Node package 'node-fetch' SyntaxError: Unexpected identifier - node.js

Question

I have a problem. I am trying to run my NodeJS script using the command:
node /var/script/NodeJS/test.js
But when I run it, I get the following error:
/var/script/NodeJS/node_modules/node-fetch/src/index.js:9
import http from 'http';
^^^^
SyntaxError: Unexpected identifier
at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:723:23)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:789:10)
at Module.load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:653:32)
at tryModuleLoad (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:593:12)
at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:585:3)
at Module.require (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:692:17)
at require (internal/modules/cjs/helpers.js:25:18)
at Object.<anonymous> (/var/script/NodeJS/test.js:2:15)
at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:778:30)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:789:10)
I have already run the following commands in the terminal:
cd /var/script/NodeJS
npm install
npm install http
npm install node-fetch
I am running node version: v10.19.0
Here is the code I have that gives the error:
const express = require("express");
const fetch = require('node-fetch');
const app = express();
const PORT = process.env.PORT = 8787;
let router = express.Router();
It's just the imports, but this code already gives the provided error!
I can see both the modules in the node_module folder, so why am I getting this error and how can I fix this?

Answer 1

This can happen if you use a 3.X version of node-fetch and a Node version less than 12.20.0
Because node-fetch from v3 is an ESM-only module.
According to the documents you must install a version 2.X or less
npm install node-fetch#2

Answer 2

rename file extension from .js to .mjs
filename must be: test.mjs
import fetch from 'node-fetch';
const express = require("express");
const app = express();
let router = express.Router();
const PORT = process.env.PORT = 8787;
also keep in mind node-fetch has requriements on node version:
https://github.com/node-fetch/node-fetch/blob/main/package.json#L14
"engines": {
"node": "^12.20.0 || ^14.13.1 || >=16.0.0"
},
run it as: node test.mjs
Bonus: If You don't like to use mjs and etc try to install node-fetch#2.6.5
npm i --save node-fetch#2.6.5