nodejs module.js:340 error: cannot find module

Question

I installed nodejs in C:\Program Files (x86)\nodejs

then I created a .js file and saved it in my desktop just to output 'hello world' in the console:

console.log('hello world');

When I tried to run the file from the command prompt:

C:\Users\Laura>cd desktop
C:\Users\Laura\Desktop>node nodeTest.js

I get:

module.js:340
throw err;
      ^
Error: Cannot find module 'C:\Users\Laura\Desktop\testNode.js'
at Function.Module._resolveFilename (module.js:338:15)
at Function.Module._load (module.js:280:25)
at Function.Module.runMain (module.js:497:10)
at startup (node.js:119:16)
at node.js:901:3

I read many other related questions, and some of them recommend to run the install, and so I did.

C:\Users\Laura>npm install -g express

But no luck, still getting the same error message.

The part with `npm install -g express` does not make sense at all. — TheHippo, Sep 23 '13 at 23:04
From the error message I would suggest you misspelled the file name on your terminal / console. — TheHippo, Sep 23 '13 at 23:04
I did the misspelled when I was writing the question here, sorry; my bad. When I run it in the console I copied and pasted the name of the file. — Laura Martinez, Sep 24 '13 at 01:33
TheHippo thanks for your comment; I'm new with nodejs. I read on several other responses, to questions similar to this one, that running the install is the recommended thing to do. — Laura Martinez, Sep 24 '13 at 01:39
Did you use the `node.js command prompt` link or did you run `cmd` directly? — SheetJS, Oct 01 '13 at 00:44
I also got the same error please check your javascript file extension.. it should resolve your issue.. — Prasanna Aarthi, Jan 08 '14 at 04:52

Dana Woodman · Answer 1 · 2017-06-04T19:46:35.673

33

EDIT: This answer is outdated. With things like Yarn and NPM 5's lockfiles it is now easier to ensure you're dependencies are correct on platforms like Heroku

I had a similar issue related to node_modules being modified somehow locally but the change was not reflect on Heroku, causing my app to crash. It's relatively easy fix if this is your issue:

# Remove node_modules
rm -fr node_modules

# Reinstall packages
npm i

# Commit changes
git add node_modules
git commit -m 'Fix node_modules dependencies.'
git push heroku master

Hope that helps for others with a similar issue.

edited Jun 04 '17 at 19:46

answered Aug 07 '14 at 18:20

Dana Woodman

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9

You're correct with regards to the question asked. However, [it is a really bad idea to check in `node_modules`](http://stackoverflow.com/a/19416403/568785). Although Heroku recommends it, the Node.JS buildpack will automatically run `npm install` on deploy. There's no need to check code into your repository that isn't yours and then lump a bunch of atomic commits/changes to your dependencies into one commit. – Bailey Parker Aug 03 '15 at 05:26
1

I wrote this back when the recommended approach was to version control mode_modules, but yes for anyone reading this now try to avoid version controlling. – Dana Woodman Aug 03 '15 at 15:07
I used the first two commands (Remove node_modules/Reinstall packages) and works liek a charm. Thank you! – Ricardo Feb 11 '18 at 19:35

score 21 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:25

I was having the same problem with a server someone had written a while back. It turns out I didn't have a few things installed that the script required.

This question was helpful to me.

I ended up being able to use:

npm install yourMissingDependency

Although in your instance it may just be a file that it doesn't have a path to. You could try putting that file in the same folder you are running the node script from.

score 6 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 29 '14 at 09:29

6

I think the issue is the NODE_PATH environment variable. I had the same problem but once I issued (on Windows)

set NODE_PATH=C:\Users\MyUser\node_modules

then all worked ok.

Cheers,

answered Apr 29 '14 at 09:29

Jacek

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score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 04 '14 at 09:20

3

Restart your command prompt and check your path variable (type: path). If you can't find find nodejs installation dir from output add it to the path variable and remember to restart cdm again...

answered Feb 04 '14 at 09:20

OptimusC

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score 3 · Answer 5 · answered Feb 19 '14 at 23:02

I had a nearly identical issue, turned out my JS file wasn't actually in the folder I was calling it from, and I had gone one folder too deep. I went up one directory, ran the file, it recognized it, happily ever after.

Alternatively, if you go one folder up, and it gives you the same error, but about a different module, take that same file in your parent folder and move it into the subfolder you were previously trying to run things from.

TL;DR- your file or its module(s) is not in the folder you think it is. Go up one level

shmuli · Answer 6 · 2013-09-24T02:35:30.497

2

Try typing this into the Node command-line environment:

.load c:/users/laura/desktop/nodeTest.js.

It should work for what you're trying to do.

If you want to call the file directly, you'd have to have it in the root directory where your Node installation resides.

edited Sep 24 '13 at 02:35

answered Sep 24 '13 at 01:04

shmuli

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Thanks @Shmuli for your comment. As TheHippo and lightblade pointed out, when I submit my question I did a typo. The actual name of the file is testNode.js. Anyway, I tried your suggestion using the correct file name, but didn't work. I typed in: > .load .c:\users\laura\desktop\testNode.js I got: Failed to load:.c:\users\laura\desktop\testNode.js – Laura Martinez Sep 24 '13 at 01:47
Oh, sorry @Laura Martinez. You can do it like this instead: `.load c:/users/laura/desktop/testNode.js`. (had to take out the period before `c:/`...) I tried this and it works. Glad you figured out that it was a typo issue... I went back and corrected my answer. – shmuli Sep 24 '13 at 02:16
I'm still getting the fail message. > > .load c:/users/laura/desktop/testNode.js > Failed to load:c:/users/laura/desktop/testNode.js – Laura Martinez Sep 24 '13 at 02:29

score 2 · Answer 7 · answered Nov 20 '17 at 05:06

Hi fellow Phonegap/Cordova/Ionic developers,

  I solved this issue by doing the following

  1. C: drive -> Users -> "username" eg. john -> AppData -> Roaming

  2. Inside the "Roaming" folder you need to delete both "npm" and "npm-cache" 
       folder.

  3. Now build your project, and it should work

Happy coding!!!

score 1 · Answer 8 · answered Apr 30 '14 at 01:23

I faced the same problem. I just copied the testNode.js file(that contain the test code) and pasted into the root of nodejs directory manually. I tried this command C:\Program Files (x86)\nodejs>node testnode.js Bingo! I received this message.

enter image description here

Then I typed this url in a browser and received the message "Hello World". Hope this help somebody.

score 1 · Answer 9 · answered Oct 27 '16 at 22:56

1

You need to:

Remove the tick of Hide extensions for known file types from Windows Explorer folders option
Your file will appear as testNode.js.txt
Remove the trailing .txt so as the file to be resolved as JS file

That's it, now it works!

answered Oct 27 '16 at 22:56

Basim Hennawi

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score 0 · Answer 10 · answered Feb 15 '14 at 16:41

0

I had the same problem then I found that I wasn´t hitting the node server command in the proper directory where the server.js is located.

Hope this helps.

answered Feb 15 '14 at 16:41

Ricardo Fornes

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score 0 · Answer 11 · answered Apr 06 '14 at 20:59

0

Try npm install --production and then npm start.

answered Apr 06 '14 at 20:59

user1306285

1

score 0 · Answer 12 · answered Apr 08 '14 at 12:27

0

Easy way for this problem

npm link e

answered Apr 08 '14 at 12:27

trquoccuong

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score 0 · Answer 13 · answered Apr 10 '14 at 06:14

0

I also got this issue and this was due to wrong path that we mention while running. Check your file path and also make sure that there is no space between the name of your directory name.

answered Apr 10 '14 at 06:14

Bilal Ahmed Yaseen

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score 0 · Answer 14 · edited Aug 06 '14 at 02:56

Try npm start in Node.js Command Prompt.
Look at the end of the messages - it gives you the path of log file in "Additional Logging Details ..." something like c:\users\MyUser\npm-debug.log
Open this file in Notepad and find the real address of Node.exe : something like C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\\\node.exe
Try cd to this path
Call node.exe + <full path to your server file.js>
```
Server is listening on port 1337 !
```

score 0 · Answer 15 · answered Feb 01 '15 at 00:59

0

I had the same problem, but finally I tried copying the Node_modules folder in the same project folder, and it worked.

answered Feb 01 '15 at 00:59

George511

1
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score 0 · Answer 16 · edited Aug 19 '15 at 23:25

0

I executed following command and it works for me.

PM> npm install ee-first ee-first@1.1.0 node_modules\ee-first

edited Aug 19 '15 at 23:25

Najera

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answered Aug 19 '15 at 22:32

user5245285

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score 0 · Answer 17 · answered Sep 25 '19 at 12:29

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While i tried to run my first node application i had encountered the same issue but when i tried to see what the issue might be it was the path of the file. I was running the node .js from different location and hence encountered the issue. When i fixed the path this worked fine.

answered Sep 25 '19 at 12:29

mitesh shah

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Please improve your reply by adding code snippets, explanations that would resolve issue. – shuberman Sep 25 '19 at 12:46

score 0 · Answer 18 · answered Aug 10 '20 at 11:59

0

In my case, i got this error because i was just in the wrong directory. So node couldnt find the module that i wanted to run. Just be sure your node file is in your Desktop directory.

answered Aug 10 '20 at 11:59

B.G.

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score 0 · Answer 19 · answered Dec 02 '20 at 19:51

0

If you are using a framework like express, you need to put the package.json file into the folder you are using and don't forget change main name.

answered Dec 02 '20 at 19:51

Think out side the box

1

score 0 · Answer 20 · edited Apr 14 '22 at 11:48

0

Remove the fs extra from the path -

  path: 'D:\\FrontEnd Dev\\Git projects\\Appname-master\\node_modules\\webpack-manifest-plugin\\node_modules\\fs-extra\\package.json',
  requestPath: 'fs-extra'

And run the command npm i

edited Apr 14 '22 at 11:48

Jakub Kurdziel

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answered Apr 09 '22 at 17:13

Sanket Shelke

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score -1 · Answer 21 · answered Feb 01 '16 at 05:22

-1

Make sure you saved the file as JavaScript. Un check 'Hide extensions for all known type' check box in Folder Options window will show you the correct file extension(Folder>>view>>Option).

answered Feb 01 '16 at 05:22

Dennis Jose

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score -1 · Answer 22 · answered Oct 04 '16 at 11:39

-1

Faced the same problem while trying to run node-red.

node <directory structure where js  is located>/red. js

In my case it was :

node AppData/Roaming/npm/node_modules/node-red/red.js

answered Oct 04 '16 at 11:39

Siena

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nodejs module.js:340 error: cannot find module

22 Answers22

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