How to get rid off the "default" property when loading modules with SystemJS?

Question

I have an AMD module which I want to load with SystemJS. I am able to do this but unfortunately I have to call it like this:

var Logdown = module.default;
var instance = new Logdown('Test');

I would like to skip making a call to .default, but I don't know how to get rid off this property. I think that this default is somehow assigned by the SystemJS loader.

This is my module:

logdown.js

define('Logdown', function() {
  function Logdown(name) {
    this.name = name;
  }

  Logdown.prototype.log = function() {
    console.log(this.name);
  };

  return Logdown;
});

And here is my SystemJS configuration:

SystemJS.config({
  baseURL: '/dist',
  map: {
    'logdown': 'lib/dynamic/logdown/logdown.js'
  }
});

Answer 1

TL;DR

Use the import ... from "..."; syntax instead of import ... = require("..."); when using named AMD modules in TypeScript code.

Explanation

My main application (using the Logdown module) is written in TypeScript and compiled to ES5 code. With this setup I noticed that there is a difference in the output depending on the TypeScript import syntax used.

Here are the differences:

import Logdown from "logdown";

export default class Main {

  constructor(message: string) {
    let logger: Logdown = new Logdown('Test');
    logger.log();
  }
}

Compiles to:

System.register(["logdown"], function(exports_1, context_1) {
  "use strict";
  var __moduleName = context_1 && context_1.id;
  var logdown_1;
  var Main;
  return {
    setters: [
      function(logdown_1_1) {
        logdown_1 = logdown_1_1;
      }],
    execute: function() {
      Main = (function() {
        function Main(message) {
          var logger = new logdown_1.default('Test');
          logger.log();
        }

        return Main;
      }());
      exports_1("default", Main);
    }
  }
});

And:

import Logdown = require("logdown");

export default class Main {

  constructor(message: string) {
    let logger: Logdown = new Logdown('Test');
    logger.log();
  }
}

Compiles to:

System.register(["logdown"], function(exports_1, context_1) {
    "use strict";
    var __moduleName = context_1 && context_1.id;
    var Logdown;
    var Main;
    return {
        setters:[
            function (Logdown_1) {
                Logdown = Logdown_1;
            }],
        execute: function() {
            Main = (function () {
                function Main(message) {
                    var logger = new Logdown('Test');
                    logger.log();
                }
                return Main;
            }());
            exports_1("default", Main);
        }
    }
});

The important part is that when using import Logdown from "logdown";, the compiled TypeScript code will create new instances like this var logger = new logdown_1.default('Test');.

But when using import Logdown = require("logdown");, then the compiled TypeScript code does not add a default property but instead creates instances like this: var logger = new Logdown('Test');.

So with the module type I have (a named AMD module), I need to use the import ... from "..."; synatx.