Error: Failed to fetch plugin from a URL

[neoassyrian]

Description:
ionic cordova plugin add {URL} fails.
I tried to add the WKWebView as an example on a brand new ionic app, and it failed.
ionic cordova plugin add https://github.com/ionic-team/cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine.git --save

However, if I run the command without the "ionic" (i.e. using Cordova) it works fine. However, when packaging in the Ionic Cloud, it doesn't seem to work.

cordova plugin add https://github.com/ionic-team/cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine.git --save

Steps to Reproduce:
Create a new Ionic Blank App
Run: ionic cordova plugin add https://github.com/ionic-team/cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine.git --save

Output:
C:\mobile\TestApp>ionic cordova plugin add https://github.com/ionic-team/cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine.git --save

cordova plugin add https://github.com/ionic-team/cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine.git --save
× Running command - failed!
[ERROR] An error occurred while running cordova plugin add

    https://github.com/ionic-team/cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine... (exit code 1):

    Error: Failed to fetch plugin https://github.com/ionic-team/cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine.git via registry.
    Probably this is either a connection problem, or plugin spec is incorrect.
    Check your connection and plugin name/version/URL.
    Error: cmd: Command failed with exit code 1 Error output:
    npm WARN addRemoteGit Error: Command failed: git -c core.longpaths=true config --get remote.origin.url
    npm WARN addRemoteGit
    npm WARN addRemoteGit     at ChildProcess.exithandler (child_process.js:204:12)
    npm WARN addRemoteGit     at emitTwo (events.js:106:13)
    npm WARN addRemoteGit     at ChildProcess.emit (events.js:191:7)
    npm WARN addRemoteGit     at maybeClose (internal/child_process.js:886:16)
    npm WARN addRemoteGit     at Socket.<anonymous> (internal/child_process.js:342:11)
    npm WARN addRemoteGit     at emitOne (events.js:96:13)
    npm WARN addRemoteGit     at Socket.emit (events.js:188:7)
    npm WARN addRemoteGit     at Pipe._handle.close [as _onclose] (net.js:497:12)
    npm WARN addRemoteGit  git+https://github.com/ionic-team/cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine.git resetting remote
    C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\_git-remotes\git-https-github-com-ionic-team-cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine-git-ae2e0322
    because of error: { Error: Command failed: git -c core.longpaths=true config --get remote.origin.url
    npm WARN addRemoteGit
    npm WARN addRemoteGit     at ChildProcess.exithandler (child_process.js:204:12)
    npm WARN addRemoteGit     at emitTwo (events.js:106:13)
    npm WARN addRemoteGit     at ChildProcess.emit (events.js:191:7)
    npm WARN addRemoteGit     at maybeClose (internal/child_process.js:886:16)
    npm WARN addRemoteGit     at Socket.<anonymous> (internal/child_process.js:342:11)
    npm WARN addRemoteGit     at emitOne (events.js:96:13)
    npm WARN addRemoteGit     at Socket.emit (events.js:188:7)
    npm WARN addRemoteGit     at Pipe._handle.close [as _onclose] (net.js:497:12)
    npm WARN addRemoteGit   killed: false,
    npm WARN addRemoteGit   code: 1,
    npm WARN addRemoteGit   signal: null,
    npm WARN addRemoteGit   cmd: 'git -c core.longpaths=true config --get remote.origin.url' }
    npm ERR! git clone --template=C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\_git-remotes\_templates --mirror
    https://github.com/ionic-team/cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine.git
    C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\_git-remotes\git-https-github-com-ionic-team-cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine-git-ae2e0322:
    Cloning into bare repository
    'C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\_git-remotes\git-https-github-com-ionic-team-cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine-git-ae2e0322'...
    npm ERR! git clone --template=C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\_git-remotes\_templates --mirror
    https://github.com/ionic-team/cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine.git
    C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\_git-remotes\git-https-github-com-ionic-team-cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine-git-ae2e0322:
    fatal: Unable to find remote helper for 'https'
    npm ERR! Windows_NT 10.0.14393
    npm ERR! argv "C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node.exe" "C:\\Program
    Files\\nodejs\\node_modules\\npm\\bin\\npm-cli.js" "install"
    "https://github.com/ionic-team/cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine.git" "--save"
    npm ERR! node v6.10.3
    npm ERR! npm  v3.10.10
    npm ERR! code 128

    npm ERR! Command failed: git -c core.longpaths=true clone
    --template=C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\_git-remotes\_templates --mirror
    https://github.com/ionic-team/cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine.git
    C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\_git-remotes\git-https-github-com-ionic-team-cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine-git-ae2e0322
    npm ERR! Cloning into bare repository
    'C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\_git-remotes\git-https-github-com-ionic-team-cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine-git-ae2e0322'...
    npm ERR! fatal: Unable to find remote helper for 'https'
    npm ERR!
    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!     C:\mobile\TestApp\node_modules\npm-debug.log

