Local gulp not found (Try running: npm install gulp)

Question

I created a module (webapp-module-storage) which has the following definitions:

package.json

{
  "dependencies": {
    ...
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "gulp": "^3.9.1",
    ...
  },
  "name": "webapp-module-storage",
  "scripts": {
    "postinstall": "gulp build",
    "test": "gulp test"
  }
}

I thought I can use my module inside another module when installing it with:

npm install github:myorg/webapp-module-storage#master

However, when I install my module, I am getting this error:

Local gulp not found

Try running: npm install gulp

Screenshot

My understanding is, that gulp is shipped together with my module because I declared it in devDependencies but it looks like that my npm postinstall script cannot find gulp.

Am I missing something?

Possible duplicate of [What's the difference between dependencies, devDependencies and peerDependencies in npm package.json file?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/18875674/whats-the-difference-between-dependencies-devdependencies-and-peerdependencies) — Sven Schoenung, Jun 29 '16 at 20:24
Perform `npm i gulp -D` in folder project. Note: gulp4 can cause issues in old projects, for install a specific version use like this: `npm i gulp@3.9.1 -D` (ps `-D` for devDependencies) — Guilherme Nascimento, Mar 27 '19 at 03:12

score 194 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 10 '16 at 11:03

194

Try running npm link gulp in your application directory (to create a local link to the globally installed Gulp module).

answered Oct 10 '16 at 11:03

Fab Fuerste

2,181
1
7
15

Laravel / homestead user here. The above command didn't work for me, however `npm link gulp --no-bin-links` worked. – Lpgfmk Sep 14 '17 at 14:50
7

To clarify, `npm link [module]` creates a symlink from [module]'s global install folder to ./node_modules/[module] at the current path (`npm link` w/o name links packages, see [man page](https://github.com/npm/npm/blob/d46015256941ddfff1463338e3e2f8f77624a1ff/doc/cli/npm-link.md)) – techturbulence Oct 11 '17 at 09:43

score 22 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:54

22

Try installing your dependencies first:

npm install

If still does not work, install gulp globally:

npm install -g gulp

if you find problems installing it. type sudo before npm.

In case you need more info about why you need gulp globally and locally read this answer

edited May 23 '17 at 11:54

Community

1
1

answered Jun 29 '16 at 15:49

Sebastian S

797
5
14

1

Gulp is installed globally: `[17:51:24] CLI version 1.2.1` – Benny Neugebauer Jun 29 '16 at 15:51
Actually not in the application using my module. But I thought that it would grab `gulp` from the path of my module or my globally installed gulp. – Benny Neugebauer Jun 29 '16 at 15:57
1

Seems it is searching for the local gulp inside your project. How about install it locally, inside your project ? – Sebastian S Jun 29 '16 at 16:04

score 16 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 23 '17 at 06:32

16

I have tried all the solutions mentioned. At the end I was able to solve the problem by realising that the gulpfile.js file was missing on the location i was using the gulp. After placing the gulpfile.js in the folder from where I was executing gulp, it worked for me.

answered Jul 23 '17 at 06:32

Kapil Bhagchandani

443
4
15

I made the same mistake. I was one directory up from where I was suppose to be. This can easily happen if you are going full speed with setting up something like an Express Generator environment where you have multiple sub apps under a root location. I just needed to slow down. – klewis Jun 09 '21 at 14:39

Parikshit Singh · Answer 4 · 2020-06-21T22:42:26.830

2

npm link gulp --no-bin-links
Run this

where npm link gulp creates a local link to globally installed gulp module and --no-bin-links argument will prevent npm from creating symlinks for any binaries the package might contain.

You can't translate symlinks to a synchronized folder on Windows share, so you will need '--no-bin-links' to go around it.

Use it for any filesystem that doesn’t support symbolic links.

Symlinks, or symbolic links, are “virtual” files or folders which reference a physical file or folder located elsewhere, and are an important feature built in to many operating systems, including Linux and Windows.

edited Jun 21 '20 at 22:42

answered Jun 21 '20 at 21:25

Parikshit Singh

119
3

1

Hello! While this code may solve the question, [including an explanation](https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/114762) of how and why this solves the problem would really help to improve the quality of your post, and probably result in more up-votes. Remember that you are answering the question for readers in the future, not just the person asking now. Please [edit] your answer to add explanations and give an indication of what limitations and assumptions apply. – Brian Jun 21 '20 at 21:52
Thank you @Brain for pointing out :). I have edited it. – Parikshit Singh Jun 21 '20 at 22:43

score 0 · Answer 5 · edited Sep 05 '20 at 11:07

0

npm link gulp --force

Using this command worked well for me.

edited Sep 05 '20 at 11:07

David Buck

3,594
33
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answered Sep 04 '20 at 12:39

Agostinho de Pina Ramos

1

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Mar 31 '21 at 15:17

Put Gulp into the regular dependencies of the project:

npm i gulp

And then have your scripts section reference the local Gulp like that:

  "scripts": {
    "postinstall": "./node_modules/.bin/gulp build",
    "test": "./node_modules/.bin/gulp test"
  }

Local gulp not found (Try running: npm install gulp)

6 Answers6

Linked