NPM task fails to run due to incorrect executable location
Platform notice: Server and Data Center only. This article only applies to Atlassian products on the Server and Data Center platforms.
Support for Server* products ended on February 15th 2024. If you are running a Server product, you can visit the Atlassian Server end of support announcement to review your migration options.
*Except Fisheye and Crucible
Problem
When running the NPM task, NPM outputs the help text instead of running the expected command.
The following appears in the build log:
command 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 Beginning to execute external process for build \n ... running command line: \n/path/to/npm/bin/npm /path/to/npm/bin/npm ...
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 Usage: npm <command>
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 where <command> is one of:
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 add-user, adduser, apihelp, author, bin, bugs, c, cache,
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 completion, config, ddp, dedupe, deprecate, docs, edit,
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 explore, faq, find, find-dupes, get, help, help-search,
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 home, i, info, init, install, isntall, issues, la, link,
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 list, ll, ln, login, ls, outdated, owner, pack, prefix,
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 prune, publish, r, rb, rebuild, remove, repo, restart, rm,
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 root, run-script, s, se, search, set, show, shrinkwrap,
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 star, stars, start, stop, submodule, tag, test, tst, un,
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 uninstall, unlink, unpublish, unstar, up, update, v,
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 version, view, whoami
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 npm <cmd> -h quick help on <cmd>
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 npm -l display full usage info
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 npm faq commonly asked questions
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 npm help <term> search for help on <term>
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 npm help npm involved overview
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 Specify configs in the ini-formatted file:
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 /path/to/.npmrc
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 or on the command line via: npm <command> --key value
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 Config info can be viewed via: npm help config
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00
build 11-Apr-2017 12:14:00 npm@1.3.24 /path/to/npmCause
The Bamboo task expects the Node.js executable, and creates the path to NPM from the Node.js path.
The NPM command runs as
/path/to/node.js /path/to/npm <commands>In this specific case, the issue can be caused by the Node.js executable Capability pointing to the NPM task instead of Node.js, where the command would be run as
/path/to/npm /path/to/npm <commands>
Resolution
Update the Node.js capability in Administration >> Overview >> Server capabilities to point to the Node.js executable.