost?

On our recent episode of PodRocket, we break down why front-end frameworks and libraries stand to gain the most from ESM:

1. ESM allows for static analysis, enabling more efficient tree shaking and reducing bundle size. In contrast, CJS makes this process much harder and less accurate.

2. By shipping less code to the browser, ESM can lead to faster load times and improved runtime efficiency.

3. While the benefits are clear, migrating to ESM comes with trade-offs. Breaking changes can impact existing dependencies, making the transition costly for some projects.

So, should you make the switch? It depends on your stack, your ecosystem, and how much you value the long-term gains of modular, optimized code.
Wanna hear more about migrating to ESM from CJS with Anthony Fu? Check out the links below: