The npm command is not found in my NodeJS docker container

Question

I created a Docker image:

$ docker build -t stephaneeybert/nodejs .
Sending build context to Docker daemon  2.56 kB
Step 1 : FROM debian
 ---> 1b088884749b
Step 2 : RUN apt-get clean && apt-get update
 ---> Using cache
 ---> b12133d6342f
Step 3 : RUN apt-get install -y curl
 ---> Using cache
 ---> 22dfb4882b12
Step 4 : RUN curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/creationix/nvm/v0.32.1/install.sh | bash
 ---> Using cache
 ---> 27f2fac45254
Step 5 : RUN . ~/.nvm/nvm.sh; nvm install stable
 ---> Using cache
 ---> 20d99d545755
Step 6 : RUN . ~/.nvm/nvm.sh; nvm use stable
 ---> Using cache
 ---> 9ec14efb2407
Step 7 : RUN . ~/.nvm/nvm.sh; npm install -g npm
 ---> Using cache
 ---> d264d38565f3
Step 8 : EXPOSE 9001
 ---> Using cache
 ---> 29e3589557e1
Step 9 : ENTRYPOINT /usr/bin/tail -f /dev/null
 ---> Using cache
 ---> 2ce499300fe1
Successfully built 2ce499300fe1

The image script is:

FROM debian

RUN apt-get clean && apt-get update
RUN apt-get install -y curl

# Installing nodesjs

RUN curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/creationix/nvm/v0.32.1/install.sh | bash

RUN . ~/.nvm/nvm.sh; nvm install stable
RUN . ~/.nvm/nvm.sh; nvm use stable
RUN . ~/.nvm/nvm.sh; npm install -g npm

EXPOSE 9001

ENTRYPOINT ["/usr/bin/tail", "-f", "/dev/null"]

Then I run the container and open a bash shell:

$ docker run -d -p 127.0.0.1:9001:9001 --name nodejs stephaneeybert/nodejs
c6dddf0a5eb0f11c897f63910eb01f2868fe0f39a80e5e2a580ef3a82935b27b
[stephane@stephane-ThinkPad-X301 nodejs]
$ docker exec -it nodejs bash
root@c6dddf0a5eb0:/#

Once in there, I try to get the version:

root@c6dddf0a5eb0:/# npm -v
bash: npm: command not found

But npm is not found.

When typing the command nvm use stable in the interactive shell, it give the following error: N/A: version "N/A" is not yet installed.

I understand there is an alias against a non existant node version.

The nvm ls command shows:

root@60446f9286d0:/# nvm ls
            N/A
node -> stable (-> N/A) (default)
iojs -> N/A (default)

The debugger has this to show:

root@60446f9286d0:/# nvm debug
nvm --version: v0.32.1
$SHELL: /bin/bash
$HOME: /root
$NVM_DIR: '$HOME/.nvm'
$PREFIX: ''
$NPM_CONFIG_PREFIX: ''
nvm current: none
which node: 
which iojs: 
which npm: 
npm config get prefix: bash: npm: command not found
npm root -g: bash: npm: command not found

1- How come I need to source this script . ~/.nvm/nvm.sh; on each command?

2- Why is my Node package manager not found in the bash shell?

EDIT: I changed a bit the content of the Dockerfile file:

RUN curl -o-https://raw.githubusercontent.com/creationix/nvm/v0.32.1/install.sh | bash \
  && . ~/.nvm/nvm.sh \
  && nvm install stable \
  && nvm alias default stable \
  && nvm use default

And building it now shows this:

Step 4 :RUN curl -o https://raw.githubusercontent.com/creationix/nvm/v0.32.1/install.sh | bash   && . ~/.nvm/nvm.sh   && nvm install stable   && nvm alias default stable   && nvm use default
 ---> Running in 7d2c404135dd
  % Total    % Received % Xferd  Average Speed   Time    Time     Time  Current
                                 Dload  Upload   Total   Spent    Left  Speed
100 10250  100 10250    0     0  18258      0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:-- 18238
=> Downloading nvm as script to '/root/.nvm'

