npx sequelize-cli breaking on node 26
Author: ranupratapsinghCreated Jul 17, 2026Updated Jul 20, 2026
Issue Creation Checklist
- I understand that my issue will be automatically closed if I don't fill in the requested information
- I have read the contribution guidelines
Bug Description
When using sequelize-cli in a project having "type": "module" with a .js config file path (via .sequelizerc), commands(even npx sequeliize-cli --version) break with follwing error trace
ReferenceError: require is not defined in ES module scope, you can use import instead
at file:///Users/rpsingh/dev/sif_ms/.sequelizerc:1:14
at ModuleJobSync.runSync (node:internal/modules/esm/module_job:673:37)
Reproducible Example
- Create a
.sequelizercfile:
const path = require('path');
module.exports = {
'config': path.resolve('config', 'database.js'),
'models-path': path.resolve('app', 'models'),
'seeders-path': path.resolve('db', 'seeders'),
'migrations-path': path.resolve('db', 'migrations')
}
- Run:
npx sequelize-cli db:create
What do you expect to happen?
db should be created.
What is actually happening?
Following erorr is occuring
npx sequelize-cli --version
file:///Users/rpsingh/dev/sif_ms/.sequelizerc:1
const path = require('path');
^
ReferenceError: require is not defined in ES module scope, you can use import instead
at file:///Users/rpsingh/dev/sif_ms/.sequelizerc:1:14
at ModuleJobSync.runSync (node:internal/modules/esm/module_job:673:37)
at ModuleLoader.importSyncForRequire (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:350:47)
at loadESMFromCJS (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1752:24)
at Module._compile (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1916:5)
at Object..js (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:2074:10)
at Module.load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1656:32)
at Module._load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1448:12)
at wrapModuleLoad (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:261:19)
at Module.require (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1679:12)
Node.js v26.5.0
Environment
- Sequelize-cli version: 6.6.5
- Node.js version: 26.5.0
- If TypeScript related: N/A
- Database & Version: N/A
- Connector library & Version: N/A
More info
This bug is not occuring in node version 24 or 25.
Source: sequelize/cli