My ionic info:

cli packages: (C:\mobile\TestApp\node_modules)

@ionic/cli-utils  : 1.9.2
ionic (Ionic CLI) : 3.9.2

global packages:

Cordova CLI : 7.0.1

local packages:

@ionic/app-scripts : 2.1.4
Cordova Platforms  : android 6.2.3 browser 4.1.0 ios 4.4.0
Ionic Framework    : ionic-angular 3.6.0

System:

Node : v6.10.3
npm  : 3.10.10
OS   : Windows 10

Other Information:

[imhoffd]

Looks like this is your issue: fatal: Unable to find remote helper for 'https'

Try updating git on your machine.

[neoassyrian]

I had git version 2.13.1 on Windows
I updated to the latest git 2.14.1 now I get a different error.

How come running the same command directly using cordova command, works fine??

Also, the original issue is happening on 2 different computers.

[imhoffd]

I'm not sure yet. What's the new error?

[neoassyrian]

    Error: Failed to fetch plugin https://github.com/ionic-team/cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine.git via registry.
    Probably this is either a connection problem, or plugin spec is incorrect.
    Check your connection and plugin name/version/URL.
    Error: cmd: Command failed with exit code 1 Error output:
    npm ERR! git submodule -q update --init --recursive: fatal: 'submodule' appears to be a git command, but we were
    not
    npm ERR! git submodule -q update --init --recursive: able to execute it. Maybe git-submodule is broken?
    npm ERR! git submodule -q update --init --recursive:
    npm ERR! Windows_NT 10.0.14393
    npm ERR! argv "C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node.exe" "C:\\Program
    Files\\nodejs\\node_modules\\npm\\bin\\npm-cli.js" "install"
    "https://github.com/ionic-team/cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine.git" "--save"
    npm ERR! node v6.10.3
    npm ERR! npm  v3.10.10
    npm ERR! code 128

    npm ERR! Command failed: git -c core.longpaths=true submodule -q update --init --recursive
    npm ERR! fatal: 'submodule' appears to be a git command, but we were not
    npm ERR! able to execute it. Maybe git-submodule is broken?
    npm ERR!
    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!     C:\mobile\TestApp\node_modules\npm-debug.log

[imhoffd]

How did you install git? It seems to have issues.
What shell are you using?
What's the output of: git --exec-path ?

[neoassyrian]

I just went to the Git web site and downloaded the Git windows installer and installed it
the output of: git --exec-path:
C:\Program Files\Git\mingw64/libexec/git-core

[imhoffd]

What does git submodule -h output?

[neoassyrian]

C:\mobile\TestApp>git submodule -h
usage: git submodule [--quiet] add [-b ] [-f|--force] [--name ] [--reference ] [--] []
or: git submodule [--quiet] status [--cached] [--recursive] [--] [...]
or: git submodule [--quiet] init [--] [...]
or: git submodule [--quiet] deinit [-f|--force] (--all| [--] ...)
or: git submodule [--quiet] update [--init] [--remote] [-N|--no-fetch] [-f|--force] [--checkout|--merge|--rebase] [--[no-]recommend-shallow] [--reference ] [--recursive] [--] [...]
or: git submodule [--quiet] summary [--cached|--files] [--summary-limit ] [commit] [--] [...]
or: git submodule [--quiet] foreach [--recursive]
or: git submodule [--quiet] sync [--recursive] [--] [...]
or: git submodule [--quiet] absorbgitdirs [--] [...]

[neoassyrian]

I think it is the vqariable (-q) should be (--quiet)

[imhoffd]

What about npm install https://github.com/ionic-team/cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine.git --save ?

[neoassyrian]

That seems to work fine.
No issues.

[neoassyrian]

`-- cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine@1.1.4-dev (git+https://github.com/ionic-team/cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine.git#3f6be80ecd34ee67a230390f95de8eaf60fdca83)

npm WARN optional SKIPPING OPTIONAL DEPENDENCY: fsevents@^1.0.0 (node_modules\chokidar\node_modules\fsevents):
npm WARN notsup SKIPPING OPTIONAL DEPENDENCY: Unsupported platform for fsevents@1.1.2: wanted {"os":"darwin","arch":"any"} (current: {"os":"win32","arch":"x64"})
npm WARN ajv-keywords@2.1.0 requires a peer of ajv@>=5.0.0 but none was installed.

[neoassyrian]

Is there going to be a fix for this?

[imhoffd]

@neoassyrian I would just use the Cordova CLI directly. I may start recommending people do this normally. The ionic cordova platform and ionic cordova plugin commands offer little benefit over cordova platform and cordova plugin. We just added them to fully wrap it.

[neoassyrian]

This is not working in the cloud either when running "ionic package build" command. Getting the original error.