5 April 2024 Leave a comment Tech-Help
When working on test automation scripts with tools like Appium, Jasmine, and Perfecto Mobile, developers may encounter a common issue where the ‘node_modules’ directory is not recognized as a command. This problem often arises during the execution of the ‘npm test’ command.
Understanding the Issue
The error message ‘node_modules is not recognized as an internal or external command’ typically indicates that the system cannot locate the executable file within the ‘node_modules’ directory. This can happen when the path specified in the ‘package.json’ file is incorrect or not properly formatted.
Correcting the Script Path in package.json
In your ‘package.json’ file, you might have a scripts section that looks like this:
{
"scripts": {
"test": "node_modules/webdriverio/bin/wdio wdio.conf.js",
"start": "wdio wdio.conf.js"
}
}
To resolve the error, you need to adjust the path to the executable file. Here’s how you can correct it:
Method 1: Providing a Relative Path
Modify the ‘test’ script to include a relative path that points to the correct location of the ‘wdio’ executable within the ‘node_modules’ directory:
{
"scripts": {
"test": "node ./node_modules/webdriverio/bin/wdio wdio.conf.js",
"start": "wdio wdio.conf.js"
}
}
With this change, you’re explicitly telling the system to execute the ‘wdio’ command from the ‘node_modules’ directory using ‘node’.
Method 2: Simplifying the Command
Alternatively, you can simplify the command by removing the path to the ‘node_modules’ directory entirely, as ‘npm’ scripts are already configured to look for executables in the ‘node_modules/.bin’ directory:
{
"scripts": {
"test": "wdio wdio.conf.js",
"start": "wdio wdio.conf.js"
}
}
After making the necessary adjustments to your ‘package.json’ file, you should be able to run your test script without encountering the ‘node_modules is not recognized’ error.
Conclusion
When setting up automation scripts, a minor misconfiguration in the ‘package.json’ file can lead to errors that halt your progress. By ensuring that your script paths are correctly specified, you can avoid common pitfalls and maintain a smooth development workflow. If you encounter similar issues in the future, remember to verify the paths in your ‘package.json’ scripts for accuracy and clarity.