=> Appending source string to /root/.bashrc
=> Close and reopen your terminal to start using nvm or run the following to use it now:

export NVM_DIR="/root/.nvm"
[ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && . "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"  # This loads nvm
######################################################################## 100.0%
Computing checksum with sha256sum
Checksums matched!
Now using node v7.2.0 (npm v3.10.9)
Creating default alias: default -> stable (-> v7.2.0 *)
default -> stable (-> v7.2.0 *)
Now using node v7.2.0 (npm v3.10.9)
 ---> ad960a4addbe
Removing intermediate container 7d2c404135dd
Step 5 : EXPOSE 9001
 ---> Running in df9284421302
 ---> 14d386f009fb
Removing intermediate container df9284421302
Step 6 : ENTRYPOINT /usr/bin/tail -f /dev/null
 ---> Running in fa2d71b6dfdf
 ---> d02c8e88eb7f
Removing intermediate container fa2d71b6dfdf
Successfully built d02c8e88eb7f

I can see it installed node v7.2.0 and is using it.

But when I log into the container with the command docker exec -it nodejs bash it does not see any node anywhere:

root@f8f2a32b462a:/# nvm --version   
0.32.1
root@f8f2a32b462a:/# npm --version   
bash: npm: command not found
root@f8f2a32b462a:/# echo $NVM_DIR   
/root/.nvm
root@f8f2a32b462a:/# ls -l /root/.nvm
total 100
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root   313 Nov 26 13:01 nvm-exec
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 95660 Nov 26 13:01 nvm.sh
root@f8f2a32b462a:/# ls -l /root/.npm
ls: cannot access /root/.npm: No such file or directory

Hav you tried to run a "nvm use stable" command before npm -v? Other question: why don't you use the official docker image of node? — Paolo Laurenti, Nov 21 '16 at 08:11
As you can see, that command `nvm use stable` was part of the script and executed fine. But when typing it in the interactive shell, it give the following error: `N/A: version "N/A" is not yet installed.` — Stephane, Nov 21 '16 at 08:19
Possible duplicate of [install nvm in docker](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/25899912/install-nvm-in-docker) — Paul, Nov 26 '16 at 16:28
doesn't matter to your problem, but `nvm use stable` is deprecated, you should use `nvm use node` or `nvm use iojs` instead. Agreed with @PaoloLaurenti as well, why not just use the official node docker image? — Paul, Nov 26 '16 at 16:42
My question is more for understanding something that I find puzzling, but it's not an issue I have. My dependent container in fact can see the node and use it just fine. I'm building my own image because I feel like :-) I'm a bit of a Docker noob and am happy to learn. — Stephane, Nov 26 '16 at 19:54

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 27 '16 at 09:24

I changed the way I install Node and did it without the nvm tool:

RUN curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_7.x | bash
RUN apt-get install -y nodejs

Now, when logging in the container, it can find the Node executable:

$ docker run -d -p 127.0.0.1:9001:9001 --name nodejs stephaneeybert/nodejs
f3a2f054934ef92a9b05486b6f6dbe53abd4390826c06d1b7a490d671d8e3422
[stephane@stephane-ThinkPad-X301 nodejs]
$ docker exec -it nodejs bash
root@f3a2f054934e:/# npm --version                                                                                                           
3.10.9

Maybe, when I was using the nvm tool, I should have sourced the npm command in the client shell . ~/.nvm/nvm.sh npm --version.

score -1 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 12 '19 at 13:07

For amazonlinux (Ubuntu Fedora) you can install it using yum like this inside the Dockerfile:

RUN curl -sL https://rpm.nodesource.com/setup_10.x | bash # for node version 10.x
RUN yum -y install nodejs
RUN node --version # optional to check that it worked
RUN npm --version # optional to check that it worked

Use docker build -t [name] [local_folder_like_dot]

Took me ages to google, don't know much about linux but it seems like every version is so different from the other. It's like google docker npm, use apt get nah doesn't work, figure out wth linux version amasonlinux is.. Ok called Fedora.. it has yum instead of apt.. ok .. you need to answer yes in the yum install, docker doesn't allow it just skips it then.. wth.. I can hackz0r it with | yes nah that just spams y forevah.. ok I canz killall nah not in Fedora.. okiz can yum installz without questionz askz??! -y

2h later and we have this :)

The npm command is not found in my NodeJS docker container

2 Answers2