native-fetch

library4.0.2jsnpmunverified

A polyfill-aware module that returns the native fetch/Request/Headers API if available in the runtime, otherwise falls back to the undici module. Version 4.0.2 is the current stable release; the package has frequent updates aligned with undici releases. Key differentiator: unlike node-fetch, it uses WHATWG streams for type compatibility and provides a seamless way to write isomorphic code without heavy-handed bundler overrides. Ships TypeScript types. Requires undici as a peer dependency.

devops

npm install native-fetch

github ↗package ↗homepage ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · NATIVE-FETCH

native-fetch

devopsjavascriptv4.0.2

harness data pending

Install & Compatibility

Where this runs

No compatibility data collected yet for this library.

Code

Verified usage

Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.

fetch

✓ import { fetch } from 'native-fetch'

✗ const fetch = require('native-fetch')

ESM-only since v4; CommonJS require is not supported.

Request

✓ import { Request } from 'native-fetch'

✗ const Request = require('native-fetch').Request

Named export, not default. Available in ESM only.

Headers

✓ import { Headers } from 'native-fetch'

Named export, not default. Available in ESM only.

Demonstrates using the fetch export from native-fetch with async/await to make a GET request and parse JSON response.

import { fetch } from 'native-fetch'; const response = await fetch('https://api.github.com'); const data = await response.json(); console.log(data);

Debug

Known issues

breakingVersion 4.x drops CommonJS support; require() will fail.

fix

Switch to ESM imports: `import { fetch } from 'native-fetch'`

affects: >=4.0.0

deprecatedVersion 3.x and earlier used undici v5; newer peers require undici v6 or later.

fix

Update undici to v6+ if using native-fetch v4.

affects: <4.0.0

gotchaIn Electron renderer process, native fetch may be available but not identical to standard; undici fallback is used only if native fetch is absent.

fix

Test both paths if you need consistent behavior across environments.

affects: >=1.0.0

gotchaThe package does not polyfill AbortController; you must provide your own if needed.

fix

Import or polyfill AbortController separately.

affects: >=1.0.0

deprecatedVersion 3.x used `import fetch from 'native-fetch'` (default export), but v4 switched to named export.

fix

Change default import to named import: `import { fetch } from 'native-fetch'`

affects: <4.0.0

Errors

Common errors & fixes

Cannot find module 'native-fetch'

The package is not installed or missing peer dependency undici.

fix

Run `npm install native-fetch undici`

import { fetch } from 'native-fetch'; SyntaxError: Cannot use import statement outside a module

The project is not configured for ESM (e.g., missing "type": "module" in package.json).

fix

Add "type": "module" to your package.json or use .mjs extension.

The module 'native-fetch' has no exported member 'fetch'.

Using an outdated version (<4.0.0) that exports fetch as default.

fix

Update to v4: `npm install native-fetch@latest`

TypeError: fetch is not a function

Importing the module incorrectly (e.g., `const nativeFetch = require('native-fetch')` and then calling `nativeFetch()` instead of `nativeFetch.fetch()`).

fix

Use named import: `import { fetch } from 'native-fetch'`

Upgrade

Version history

4.0.2latest on npm

Audit

Dependencies

undicirequiredPeer dependency used as fallback when native fetch is not available

Agent activity

7 hits · last 30 days

node

Amazon

Resources

githubhttps://github.com/achingbrain/native-fetch ↗

packagenative-fetch ↗

homepagehttps://github.com/achingbrain/native-fetch#readme ↗