vaadinBuildFrontend fails because Vaadin cannot install node

[kimminger]

Description of the bug

Hey,

we build a Spring Boot App (3.6.1) with Java 17.0.1, Vaadin 23.0.6 configured with gradle.
When i run it in dev mode locally on a Windows Laptop, App can be loaded successfully.

But running this in the ci/cd - pipeline on eclipse-temurin:17-alpine - Image with the following command
./gradlew vaadinBuildFrontend --info --stacktrace

Then i get following error (complete stacktrace omitted):

´´´
org.gradle.api.tasks.TaskExecutionException: Execution failed for task ':app-server:vaadinPrepareFrontend'.
...
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalStateException: Failed to install Node
...
Unpacking /root/.vaadin/node-v16.14.2-linux-x64.tar.gz into /root/.vaadin/node/tmp
Copying node binary from /root/.vaadin/node/tmp/node-v16.14.2-linux-x64/bin/node to /root/.vaadin/node/node
Extracting npm
Local node installation successful.
Error checking if node is new enough
com.vaadin.flow.server.frontend.FrontendUtils$UnknownVersionException: Unable to detect version of node. Using command /root/.vaadin/node/node --version
´´´

So the downloaded tar can be unpacked, but not successfully called.

Expected behavior

Npm should be installed correctly, so that the Front-End can be build

Minimal reproducible example

• create vaadin project with spring initializer:
  https://start.spring.io/#!type=gradle-project&language=java&platformVersion=2.6.7&packaging=jar&jvmVersion=17&groupId=com.example&artifactId=demo&name=demo&description=Demo%20project%20for%20Spring%20Boot&packageName=com.example.demo&dependencies=vaadin

• create DemoView

@route("")
public class DemoView extends VerticalLayout {

public DemoView() {
    add(
            new H1("Hello Demo!")
    );
}

}

• run project in ci-pipeline, e.g. gitlab with config-yaml:

image: docker:latest
services:

• docker:dind

stages:

• build-frontend

before_script:

• export GRADLE_USER_HOME=pwd/.gradle
• chmod +x gradlew

gradle-build-frontend:
image: eclipse-temurin:17-alpine
stage: build-frontend
script: ./gradlew vaadinBuildFrontend --info --stacktrace

fails with:
Couldn't find node. Installing Node and NPM to /root/.vaadin.
Installing node version v14.15.4
Downloading https://nodejs.org/dist/v14.15.4/node-v14.15.4-linux-x64.tar.gz to /root/.vaadin/node-v14.15.4-linux-x64.tar.gz
No proxies configured
No proxy was configured, downloading directly
Unpacking /root/.vaadin/node-v14.15.4-linux-x64.tar.gz into /root/.vaadin/node/tmp
Copying node binary from /root/.vaadin/node/tmp/node-v14.15.4-linux-x64/bin/node to /root/.vaadin/node/node
Extracting NPM
Local node installation successful.
Error checking if node is new enough
com.vaadin.flow.server.frontend.FrontendUtils$UnknownVersionException: Unable to detect version of node. Using command /root/.vaadin/node/node --version
at com.vaadin.flow.server.frontend.FrontendUtils.getVersion(FrontendUtils.java:827)
at com.vaadin.flow.server.frontend.FrontendTools.validateNodeAndNpmVersion(FrontendTools.java:385)
at com.vaadin.gradle.VaadinPrepareFrontendTask.vaadinPrepareFrontend(VaadinPrepareFrontendTask.kt:77)
at java.base@17.0.2/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at java.base@17.0.2/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:77)
at java.base@17.0.2/jdk.internal.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.base@17.0.2/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:568)
at org.gradle.internal.reflect.JavaMethod.invoke(JavaMethod.java:104)
at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.StandardTaskAction.doExecute(StandardTaskAction.java:58)
at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.StandardTaskAction.execute(StandardTaskAction.java:51)

Versions

• Vaadin / Flow version: 23.0.6
• Java version: OpenJDK 17.0.1
• OS version: eclipse-temurin:17-alpine
• Application Server (if applicable): Spring Boot 2.6.1, Tomcat 9.0.55

[kimminger]

same Problem as in #9004
The problem just disappeared in later version and another solution was to install npm yourself.

[chrisw73]

"another solution was to install npm yourself." this is NO solution!
We are running into this in a Jenkins build which relies on the npm version installed by the Vaadin Build

[Artur-]

"another solution was to install npm yourself." this is NO solution!
We are running into this in a Jenkins build which relies on the npm version installed by the Vaadin Build

It should always be possible for you to install node as part of your build. Either by downloading and running the Node installer like Vaadin does or by using the appropriate package manager.

If you cannot do it then Vaadin cannot either.

[mcollovati]

It seems related to #13837, since alpine base image is in use

[chrisw73]

Solution for Jenkins Users: Place this into your Jenkinsfile
stages { stage('Install tools') { steps { sh 'mvn com.github.eirslett:frontend-maven-plugin:1.12.1:install-node-and-npm -DnodeVersion="v16.15.0" -DnpmVersion="8.10.0"' } }

[dkulczycki]

I had the same error when building an application in azure / pipeline

[WARNING] Error checking if npm is new enough
com.vaadin.flow.server.frontend.FrontendUtils$UnknownVersionException: Unable to detect version of npm. Using command --no-update-notifier --no-audit --scripts-prepend-node-path=true --version
    at com.vaadin.flow.server.frontend.FrontendUtils.getVersion (FrontendUtils.java:849)
    at com.vaadin.flow.server.frontend.FrontendTools.getNpmVersion (FrontendTools.java:573)
    at com.vaadin.flow.server.frontend.FrontendTools.validateNodeAndNpmVersion (FrontendTools.java:399)
    at com.vaadin.flow.plugin.maven.PrepareFrontendMojo.execute (PrepareFrontendMojo.java:149)

(I also tried to install the version that was built a month ago)

There may be a problem with nodejs version 16.15.1

When I added a step

      - task: NodeTool@0
        inputs:
          versionSpec: '16.x'
          checkLatest: true
        displayName: 'Install Node.js'

problem still existed (nodejs 16.15.1)

but when I set version to 16.15.0 problem stopped occurring

      - task: NodeTool@0
        inputs:
          versionSpec: '16.15.0'
        displayName: 'Install Node.js'

[mcollovati]

Closing as duplicate of #13837

A PR with a fix is currently under review #14300