AWS SAM - Esbuild Failed: cannot find esbuild

Question

I'm trying out AWS SAM with nodeJS and Typescript using 'sam init', but when I want to build the example hello-world-typescript application using 'sam build', I get the following message:

Building codeuri: C:\RF\GitHub\rf-09-06\hello-world runtime: nodejs14.x metadata: {'BuildMethod': 'esbuild', 'BuildProperties': {'Minify': True, 'Target': 'es2020', 'Sourcemap': True, 'EntryPoints': ['app.ts']}} architecture: x86_64 functions: ['HelloWorldFunction']
Running NodejsNpmEsbuildBuilder:CopySource
Running NodejsNpmEsbuildBuilder:NpmInstall
Running NodejsNpmEsbuildBuilder:EsbuildBundle

Build Failed
Error: NodejsNpmEsbuildBuilder:EsbuildBundle - Esbuild Failed: cannot find esbuild

Any idea how to resolve it?

Thanks!

Kling

I would suggest using @vercel/ncc for a less disruptive build process. You can keep the node_modules and other files like package.json as is in their original location, instead of moving stuff around. – Stiffen

Answer 1

It can be solved in either of the 2 ways:

1. Install esbuild globally using npm install -g esbuild

2. As mentioned in the AWS SAM github issues, move esbuild to non-dev dependency (npm install esbuild) - Since esbuild will bundle your code, it won't be packaged in your Lambda.

PS: latest version of hello-world-typescript has this already corrected as mentioned in point 2.

Parasitism

This should be the preferred answer! – Caresa

This actually solved the problem for me. [AWS CodeBuild] – Chiles

Neither solution works. Upon trying to install esbuild globally, the install.js file under esbuild can't be found within the global node_modules folder. Using NVM results in same, just within the nvm global node_modules folder. Trying to install locally results in same error, within the local node_modules folder. – Mettah

I was exhausted on trying the 1st option, thanks for the 2nd, it worked – Fibriform

Answer 2

I had to install esbuild globally to get this working npm install -g esbuild

Hanks

BEWARE: This fixes the problem but it might introduce inconsistencies among versions of esbuild. Please, refer the @Parasitism for better explanation – Caresa

Answer 3

I was encountering this issue as well. I put sam build as an npm script so that it looks at your project's node_modules.

package.json

{
  ...
  "scripts": {
    "build": "sam build"
  }
}

This way you don't have to install esbuild globally. Then just npm run build or yarn build

Euchre

Answer 4

install esbuild, you can use npm for that

npm install esbuild

Blister

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It has been installed, but still no luck. What else it can be? – Kling

Answer 5

You can install esbuild as development dependency and run sam build in package manager (ex: pnpm) scope

example:

pnpm sam build

Glennaglennie