Introduction
On this Byte we’ll attempt that will help you perceive and repair a typical npm error – “npm ERR! code ENOTEMPTY”. If you happen to’ve been working with Node.js and npm, chances are high you have encountered this error in some unspecified time in the future. However don’t be concerned, we’ll do our greatest to demystify it for you.
What’s “npm ERR! code ENOTEMPTY”?
“npm ERR! code ENOTEMPTY” is an error message that npm, the Node.js package deal supervisor, throws when it encounters a non-empty listing whereas trying to put in a package deal. The “ENOTEMPTY” a part of the error message is definitely a normal POSIX error code, which stands for “Error, Not Empty”. In easier phrases, npm is attempting to inform us that it might probably’t carry out the operation as a result of the goal listing isn’t empty.
Observe: The POSIX commonplace defines a set of working system interfaces to make sure compatibility between totally different techniques. ‘ENOTEMPTY’ is likely one of the many error codes outlined on this commonplace.
Widespread Causes of the Error
The “npm ERR! code ENOTEMPTY” error sometimes happens when npm tries to exchange a listing with a file through the set up course of, however finds that the listing isn’t empty. This may very well be as a result of a number of causes:
- Concurrent installations: If you happen to’re working a number of npm installations concurrently, they might intrude with one another.
- Earlier set up leftovers: If a earlier npm set up was interrupted or did not full efficiently, it might have left some information behind within the listing.
- Guide modifications: If you happen to’ve manually added information to the node_modules listing, npm may throw this error when it tries to replace or exchange a package deal.
The unlucky reality about errors like these is that you simply won’t
Methods to Repair “npm ERR! code ENOTEMPTY”
Now that we all know what causes the error, let us take a look at the way to remedy it.
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Delete node_modules: There could also be a problem along with your node_modules listing that’s stopping npm from putting in a brand new module there. This may very well be a corrupt state brought on by a earlier failed set up, manually altering contents of the listing, or one thing else. That is sometimes the answer that works for most individuals. Delete the listing with:
$ rm -r node_modulesTo be protected, you might even delete the
package-lock.jsonfile to make sure you get a full re-install. -
Clear the npm cache: The npm cache is sort of a storage for downloaded packages. Typically, this cache can develop into corrupted, resulting in errors. You’ll be able to clear the cache utilizing the next command:
$ npm cache clear --force -
Delete particular package deal: If you happen to’re
npm set uptakes a really very long time and also you’d slightly handle the precise downside, you possibly can attempt simply deleting the problematic package deal. For instance:$ rm -r node_modules/my_moduleThis fashion you possibly can take away solely the issue after which solely reinstall that package deal, rushing up the method.
Comparable Errors
Now, you could be questioning, what if I encounter an identical error however not precisely the npm ERR! code ENOTEMPTY? Nicely, npm has a variety of errors that it might probably throw, and whereas all of them have totally different causes, lots of them could be fastened utilizing comparable options.
As an example, npm ERR! code EEXIST is one other frequent error that happens when a file that npm wants to jot down already exists. Much like the earlier options, this could usually be fastened by deleting the offending file and working npm set up once more.
$ rm -rf offending-file
$ npm set up
One other error, npm ERR! code EACCES, happens when npm does not have the mandatory permissions to jot down to a file or listing. You’ll be able to usually repair this by altering the permissions of the file or listing with the chmod command.
$ chmod 755 offending-directory
$ npm set up
Conclusion
On this Byte, we have coated a number of frequent npm errors, particularly the npm ERR! code ENOTEMPTY error. We have realized about its frequent causes and the way to remedy it, in addition to different comparable errors and their options, broadening our understanding of npm and its quirks.
