Node.js: module not found using ES import with Lambda layers

Question

We're trying to deploy a Lambda function with AWS SDK v3 modules. The imports are standard ES syntax and work fine in a local setup, and work if we package the entire module into the function:

`import { SESv2Client, SendEmailCommand } from '@aws-sdk/client-sesv2';`

For efficiency and reuse, we moved the modules into a layer. When we run the function (tried with Node.js 14 and 16 runtimes), we continue to receive:

`Error [ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND]: Cannot find package '@aws-sdk/client-sesv2' imported from /var/task/index.js`

If we strip out the ES pieces and use CommonJS syntax with `require` statements, the modules load correctly. Obviously we would prefer the modern syntax and the performance gains that go with it. According to AWS docs, node.js lambda functions support ES imports in [Node.js 14.x](https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/compute/using-node-js-es-modules-and-top-level-await-in-aws-lambda/) and [Node.js 16.x](https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/compute/node-js-16-x-runtime-now-available-in-aws-lambda/).

Has anyone else run into this and found a solution?

rePost-User-4160403 · Accepted Answer

Unfortunately AWS support has confirmed we can't utilize layers with ES:

> importing ESM modules from layers seems to not be supported when using a module type in Lambda. [...] this is a Node feature blocking us to import ES modules from a layer as "NODE_PATH" variable is not supported by the ESM loader in node

Disappointing that AWS is making headway on supporting ES, but it means we lose the functionality of layers. Support provided a wrapper workaround that we'll be trying. It corresponds with what we found [here](https://github.com/coderbyheart/aws-lambda-esm-with-layer). Hopefully this saves someone else the headache we've gone through the last week.

rePost-User-4974576 · Answer

Is this still the case with node18.x???

Node.js: module not found using ES import with Lambda layers

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