import { promises as fs } from "fs"; const read_file = async (fname) => { try { let file = await fs.open(fname, 'r'); let stat = await file.stat(); let buffer = Buffer.alloc(stat.size); let result = await file.read(buffer, 0, stat.size, null); console.log(`Read ${result.bytesRead} bytes: ${result.buffer.toString()}`); } catch(err) { console.log("ERROR", err); } } // This only works if your package.json has "type": "module", // or if you name the file async.mjs. await read_file('test.txt');