Error [ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module ... not supported - node.js

Question

I'm making a discord bot in TypeScript using discord.js. When I tried to compile code this morning I got this error:
C:\SECRET\Kostegator\dist\Util\getMeme.js:17
const node_fetch_1 = __importDefault(require("node-fetch"));
^
Error [ERR_REQUIRE_ESM]: require() of ES Module C:\SECRET\Kostegator\node_modules\node-fetch\src\index.js from C:\SECRET\Kostegator\dist\Util\getMeme.js not supported.
Instead change the require of index.js in C:\SECRET\Kostegator\dist\Util\getMeme.js to a dynamic import() which is available in all CommonJS modules.
at Object.<anonymous> (C:\SECRET\Kostegator\dist\Util\getMeme.js:17:38)
at Object.<anonymous> (C:\SECRET\Kostegator\dist\Util\index.js:15:14)
at Object.<anonymous> (C:\SECRET\Kostegator\dist\Commands\BotOwner\startAutoUpdate.js:4:16)
at C:\SECRET\Kostegator\dist\Client\index.js:61:41
at Array.forEach (<anonymous>)
at ExtendedClient.<anonymous> (C:\SECRET\Kostegator\dist\Client\index.js:58:48)
at Generator.next (<anonymous>)
at C:\SECRET\Kostegator\dist\Client\index.js:27:71
at new Promise (<anonymous>)
at __awaiter (C:\SECRET\Kostegator\dist\Client\index.js:23:12)
at ExtendedClient.init (C:\SECRET\Kostegator\dist\Client\index.js:51:16)
at Object.<anonymous> (C:\SECRET\Kostegator\dist\index.js:19:4) {
code: 'ERR_REQUIRE_ESM'
}
Here's the GitHub repo: Kostegator

Answer 1

The current version of node-fetch is ONLY compatible with an ESM import (using import), not from CommonJS modules using require().
You have these choices to fix:
Switch your project to an ESM module and load it with import fetch from 'node-fetch';.
In a very recent version of nodejs, you can dynamically import an ESM module into a CommonJS module using let fetch = await import('node-fetch').
Use the v2 version of node-fetch that still supports being loaded with require() as explained here in the doc.

Answer 2

With the latest update, node-fetch only works by using import
You could just install the older version of it by
npm i node-fetch#2.6.1

Answer 3

For those coming here trying to deploy a NodeJS App using the cPanel feature, remember that under the hood it uses Phusion Passenger. This tool needs to have a non-module entry point like:
// entry.cjs DONT FORGET TO USE .cjs and not .js
async function loadApp() {
const { app } = await import("./app.js"); // this is your normal entry file - (index.js, main.js, app.mjs etc.)
}
loadApp()
The original answer is here (it deserves your vote): https://stackoverflow.com/a/71901828/14515077