Start by identifying which process parsed the file: Node.js, a build tool or loader, or the browser. An upgrade can expose a module-format mismatch, leave unsupported syntax in compiled output, or change which parser handles a file. The error message, file and line, command, and exact versions determine the fix; there is no reliable one-line remedy for every “unexpected token” error.
First identify where parsing failed
Record the complete error and stack trace, the file and line it names, the command that failed, the active Node.js version, relevant build-tool and loader versions, recent lockfile changes, and the runtime or browsers the project must support. Then use the failure location to narrow down the parser.
- Node.js command-line run: If the failing command invokes
nodeand the trace points into the application file, investigate Node’s parsing and module classification. - Build or development-server command: If a bundler or loader reports the error, investigate the parser and transforms for that specific file. A build-tool error is not necessarily a Node runtime error.
- Browser developer tools: If the build completed and the browser reports the syntax error, inspect the emitted JavaScript at the failing location and compare its syntax with the browser target.
Node’s module rules, Vite’s target settings, and webpack’s distinction between its runtime code and application source are documented separately: Node.js package and module documentation, Vite build documentation, and webpack target documentation.
Check whether Node interpreted the file as the intended module format
For errors from Node, inspect the failing file’s extension and the nearest controlling package.json. Node supports both CommonJS and ECMAScript modules (ESM); a file parsed as one format may fail if it contains syntax intended for the other.
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Current Node documentation describes syntax detection for ambiguous files without explicit markers. Explicit extensions or a package type make module intent clear and avoid relying on ambiguous defaults. Check the documented behavior for the Node release actually running your project: Node.js package and module documentation.
Make sure generated syntax matches the deployment target
If the error occurs in a browser or an older Node runtime, find the syntax feature at the reported location in the emitted JavaScript. Configure the source transpiler to transform that feature for the runtime you deploy to, then rebuild and check the output again.
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Node.js targets and Babel
Set Babel’s Node target to the version that will execute the code, not just the version installed on a developer’s machine. Babel cautions that feature support can differ between Node minor versions, so a precise minor-version target can matter. See Babel’s targets documentation.
Vite browser targets
Vite’s development server uses esnext by default; production build targets can be configured for the browsers the project supports. Vite’s syntax handling does not automatically provide polyfills for missing runtime APIs. A successful syntax transform therefore does not guarantee that every API used by the application exists in the target browser. See Vite’s build documentation.
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Webpack targets and application source
Webpack’s target controls the generated webpack runtime; it does not automatically transpile application source code. If your application needs a particular syntax level, configure a source transpiler such as Babel to process the relevant files. See webpack’s target documentation.
Check the parser, loader, and tool versions involved
If a bundler or loader reports the error, use the trace and build configuration to identify the parser handling the failing file. Confirm that the configured loader actually processes that file and accepts its syntax and file type. The right adjustment depends on that parser and pipeline; there is no universal loader setting.
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Also check that the installed build tool and plugins support the Node version used to run the build, and that their module-format requirements match the configuration. Read the migration notes for the versions involved rather than assuming the application code itself became invalid. For example, Babel 8 documents its Node requirements and ESM-only distribution: Babel 8 migration guide. Vite publishes version-specific migration guidance at Vite’s migration guide.
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Rebuild and verify the specific failing output
- Make the smallest change supported by the diagnosis: clarify module format, adjust the source transform target, correct the loader configuration, or use compatible tool versions.
- Rebuild with the same command that failed, in the environment that matters.
- Inspect the emitted code at the reported location. Confirm that the syntax is valid for the intended Node version or browser target, and check the rebuilt output rather than assuming the source change affected it.
- If the output appears unchanged and there is evidence of stale build artifacts, clear the relevant build cache and rebuild. Deleting all dependencies or every cache is not a default fix.
Why an upgrade can reveal the problem
- Module classification: Node’s module behavior depends on extensions, the nearest package
type, flags, and—in some cases—syntax detection. Explicit markers reduce ambiguity. Node release history also shows why version-specific guidance matters: Node 16.14 added experimental JSON import assertions, while Node 22.12 enabledrequire(esm)by default on the v22 line and described the feature as experimental. These changes are context, not instructions to alter every project’s module syntax. See the Node 16.14 release notes and Node 22.12 release notes. - Syntax left in output: A changed transform default or target may allow newer syntax to survive compilation, even if a deployed runtime cannot parse it.
- Different settings do different jobs: A bundler’s runtime target does not necessarily transform application source, and syntax transforms do not automatically add missing APIs.
- Changed compatibility requirements: A tool or plugin upgrade can change its supported Node versions or module-format requirements. Check the installed versions and their migration notes.
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