# What changed in @babel/helper-module-imports

> 26 changes in @babel/helper-module-imports 8 from its official release notes, upgrade guides and advisories: 22 breaking, 1 deprecations, 2 new APIs and options. Each one cited. Sources checked 2026-10-24. HTML: https://unstale.sh/npm/@babel/helper-module-imports/

To see which of these apply to a repository, run `npx @unstale/cli init` in it.

## @babel/helper-module-imports 8

### Breaking changes

- The plugin pass no longer provides addImport; use addNamed or addDefault from @babel/helper-module-imports instead. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- The package is now shipped as a native ECMAScript module, so consumers must use it as ESM. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration)
- Imports from internal files are disallowed; use the exported API only. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- BigIntLiteral.value is now a bigint rather than a string; JSON.stringify cannot serialize bigint. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- Exporting a TSImportEqualsDeclaration is parsed as an ExportNamedDeclaration; detect the export through the parent path because isExport is removed. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- Dynamic import() is represented as an ImportExpression node instead of a CallExpression. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- Babel 8 packages require Node.js ^22.18.0 || >=24.11.0; older Node.js versions can no longer run Babel itself. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration)
- The parameters field is renamed to params on TSCallSignatureDeclaration, TSConstructSignatureDeclaration, TSFunctionType, TSConstructorType, and TSMethodSignature. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- The typeAnnotation field is renamed to returnType on TSCallSignatureDeclaration, TSConstructSignatureDeclaration, TSFunctionType, TSConstructorType, and TSMethodSignature. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- The superTypeParameters field is renamed to superTypeArguments in ClassDeclaration and ClassExpression. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- Class implements entries use TSClassImplements instead of TSExpressionWithTypeArguments; the new node uses typeArguments. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- TSEnumDeclaration members are now wrapped within a TSEnumBody node. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- This node is replaced in class implements and interface heritage positions by TSClassImplements and TSInterfaceHeritage. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- The isExport field is removed; use the parent path to detect whether the declaration follows an export keyword. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- The TSImportType argument field is renamed to source. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- Interface heritage entries use TSInterfaceHeritage instead of TSExpressionWithTypeArguments; the new node uses typeArguments. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- The typeParameter property is flattened into key and constraint properties on TSMappedType. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- TSParenthesizedType is no longer generated unless createParenthesizedExpression is enabled; node.extra.parenthesized can indicate parentheses when it is false. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- A dotted namespace name is represented by one TSModuleDeclaration whose name is a TSQualifiedName, rather than nested TSModuleDeclaration nodes. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- Interpolated template literal types now produce TSTemplateLiteralType nodes; non-interpolated template literal types remain unchanged. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- TSTypeParameter.name is now an Identifier node instead of a plain string. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- The typeParameters field is renamed to typeArguments on CallExpression, JSXOpeningElement, NewExpression, OptionalCallExpression, TSImportType, TSInstantiationExpression, TSTypeQuery, and TSTypeReference. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)

### Deprecations

- The legacy import() AST can be retained by setting this parser option to false; the option will be removed in Babel 9. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)

### New APIs and options

- Enable this parser option to retain TSParenthesizedType nodes and information about parentheses. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)
- When both estree and typescript parser plugins are enabled, Babel creates TSAbstractMethodDefinition and TSPropertyDefinition nodes to align the AST with typescript-eslint. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)

### Fixes and other changes

- TSTypeQuery.exprName can now be a ThisExpression instead of a `this` identifier. (8.0.0) — [upgrade guide](https://babel.dev/docs/v8-migration-api)