NPM install fails with node-gyp

Question

We are having problems running "npm install" on our project. A certain file cannot be found :

fatal error C1083: Cannot open include file: 'windows.h'

It appears to be coming from the node-gyp module :

c:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\node_modules\node-gyp\src\win_delay_lo ad_hook.c(13):

fatal error C1083: Cannot open include file: 'windows.h': No suc h file or directory [D:\ngs-frontend-next\node_modules\browser-sync\node_module s\socket.io\node_modules\engine.io\node_modules\ws\node_modules\bufferutil\buil d\binding.sln]

This node-gyp seems to be a never ending source of pain for us. At first it complained that it needed python, so we installed that. Then it complained that it needed VCBuild, which we installed (using .NET 2.0 SDK), now we have this error. It's almost as if the errors are getting more and more obscure, and it feels like we are going down some wrong path.

The strange thing is, that other people in our team have zero problems running the npm-install.

The full error looks like this :

c:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\node_modules\node-gyp\src\win_delay_lo ad_hook.c(13):

fatal error C1083: Cannot open include file: 'windows.h': No suc h file or directory [D:\ngs-frontend-next\node_modules\browser-sync\node_module s\socket.io\node_modules\engine.io\node_modules\ws\node_modules\bufferutil\buil d\binding.sln]

gyp ERR! build error gyp ERR! stack Error: C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\msbuild.exe failed with exit code: 1 stack at ChildProcess.onExit (C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\node _modules\node-gyp\lib\build.js:270:23) gyp ERR! stack at emitTwo (events.js:87:13) gyp ERR! stack at ChildProcess.emit (events.js:172:7) gyp ERR! stack at Process.ChildProcess._handle.onexit (internal/child_proces s.js:200:12) gyp ERR! System Windows_NT 6.1.7601 gyp ERR! command "C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe" "C:\Program Files\nodej s\node_modules\npm\node_modules\node-gyp\bin\node-gyp.js" "rebuild" gyp ERR! cwd D:\ngs-frontend-next\node_modules\browser-sync\node_modules\socket. io\node_modules\engine.io\node_modules\ws\node_modules\bufferutil gyp ERR! node -v v4.2.2 gyp ERR! node-gyp -v v3.0.3 gyp ERR! not ok npm WARN optional dep failed, continuing utf-8-validate@1.2.1

gifsicle@3.0.3 postinstall D:\ngs-frontend-next\node_modules\gulp-imagemin\nod e_modules\imagemin\node_modules\imagemin-gifsicle\node_modules\gifsicle node lib/install.js

Out pacakge.json looks like this :

{
  "name": "Fast-nunjucks",
  "version": "0.0.1",
  "description": "A simple boilerplate using nunjucks as a template engine",
  "main": "index.js",
  "scripts": {
    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
  },
  "repository": {
    "type": "git",
    "url": "https://github.com/willianjusten/Fast-nunjucks.git"
  },
  "keywords": [
    "nunjucks",
    "node",
    "gulp",
    "stylus"
  ],
  "author": "Willian Justen de Vasconcellos",
  "license": "ISC",
  "bugs": {
    "url": "https://github.com/willianjusten/Fast-nunjucks/issues"
  },
  "homepage": "https://github.com/willianjusten/Fast-nunjucks",
  "devDependencies": {
    "autoprefixer-stylus": "^0.7.1",
    "browser-sync": "^2.8.2",
    "gulp": "^3.9.0",
    "gulp-cache": "^0.3.0",
    "gulp-concat": "^2.6.0",
    "gulp-if": "^1.2.5",
    "gulp-imagemin": "^2.3.0",
    "gulp-minify-html": "^1.0.4",
    "gulp-nunjucks-html": "^1.2.2",
    "gulp-order": "^1.1.1",
    "gulp-plumber": "^1.0.1",
    "gulp-stylus": "^2.0.6",
    "gulp-uglify": "^1.2.0",
    "gulp-util": "^3.0.6",
    "jeet": "^6.1.2",
    "kouto-swiss": "^0.11.13",
    "minimist": "^1.1.3",
    "rupture": "^0.6.1"
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "gulp-install": "^0.6.0"
  }
}

Answer 1

For Windows 8 or 10:

Assuming node and npm installed already.

My node and npm version (At the time of writing this answer) :

node : 8.9.4

npm : 5.6.0

1. First install python 2.x

2. Make sure it is available on path

3. Install Visual Studio Installer

4. After installation, run it

5. A new interface will open it where you can select various options.
6. Now select Build Tools for Visual Studio 2017 from the available options and install it. You don't need to install Visual Studio.

After the installation it should work perfectly.

Answer 2

The last time I saw a similar error it was because I was using the wrong version of npm and/or node for one of my dependencies. Try upgrading these and try again.

Before trying again remove your node_modules directory.

You may need to investigate what versions of npm and node your dependencies need. You could try the latest versions of all your dependencies, node and npm.

Check what versions your colleagues are using.

What OS are you using? That can have an impact as version of CLANG maybe different.

Answer 3

Hey please try to install the windows build tools (global npm package)

This will fix your problem :-) You should be able to use your npm install command afterwards.

Answer 4

Try to install again with --force option:

npm install --force

If this doesn't work try to update npm globally:

npm update -g npm 

and try again with the --force option.

Answer 5

Post my solution here in case anyone like me using Windows 10 still has the error after installing many Microsoft associated build tools.

All you need are:

Windows 10 64 bit

python 2.7.x

Visual Studio 2013

I've tried Visual Studio 2015 before but it didn't work at all.

---

1. First of all, I uninstall all the Microsoft associated build tools. (If you didn't install anything to try to solve this problem before, skip this step.)

2. Install Visual Studio 2013.

3. Config npm as @Sourav said:

Config python:

npm config set python /path/to/python2.7

Config msvs_version:

npm config set msvs_version 2013

Run a npm install or the npm command which occurs this error. It works for me!

BTW, this solution is from here.

Answer 6

The error messages have caused confusion for me and have not helped me in resolving the errors completely.

The README.md for node-gyp project does a better job of listing down the installation instructions for Unix, Max OS X and Windows.

In Windows systems you can either go with Option 1 or Option 2 but the main thing is that you need to install the Visual C++ Build Tools.

The following quote is from the Windows installation section:

• On Windows:
  • Visual C++ Build Environment:
    • Option 1: Install Visual C++ Build Tools using the Default Install option.
    • Option 2: Install Visual Studio 2015 (or modify an existing installation) and select Common Tools for Visual C++ during setup. This also works with the free Community and Express for Desktop editions.
    
    [Windows Vista / 7 only] requires .NET Framework 4.5.1
  • Install Python 2.7 (v3.x.x is not supported), and run

    npm config set python python2.7

    (or see below for further instructions on specifying the proper Python version and path.)
  • Launch cmd,

    npm config set msvs_version 2015

If the above steps didn't work for you, please visit Microsoft's Node.js Guidelines for Windows for additional tips.

Common instructions for Python configuration:

If you have multiple Python versions installed, you can identify which Python version node-gyp uses by setting the '--python' variable:

$ node-gyp --python /path/to/python2.7

If node-gyp is called by way of npm and you have multiple versions of Python installed, then you can set npm's 'python' config key to the appropriate value:

$ npm config set python /path/to/executable/python2.7

Successfully configured my system following the above instructions.

System Info

λ ver

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]

λ node -v
v6.2.0
λ npm -v
3.9.2

Links to relevant tools / articles:

Visual C++ Build Tools

Visual Studio 2015

.NET Framework 4.5.1

Python 2.7

Microsoft's Node.js Guidelines for Windows