npm install - javascript heap out of memory

Question

When running npm install -g ionic I get the following error:

FATAL ERROR: CALL_AND_RETRY_LAST Allocation failed - JavaScript heap out of memory

Is there a way to globally increase the node.js memory limit?

Can you tell us what OS are you using and what version node and npm is? — paolord, Oct 18 '16 at 16:03
Possible duplicate of [FATAL ERROR: CALL\_AND\_RETRY\_LAST Allocation failed - process out of memory](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/26094420/fatal-error-call-and-retry-last-allocation-failed-process-out-of-memory) — Ben Creasy, Feb 20 '18 at 23:53

score 62 · Accepted Answer · edited Jul 23 '20 at 17:18

62

You can launch NPM using :

node --max-old-space-size=8000 $(which npm) install -g ionic

As described here, the default is 4000 (4Gb).

edited Jul 23 '20 at 17:18

Manish Jangir

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answered Dec 02 '16 at 19:20

xShirase

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You can also launch : `node --max_old_space_size=8000 $(which npm) install -g ionic` – Kévin Berthommier Jul 10 '17 at 12:24
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The default V8 memory limit is 1.7 GB. – Joël Jan 11 '19 at 02:49
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use the option `NODE_OPTIONS=--max_old_space_size=4096` - Documentation : https://nodejs.org/api/cli.html#cli_node_options_options – sol404 May 27 '20 at 05:50
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Just want to point out that in my case, I got a `JavaScript heap out of memory` error because my machine didn't have enough memory. In this case, I had to *decrease* `max_old_space_size`, not increase it. – nullromo Jul 22 '20 at 21:47
Anyone knows the Windows equivalent for this command? I'm trying to do `npm i` but getting this "out of memory" error. – Aximili Jul 19 '21 at 10:02

score 22 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

22

I flagged this as a duplicate, but in case anyone happens across it, I posted the modern solution to this problem over at https://stackoverflow.com/a/48895989/4200039:

As of v8.0 shipped August 2017, the NODE_OPTIONS environment variable exposes this configuration (see NODE_OPTIONS has landed in 8.x!). Per the article, only options whitelisted in the source are permitted, which includes "--max_old_space_size".

So I put in my .bashrc: export NODE_OPTIONS=--max_old_space_size=4096

edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

Community

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answered Feb 20 '18 at 23:54

Ben Creasy

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I am trying to "npm publish" a .tgz with 650 MB size (unpacked 1.4 GB) and I get this issue. NODE_OPTIONS takes effect, but I get another error message ENOBUFS at the end. – Alexander Samoylov Aug 05 '21 at 14:57

score 14 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 12 '18 at 06:55

14

Run these commands

npm install -g increase-memory-limit

Run from the root location of your project:

increase-memory-limit

Look Here For more details https://www.npmjs.com/package/increase-memory-limit

answered Nov 12 '18 at 06:55

Fouzia Khan

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I tried this solution, but now "npm run dev" AND "npm install" hangs for ever! any tips to solve this? – Phil Jun 15 '22 at 16:05
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**deprecaded** As of Node.js v8.0 shipped August 2017, you can now use the NODE_OPTIONS environment variable to set the max_old_space_size globally: https://www.npmjs.com/package/increase-memory-limit – Facundo Colombier Aug 25 '22 at 18:34

score 11 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 18 '16 at 16:13

11

Try, node --max-old-space-size=<size> where size is in megabytes.

answered Oct 18 '16 at 16:13

paolord

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How do you set a node option when running npm install – Jay Dec 02 '16 at 18:46
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@Jayraj launch npm through node – xShirase Dec 02 '16 at 19:47

score 4 · Answer 5 · answered May 01 '21 at 16:14

4

I faced similar issue and this approach didn't work for me because I was using docker so I had to increase the memory size for docker itself to fix the issue:

Docker Screenshot

answered May 01 '21 at 16:14

Atul

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For people having this issue on their docker build, this is the solution. upvote! – Astral Cloud Dec 20 '21 at 13:07

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Mar 30 '23 at 04:57

0

In my case, I had a recursive function which I didn't observe.Recursion can make heap out of memory.

answered Mar 30 '23 at 04:57

Sarangani Sivarajah

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score -2 · Answer 7 · answered May 09 '21 at 11:31

-2

For Angular 11 / 10 in pacakge.json file make below changes

Source Link

"scripts": {
    "ng": "ng",
    "start": "node --max_old_space_size=2192 ./node_modules/@angular/cli/bin/ng serve",
    "build": "node --max_old_space_size=2192 ./node_modules/@angular/cli/bin/ng build",
   .....

},

answered May 09 '21 at 11:31

Code Spy

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These only show how to run ng commands, not npm install. – Kris Boyd Jul 18 '23 at 21:21

score -4 · Answer 8 · edited Mar 05 '20 at 21:14

-4

Solved for me, after running the command:

npm update

It will update all dependencies (be careful with broken changes). Maybe the webpack-cli dependency is the cause of this trouble.

edited Mar 05 '20 at 21:14

Das_Geek

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answered Mar 05 '20 at 16:28

Antonio Carlos L Oliveira

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score -4 · Answer 9 · answered Aug 11 '21 at 06:31

-4

Try this lifehack

NODE_OPTIONS="--max-old-space-size=2048" npm install -g ionic

answered Aug 11 '21 at 06:31

Donn Frederick

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The only thing this "new" answer does is to repeat what half of the other answers are already saying, including the accepted answer. – Tyler2P Aug 11 '21 at 11:21
Would actually argue that this is different, since its not calling node directly, but using the `NODE_OPTIONS` env variable. This allows you to prefix any command that runs node with it, without doing the `$(which )` thing – Ascherer Jun 02 '23 at 17:56

Robin Bruneel · Answer 10 · 2020-04-29T05:38:57.583

-5

I had an incorrect prefix in my .npmrc file. By moving to new company devices this path didn't match anymore with the old nodejs folder. On npm install the command freezes for a long time and throws an java out of heap exception without a suitable answer.

I've deleted it and it worked.

prefix=D:\development\nodejs

edited Apr 29 '20 at 05:38

answered Jul 15 '19 at 13:46

Robin Bruneel

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npm install - javascript heap out of memory

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