TS1378: Top-level await requires module/target - in CI

By Daniel Zoghalchali·Latchkey

You used await at module top level, but the tsconfig module/target settings do not permit it.

What this error means

Type-checking fails with TS1378 listing the module and target values required for top-level await.

src/boot.ts(3,1): error TS1378: Top-level 'await' expressions are only allowed when the 'module' option is set to 'es2022', 'esnext', 'system', 'node16', 'nodenext', or 'preserve', and the 'target' option is set to 'es2017' or higher.

Common causes

How to fix it

Set a compatible module and target

1. Use an ESM module setting and target es2017+

{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "module": "esnext",
    "target": "es2022"
  }
}

Wrap the await instead

1. If you must keep commonjs, move the await into an async IIFE

(async () => {
  await init()
})()

How to prevent it

• Align module/target with the language features you use, or avoid top-level await under CommonJS.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

References

• Node.js documentation
• npm CLI documentation
• GitHub Actions documentation