[BUG] npx cannot run bin script of github dependency when “build“ script included in package.json

[mbtts]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

This issue exists in the latest npm version

• I am using the latest npm

Current Behavior

I am attempting to run a command from a github package containing a build script:

npx -y mbtts/npx-build-script

The exit code is 1.

Output with loglevel of silly.:

npx -y --loglevel silly mbtts/npx-build-script
… [truncated] …
npm timing command:exec Completed in 4346ms
npm verb exit 1
npm timing npm Completed in 4817ms
npm verb unfinished npm timer reify 1636174689958
npm verb unfinished npm timer reify:unpack 1636174691674
npm verb unfinished npm timer reifyNode:node_modules/npx-build-script 1636174691674
npm verb code 1

---

When attempting an almost identical package (with a build- script instead of a build script):

% npx mbtts/npx-build-script#fixed
hello

The exit code is 0.

Output with loglevel of silly.:

% npx -y --loglevel silly mbtts/npx-build-script#fixed
… [truncated] …
hello
npm timing command:exec Completed in 1236ms
npm verb exit 0
npm timing npm Completed in 1511ms
npm info ok 

Expected Behavior

I expect the behaviour to be the same regardless of whether the script is named build or build-.

I also expect the same behaviour from earlier versions of npx (for example npm v6.14.15 on Node.js v14.18.1).

The bin script should run and print “hello“:

% npx mbtts/npx-build-script 
npx: installed 1 in 3.153s
hello

If it is not possible to use a build script with a github dependency run via npx then I would expect this to be clearly documented.

Steps To Reproduce

1. In this environment: macOS 11.5.1 (20G80), nvm managed Node.js and npm install
2. With this config: Defaults/no custom .npmrc
3. Run 'npx -y mbtts/npx-build-script'
4. See error: exit code 1

---

To reproduce the working example (same environment/config):

1. Run 'npx -y mbtts/npx-build-script#fixed'
2. See error: exit code 0

You can compare the original and fixed versions to prove the only difference is the script name.

Environment

• npm: 8.1.3
• Node: v16.13.0
• OS: macOS 11.5.1 (20G80)
• platform: Macbook Pro (Intel 64 bit)
• npm config:

; node bin location = /Users/bettsm/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.0/bin/node
; cwd = /Users/bettsm
; HOME = /Users/bettsm
; Run `npm config ls -l` to show all defaults.

[pmunin]

Confirm - issues is still here with versions:

  npm: '7.24.0',
  node: '16.10.0',
  v8: '9.3.345.19-node.14',
  uv: '1.42.0',
  zlib: '1.2.11',
  brotli: '1.0.9',
  ares: '1.17.2',
  modules: '93',
  nghttp2: '1.42.0',
  napi: '8',
  llhttp: '6.0.2',
  openssl: '1.1.1l+quic',
  cldr: '39.0',
  icu: '69.1',
  tz: '2021a',
  unicode: '13.0',
  ngtcp2: '0.1.0-DEV',
  nghttp3: '0.1.0-DEV'

[nlf]

this is expected and intentional behavior. if a git dependency defines a build script then npm determines while installing it, we need to build it first. so we clone the repo to a temp directory, we install of the dependencies, we run the build script, then we package up the result and install that into npx's cache.

if you have pre-built artifacts (like you do in your build directory), then renaming the script to something other than build is the correct way to work around this.

[mbtts]

Thank you for the explanation:

1. Was this conscious change in behaviour between 6.x. and 7.x: “if a git dependency defines a build script then npm determines while installing it, we need to build it first”?
2. Where is/was this documented?

Essentially:

If it is not possible to use a build script with a github dependency run via npx then I would expect this to be clearly documented.

I am more than happy/willing to draft suggested documentation updates… but trying to establish the facts first.

There is also a CLI consideration here: Aside from the exit code there is no message to indicate the problem (even with a loglevel of silly). Originally it was only by process of elimination which revealed the build script was the problem.

[thejustinwalsh]

I just ran into this issue with a package I haven't tried since npm 6.x and am now running npm 9.x.

I could not find any documentation describing that a script named build is a built-in script or a lifecycle event of any other built-in script, and there is no command named build either.

Thanks to @mbtts for documenting this unexpected behavior, as this bug is a very frustrating time sink, and some documentation or a hint in the output would be appreciated.

@nlf, I wonder if these 4M npm packages know that build has a special undocumented meaning in npm > v6?
https://github.com/search?q=path%3A**%2Fpackage.json+%5C%22build%5C%22&type=code