Does not work with NPM workspaces

[ghost]

• Electron-Builder Version: 23.3.3

• Node Version: v18.3.0

• Electron Version: 20.1.0

• Electron Type (current, beta, nightly): current

• Target: win32 x64

electron builder does not work in npm workspace
it deletes app-builder-bin during "installing production dependencies" and then throws error:

• packaging       platform=win32 arch=x64 electron=20.1.0 appOutDir=dist\win-unpacked
The system cannot find the path specified.
  ⨯ spawn C:\Users\user\dev\test-workspace\node_modules\app-builder-bin\win\x64\app-builder.exe ENOENT

also it deletes more packages from node_modules, so next run throws

'electron-builder' is not recognized as an internal or external command

Reproduction:
npm run build -w a in test-workspace.zip

[paulantoine2]

For me, i just get stuck at installing production dependencies but the behavior is the same as above.

However, it's working with electron-builder version 22 !

[radoslavkarlik]

I am having the same or similar problem and found it started happening with npm 8.5.0 (node 16.14.1) because when I downgrade to 8.3.1 (that came with node 16.14.1) while keeping a higher node version, it works. Npm changelog says something about workspaces but I am not sure if its related.

[Hinaser]

Try to add build option below in your package.json which has main entry for electron app:

{
  "main": "build/electron/main.js",
  ...,
  "build": {
    ...,
    "npmRebuild": false
  }
}

[joshtynjala]

Confirmed that setting npmRebuild to false works for my project, but I suspect it is not a universal workaround.

It looks like this code is where the installing production dependencies happens:

electron-builder/packages/app-builder-lib/src/util/yarn.ts

Lines 86 to 120 in 01c6791

	function installDependencies(appDir: string, options: RebuildOptions): Promise<any> {
	const platform = options.platform || process.platform
	const arch = options.arch || process.arch
	const additionalArgs = options.additionalArgs
	log.info({ platform, arch, appDir }, `installing production dependencies`)
	let execPath = process.env.npm_execpath || process.env.NPM_CLI_JS
	const execArgs = ["install"]
	const isYarnBerry = checkYarnBerry()
	if (!isYarnBerry) {
	if (process.env.NPM_NO_BIN_LINKS === "true") {
	execArgs.push("--no-bin-links")
	}
	execArgs.push("--production")
	}
	if (!isRunningYarn(execPath)) {
	execArgs.push("--prefer-offline")
	}
	if (execPath == null) {
	execPath = getPackageToolPath()
	} else if (!isYarnBerry) {
	execArgs.unshift(execPath)
	execPath = process.env.npm_node_execpath || process.env.NODE_EXE || "node"
	}
	if (additionalArgs != null) {
	execArgs.push(...additionalArgs)
	}
	return spawn(execPath, execArgs, {
	cwd: appDir,
	env: getGypEnv(options.frameworkInfo, platform, arch, options.buildFromSource === true),
	})
	}

It seems to be running node install --production. I'm guessing that this command is deleting dependencies needed by electron-builder, including the mentioned app-builder-bin.

[nanamicat]

Setting npmRebuild to false works for me, but I worry disable rebuild may break native dependencies;

Another problem is when depend on a non-exact electron version like ^23.1.0, it can't find installed electron package and will throw.

It should use require.resolve() or require.resolve.paths() to search packages and not assume in {pwd}/node_modules

[jkroepke]

I look into the code and figure out that create an empty node_module directory on the specific project where electron-builds solve my issue here. npm rebuild works fine in my case.

See https://github.com/MuhammedKalkan/OpenLens/blob/c4b099462f9e4cdf405d02993a40e5563278bfd1/.github/workflows/main.yml#L47-L49 for a living example.

electron-builder checks, if there is an node_modules dir on the current dir

electron-builder/packages/app-builder-lib/src/util/yarn.ts

Lines 11 to 16 in 80a3ae8

	for (const fileOrDir of ["node_modules", ".pnp.js"]) {
	if (await pathExists(path.join(appDir, fileOrDir))) {
	isDependenciesInstalled = true
	break
	}
	}

and if not, it just runs npm install again which may not work in npm workspace scenarios.

---

An alternative solution is npmRebuild=false and postinstall: "electron-rebuild". This is, what this project is using, however it will not work in cross-compile scenarios.

[github-actions]

This issue is stale because it has been open 60 days with no activity. Remove stale label or comment or this will be closed in 30 days.

[jkroepke]

still an issue

[BrunoSoaresEngineering]

Yes, still an issue: having to create an empty 'node_modules' folder on every workspace and having to fix the version of Electron on package.json is very annoying...

[mmaietta]

Very intereesting.

Is there a proper way to detect if we're in a npm workspace and can discern that dependencies are already installed?

[vincesp]

Very intereesting.

Is there a proper way to detect if we're in a npm workspace and can discern that dependencies are already installed?

getElectronVersionFromInstalled(projectDir) is trying to implement its own package resolution algorithm which probably is not a good idea. A better solution could be:

cd ${projectDir}
node -p "require.resolve('electron')"

(…or node -p "import.meta.resolve('electron')" if project is a module.)

[mmaietta]

I'm wondering if I could just copy this implementation.
https://github.com/electron/rebuild/blob/main/src/electron-locator.ts

[vincesp]

It is important that the resolve() takes place in the context of the electron project, not in the context of the electron-builder itself.

[github-actions]

This issue is stale because it has been open 60 days with no activity. Remove stale label or comment or this will be closed in 30 days.

[rotu]

not stale

[github-actions]

This issue is stale because it has been open 60 days with no activity. Remove stale label or comment or this will be closed in 30 days.

[rotu]

still not stale

[github-actions]

This issue is stale because it has been open 60 days with no activity. Remove stale label or comment or this will be closed in 30 days.

[rotu]

still not stale

[vincesp]

still not stale

[codebymaribel]

still not stale

[scottcorgan]

Yes, still very much a difficult issue

[vincesp]

Implementation of getElectronVersionFromInstalled() still needs to be fixed.

[scriptcoded]

For anyone looking for a workaround, here's the summary.

1. You need to pin your version of electron (ie. not use a range like ^ or ~). Only this package has to be pinned. Example:

   "dependencies": {
     "electron": "31.4.0",
     "electron-builder": "^24.13.3" // other related packages can still use ranges
   }

2. You need to have an empty node_modules folder in your package directory, otherwise NPM hangs during install (I have no clue why). An easy way of making sure this is always the case is to use a preinstall script in your package.json for the package which uses electron:

   {
     "scripts": {
       "preinstall": "mkdir -p node_modules"
     }
   }

   And if you need this to work cross-platform (looking at you Windows) you could use something like shx:

   {
     "scripts": {
       "preinstall": "shx mkdir -p node_modules"
     }
   }