Node Jest- Config paths must be specified

Question

I am running Jest test cases into a reactjs project. I am trying to debug my jest test cases in VS code. The tests run ok on command line. But when I launch debugger in VS code I see error.

Launch.json

{
        "version": "0.2.0",
        "configurations": [
            {
                "type": "node",
                "request": "launch",
                "name": "Jest Tests",
                "program": "${workspaceRoot}/xxx/xxx/node_modules/jest/bin/jest",
                "args": [
                    "-i"
                ],


                "internalConsoleOptions": "openOnSessionStart",
                "outFiles": [
                    "${workspaceRoot}/xxx/xxx/**/*"
                ]
            }
        ]
    }

Error

Debugger listening on ws://127.0.0.1:31182/2bf113f1-002f-49ed-ad91-5510affd172a
Debugger attached.
Error: Could not find a config file based on provided values:
path: "/Users/xxx/xxx/xxx-ui"
cwd: "/Users/xxx/xxx/xxx-ui"
Configh paths must be specified by either a direct path to a config
file, or a path to a directory. If directory is given, Jest will try to
traverse directory tree up, until it finds either "jest.config.js" or
"package.json".

Flummiboy · Answer 1 · 2020-04-15T08:50:15.993

8

Just specify -c option in your launch config:

{
        "name": "Debug Jest Tests",
        "type": "node",
        "request": "launch",
        "runtimeArgs": [
          "--inspect-brk",
          "{$PathToNPMRoot}/node_modules/jest/bin/jest.js",
          "--runInBand",
          "-c", "{$PathToConfig}/jest.config.js",
        ],
        "console": "integratedTerminal",
        "internalConsoleOptions": "neverOpen",
        "port": 9229
      },

You will have to replace {$PathToNPMRoot} and {$PathToConfig}

Source

edited Apr 15 '20 at 08:50

answered Apr 15 '20 at 08:38

Flummiboy

591
1
7
20

Strangely, I can run from the command line fine *without* a Jest config file... – Shawn Eary Feb 24 '22 at 22:31

score 5 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 01 '17 at 19:47

I'll tell you what did the trick for me.

As documentation says, in case that your code is not in the root of your project folder you should create a new config file to specify where jest is located in z .vscode folder, for example:

.vscode/settings.json

{
    "jest.pathToJest": "functions/node_modules/.bin/jest"
}

(You should replace "functions" to your own folder name, in case you have your code on your project's root you won't need to do the previous step)

After doing that I was still getting the same error as you even though I configured correctly the path to jest and my jest configuration was specified correctly on my package.json, then I moved my jest configuration to jest.config.js file on the root of my project and that was all, jest was now up and running after I used the command Jest: Start Runner.

//jest.config.js on root dir 
module.exports = { verbose: true };

I hope you can get it working

cheers!

What happens when there are multiple Jest paths per project? — Shawn Eary, Feb 24 '22 at 22:32

Shawn Eary · Answer 3 · 2022-02-24T23:30:42.930

I never created a Jest config file. Instead, I just set the working directory in the VSCode launch.json file:
How to configure vs code working directory in the launch.json

{
    // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.
    // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
    // For more information, visit: 
    // https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        // https://jestjs.io/docs/troubleshooting
        {
            "name": "Debug Jest Tests for Modules",   
     
            // https://stackoverflow.com/questions/47540627/
            // how-to-configure-vs-code-working-directory-in-the-launch-json
            "cwd": "${workspaceRoot}/pathToMyJestModuleTestDir",

            "type": "node",
            "request": "launch",
            "runtimeArgs": [
                "--inspect-brk",
                // https://stackoverflow.com/questions/60372790/
                // node-v13-jest-es6-native-support-for-modules-without-babel-or-esm
                "--experimental-vm-modules",
                "${workspaceRoot}/pathToMyJestModuleTestDir/node_modules/jest/bin/jest.js",
                "--runInBand"
            ],
            "console": "integratedTerminal",
            "internalConsoleOptions": "neverOpen",
            "port": 9229
        }
    ]
}

Values are for illustrative purposes only. They do not reflect what I use on my development machines.

The main thing to note here is the following line:

"cwd": "${workspaceRoot}/pathToMyJestModuleTestDir",

That line is explained in the SO Thread mentioned at the top of this answer.

this solution worked for me! i only encountered this issue came up for me when the project to test is in a subfolder and not in the root — Ali Khalil, Apr 17 '22 at 15:01

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered May 24 '21 at 00:14

I am new to Jest, as so I had this problem several times! and came back here several times, no solution! nothing worked. No matter how stupid it sounds, the problem was lacking the package.json, you cannot run without it. Maybe it is somewhere on the documentation, I am not very patient to keep reading documentation! Thus, test the obvious: if you created your package.json!!!

Node Jest- Config paths must be specified

Error

4 Answers4