Question

Functions on App Platform: `npm: Command not found` during remote build

I have a node.js function set up, which works fine using the CLI to deploy to a development workspace. Now I’m trying to deploy it as part of an app. I push the code to GitHub and the build is triggered, but I get this:

[2023-03-09 16:39:12] ╭──────────── git repo clone ───────────╼
[2023-03-09 16:39:12] │  › fetching app source code
[2023-03-09 16:39:12] │ => Selecting branch "deploy"
[2023-03-09 16:39:13] │ => Checking out commit "c670dcbcdada6094f6bd002a0e5c7c3f1ab7139a"
[2023-03-09 16:39:13] │ 
[2023-03-09 16:39:13] │  ✔ cloned repo to /.app_platform_workspace
[2023-03-09 16:39:13] ╰────────────────────────────────────────╼
[2023-03-09 16:39:13] 
[2023-03-09 16:39:13]  › applying source directory functions
[2023-03-09 16:39:13]  ✔ using workspace root /.app_platform_workspace/functions
[2023-03-09 16:39:13] 
[2023-03-09 16:39:16]  › validating project.yml configuration
[2023-03-09 16:39:17]  ✔ project.yml is valid
[2023-03-09 16:39:17]  › preparing build environment
[2023-03-09 16:39:18] 
[2023-03-09 16:39:18] ╭──────────── project build ───────────╼
[2023-03-09 16:39:19] │ Started running npm install && npm run build in /.app_platform_workspace/functions/lib
[2023-03-09 16:39:19] │ /bin/bash: line 1: npm: command not found
[2023-03-09 16:39:19] │ 
[2023-03-09 16:39:19] │  ›   Error: 'npm install' exited with code 127
[2023-03-09 16:39:19] │ 
[2023-03-09 16:39:19] │ command exited with code 1
[2023-03-09 16:39:19] │ 
[2023-03-09 16:39:20] │  ✘ build failed

The remote build process seems unable to find its own npm binary. Any advice will be gratefully received.


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Bobby Iliev
Site Moderator
Site Moderator badge
March 10, 2023

Hi there,

This is quite interesting, do you have your package.json file committed to your GitHub repository?

I’ve just tested this out with the following sample Node.js function and it seems to be picking up the Node and npm binaries as exepcted:

https://github.com/digitalocean/sample-functions-nodejs-qrcode

Best,

Bobby

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