Npm errors while I try to install dependencies in loopback (strongloop) webapp

Question

I am new in the NodeJS world. I have created an loopback(strongloop) webapp, but after it I try to run the npm install command in the application's folder I get this output in the terminal (Ubuntu server 14.04 withd newest updates - in a vagrant instance)

vagrant@vagrant-ubuntu-trusty-64:/vagrant/example-app$ npm install
npm WARN package.json example-app@1.0.0 No license field.
npm WARN optional dep failed, continuing ycssmin@1.0.1
npm WARN deprecated jsonstream@1.0.3: use JSONStream instead
npm WARN optional dep failed, continuing request@2.62.0
npm WARN optional dep failed, continuing loopback-explorer@1.8.0
npm ERR! Linux 3.13.0-62-generic
npm ERR! argv "/usr/bin/nodejs" "/usr/bin/npm" "install"
npm ERR! node v4.1.0
npm ERR! npm  v2.14.3
npm ERR! path ../node-uuid/bin/uuid
npm ERR! code EPROTO
npm ERR! errno -71
npm ERR! syscall symlink

npm ERR! EPROTO: protocol error, symlink '../node-uuid/bin/uuid' -> '/vagrant/example-app/node_modules/loopback-datasource-juggler/node_modules/.bin/uuid'
npm ERR!
npm ERR! If you need help, you may report this error at:
npm ERR!     <https://github.com/npm/npm/issues>
npm ERR! Linux 3.13.0-62-generic
npm ERR! argv "/usr/bin/nodejs" "/usr/bin/npm" "install"
npm ERR! node v4.1.0
npm ERR! npm  v2.14.3
npm ERR! path npm-debug.log.2d5bb41273f18b2da30958b9aa61bfe6
npm ERR! code ETXTBSY
npm ERR! errno -26
npm ERR! syscall rename

npm ERR! ETXTBSY: text file is busy, rename 'npm-debug.log.2d5bb41273f18b2da30958b9aa61bfe6' -> 'npm-debug.log'
npm ERR!

npm ERR! If you need help, you may report this error at:
npm ERR!     <https://github.com/npm/npm/issues>

npm ERR! Please include the following file with any support request:
npm ERR!     /vagrant/example-app/npm-debug.log

This is the generated package.json which has been generated by loopback framework:

{
  "name": "example-app",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "main": "server/server.js",
  "scripts": {
    "pretest": "jshint ."
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "compression": "^1.0.3",
    "cors": "^2.5.2",
    "loopback": "^2.22.0",
    "loopback-boot": "^2.6.5",
    "loopback-datasource-juggler": "^2.39.0",
    "serve-favicon": "^2.0.1"
  },
  "optionalDependencies": {
    "loopback-explorer": "^1.1.0"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "jshint": "^2.5.6"
  },
  "repository": {
    "type": "",
    "url": ""
  },
  "description": "example-app"
}

I have tried to run with sudo npm install but I have gotten exactly the same result.

Versions:

• Node v4.1.0
• Npm v2.14.3
• Vagrant 1.7.4
• Ubuntu Server 14.04.3 (with the newest updates)

Here is the npm-log file, it's very long.

If you know my mistake, do not hesitate, just answer :)

Answer 1

As said above, the synced/shared filesystem doesn't support symlinks.

SO, you can install node.js on your Windows host and execute npm install in the host code directory

Answer 2

The error happens, because your mounted shared directory (/vagrant) is on file system which doesn't support symbolic links.

To void this, you need to tell npm that your file system doesn't support symbolic links, e.g.

npm config set bin-links false

^{Source: npm doesn't work in vagrant at GH-7308}

or by specifying --no-bin-links argument for npm install which will prevent npm from creating symlinks for any binaries the package might contain.

---

Alternative way is to append this to your package.json file, e.g.

"config": {
  "bin-links": false
},

Answer 3

This is a problem with Vagrant/VirtualBox. Unfortunately, the synced/shared filesystem doesn't support symlinks.

If you don't require this functionality, the easiest thing to do is to just disable it in your Vagrantfile:

# ...
config.vm.synced_folder ".", "/vagrant", disabled: true
# ...

If you do require it, you may be able to find a work around now that you know it is a problem with symlink support, which npm uses for creating bins :-)

See https://docs.vagrantup.com/v2/synced-folders/basic_usage.html for more details.