Why is the node: prefix useful when importing built-in modules such as node:fs and node:path?

Short answer

It clearly identifies a module as built in, prevents dependency confusion, and speeds up module resolution.

Explanation

Using node: resolves directly to a module included in the Node.js core rather than searching node_modules, improving security and import speed.

Code example

import fs from "node:fs/promises";

Common mistakes

• Confusing external packages with built-in modules by omitting the official prefix.

Follow-up questions

• How do you use Node.js's built-in test runner (node:test) without external libraries?
• What is the difference between npm install and npm ci, and why is package-lock.json important?

Sources

• Node.js docs — Modules: Core modules