--- title: "chokidar Breaking Changes on npm | Since.dev" description: "What each chokidar release removed, renamed or changed: 43 breaking changes in 2 versions on npm, each with its source." canonical_url: https://since.dev/packages/npm/chokidar last_updated: 2026-10-19 --- # chokidar breaking changes Every breaking API change we have recorded in chokidar on npm: 43 breaking changes in 2 versions. Below are its newest 2 versions, removals and renames first, each with its source. Newest change October 19, 2026 ## 6.0.0 37 breaking changes, first published October 19, 2026. - **Removed** `fs.watchFile` Chokidar no longer uses fs.watchFile for polling; it uses its own stat polling loops. [github.com](https://github.com/paulmillr/chokidar/releases/tag/6.0.0) - **Removed** `handler.js:EMPTY_FN` EMPTY_FN was removed in chokidar 6.0.0 [npmjs.com](https://www.npmjs.com/package/chokidar/v/6.0.0) - **Removed** `handler.js:EventName` EventName was removed in chokidar 6.0.0 [npmjs.com](https://www.npmjs.com/package/chokidar/v/6.0.0) - **Removed** `handler.js:EVENTS` EVENTS was removed in chokidar 6.0.0 [npmjs.com](https://www.npmjs.com/package/chokidar/v/6.0.0) - **Removed** `handler.js:FsWatchContainer` FsWatchContainer was removed in chokidar 6.0.0 [npmjs.com](https://www.npmjs.com/package/chokidar/v/6.0.0) - **Removed** `handler.js:IDENTITY_FN` IDENTITY_FN was removed in chokidar 6.0.0 [npmjs.com](https://www.npmjs.com/package/chokidar/v/6.0.0) - **Removed** `handler.js:isFreeBSD` isFreeBSD was removed in chokidar 6.0.0 [npmjs.com](https://www.npmjs.com/package/chokidar/v/6.0.0) - **Removed** `handler.js:isIBMi` isIBMi was removed in chokidar 6.0.0 [npmjs.com](https://www.npmjs.com/package/chokidar/v/6.0.0) - **Removed** `handler.js:isLinux` isLinux was removed in chokidar 6.0.0 [npmjs.com](https://www.npmjs.com/package/chokidar/v/6.0.0) - **Removed** `handler.js:isMacos` isMacos was removed in chokidar 6.0.0 [npmjs.com](https://www.npmjs.com/package/chokidar/v/6.0.0) And 27 more in this version. ## 5.0.0 6 breaking changes, first published November 25, 2025. - **Removed** Node.js versions older than v20.19 are no longer supported; upgrade Node.js before using this release. [github.com](https://github.com/paulmillr/chokidar/releases/tag/5.0.0) - **Removed** `FSWatcherKnownEventMap` FSWatcherKnownEventMap was removed in chokidar 5.0.0 [npmjs.com](https://www.npmjs.com/package/chokidar/v/5.0.0) - **Configuration changed** The package is now ESM-only, so CommonJS require() of it no longer works; users must use import. Node.js must be v20.19 or later, which supports loading ESM from CJS. [github.com](https://github.com/paulmillr/chokidar/releases/tag/5.0.0) - **Signature changed** `FSWatcherEventMap` Was type FSWatcherEventMap = FSWatcherKnownEventMap & {\[k in Exclude\]: EmitArgs;}; now interface FSWatcherEventMap. [npmjs.com](https://www.npmjs.com/package/chokidar/v/5.0.0) - **Signature changed** `handler.js:NodeFsHandler._handleDir` Was \_handleDir(dir: string, stats: Stats, initialAdd: boolean, depth: number, target: string, wh: WatchHelper, realpath: string): Promise<(() => void) | undefined>; now \_handleDir(dir: string, stats: Stats, initialAdd: boolean, depth... [npmjs.com](https://www.npmjs.com/package/chokidar/v/5.0.0) - **Signature changed** `handler.js:NodeFsHandler._handleRead` Was \_handleRead(directory: string, initialAdd: boolean, wh: WatchHelper, target: Path, dir: Path, depth: number, throttler: Throttler): Promise | undefined; now \_handleRead(directory: string, initialAdd: boolean, wh: WatchHelper... [npmjs.com](https://www.npmjs.com/package/chokidar/v/5.0.0) ## Check your code These are the changes. To see which of them reach your code, [scan a public repository](https://since.dev/scan.md), or have your coding agent call `check_code` with your manifest or lockfile over [MCP](https://since.dev/docs.md#mcp). [The API](https://since.dev/docs.md#api) reads every change in every version, not only the newest. On Team and up, a fix pull request opens for the changes that reach a connected repository. Nothing merges or deploys. ## Put your code on continuous management. Scan a public repository now, or give your agent one line. ### See how out of date your code is. [Scan a repository](https://since.dev/scan.md). Any public GitHub repository. No sign-in. ### Tell your agent what changed since it was trained. `claude mcp add --transport http since https://api.since.dev/mcp` --- Every page on this site as Markdown: https://since.dev/sitemap.md. For agents: https://since.dev/llms.txt.