Unable to import Node ESM Built-in modules in DOM/Browser context.

[jobennup-dev]

It is my understanding by the following documentation that the Browser Context should be able to import Node built-in modules via ESM according to: https://docs.nwjs.io/References/Command%20Line%20Options/#-enable-featuresnwesm

#7639 There is lengthy discussion with Roger Wang's resulting fix and instructions to use
"chromium-args": "--enable-features=NWESM,NWChainImportNode"

#8229 was closed after stating that NW.js does not support importing Node ESM modules. However, this was prior to the fix. The minimum script below illustrates the issue and I have tried it on linux, windows, with several versions from 0.102.1 to 0.108.0.

<script> nw.Window.get().showDevTools(); const path = require('path'); console.log('path:', path); </script>

<script type="module">
    import path from "path" 
    //import path from "node:path"
    console.log('path:', path);
</script>

Please let me know if you have insight or if you can adjust the provided minimum sample files to illustrate how to make it work. Importing only from node-main scripts is not an option for our project.

index.html
package.json
README.txt

Thanks!

[GnorTech]

Thanks for the report. I can confirm the bug with a local build.

Static import path from "path" in <script type="module"> fails because Blink's module specifier resolver rejects bare specifiers before Node's resolver gets a chance to handle them. The --enable-features=NWESM,NWChainImportNode flags only wire up the chain resolver for dynamic import() calls.

Workaround: use dynamic import() inside <script type="module">:

<script type="module">
    const path = await import("path");
    // or: const path = await import("node:path");
    console.log('path:', path);
</script>

Both import("path") and import("node:path") work correctly with the NWESM/NWChainImportNode flags.

[jobennup-dev]

Thank you! I confirmed that your workaround worked for me.