Node.js v18 compatibility broken with JSON import assertions

[xqsit94]

Problem

The application fails to run in Zed editor (which uses Node.js v18.19.0) with a syntax error when trying to load package.json using the JSON import assertion syntax.

Error

SyntaxError: Unexpected token 'with'

This appears in Zed logs when attempting to initialize the ACP agent.

Root Cause

After updating @types/node from 24.10.1 to 25.0.0 (commit 634f1ef), the code started using the JSON import assertion syntax:

import packageJson from "../package.json" with { type: "json" }

The with keyword for import assertions is only supported in Node.js 20.10.0 and later. Zed editor bundles Node.js v18.19.0, which doesn't support this syntax.

Details

• Affected file: /src/acp-agent.ts
• @types/node version that introduced the issue: 25.0.0
• Zed's Node.js version: v18.19.0
• Minimum Node.js version supporting import assertions: v20.10.0

Impact

• ACP agent cannot initialize in Zed editor
• Users running Zed cannot use Claude Code ACP
• The application is completely broken for Zed users

Suggested Fix

Use createRequire from the node:module package instead, which is compatible with Node.js v18:

import { createRequire } from "node:module";

const require = createRequire(import.meta.url);
const packageJson = require("../package.json");

This approach maintains ES module compatibility while working with Node.js v18.19.0.

[benbrandt]

@xqsit94 the bundled version of node in Zed is v24

what version of zed do you have installed? I hasn't been 18 for some time. What is likely happening is we are finding a local version of node on your path and using that instead.

Can you check which version of node you have installed?