[BUG] npm ERR! Cannot read properties of null (reading 'package')

[arimus]

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 do an initial npm install, which works fine. Subsequent runs result in the error:

...
111 timing command:i Completed in 1071ms
112 verbose stack TypeError: Cannot read properties of null (reading 'package')
112 verbose stack     at Link.set root [as root] (/Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/node.js:718:35)
112 verbose stack     at Link.replace (/Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/node.js:1155:17)
112 verbose stack     at PlaceDep.replaceOldDep (/Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/place-dep.js:426:17)
112 verbose stack     at PlaceDep.placeInTree (/Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/place-dep.js:304:12)
112 verbose stack     at PlaceDep.place (/Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/place-dep.js:214:10)
112 verbose stack     at new PlaceDep (/Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/place-dep.js:71:10)
112 verbose stack     at /Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js:984:31
112 verbose stack     at Array.map (<anonymous>)
112 verbose stack     at Arborist.[buildDepStep] (/Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js:984:8)
112 verbose stack     at async Arborist.buildIdealTree (/Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js:216:7)
113 verbose cwd /Users/arimus/workspace/appbuilder-backend

Expected Behavior

npm install not failing with the above error.

Steps To Reproduce

Environment
Starting with NPM v8.6.0 (8.5.5 does not have this issue)

Config
A package.json with a tgz file dependency. Example:

{
  "name": "project",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "",
  "license": "",
  "repository": {
    "url": "http://github.com:arimus/test.git"
  },
  "author": "arimus",
  "scripts": {
    "tsc": "tsc --project tsconfig.json",
    "start": "node ./dist/index.js",
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "apollo-server-hapi": "./apollo-server-hapi-3.5.1.tgz"
  }
}

Run

npm i

Error

...
111 timing command:i Completed in 1071ms
112 verbose stack TypeError: Cannot read properties of null (reading 'package')
112 verbose stack     at Link.set root [as root] (/Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/node.js:718:35)
112 verbose stack     at Link.replace (/Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/node.js:1155:17)
112 verbose stack     at PlaceDep.replaceOldDep (/Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/place-dep.js:426:17)
112 verbose stack     at PlaceDep.placeInTree (/Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/place-dep.js:304:12)
112 verbose stack     at PlaceDep.place (/Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/place-dep.js:214:10)
112 verbose stack     at new PlaceDep (/Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/place-dep.js:71:10)
112 verbose stack     at /Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js:984:31
112 verbose stack     at Array.map (<anonymous>)
112 verbose stack     at Arborist.[buildDepStep] (/Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js:984:8)
112 verbose stack     at async Arborist.buildIdealTree (/Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js:216:7)
113 verbose cwd /Users/arimus/workspace/appbuilder-backend

Environment

• npm: 8.6.0+
• Node.js: v16.13.1
• OS Name: OSX
• npm config:

; node bin location = /Users/arimus/.nvm/versions/node/v16.13.1/bin/node
; cwd = /Users/arimus/workspace/appbuilder-backend
; HOME = /Users/arimus
; Run `npm config ls -l` to show all defaults.

[BobFrankston]

This is frustrating because I can look at the log and find out the call stack, but it doesn't help me in fixing the problem. I accept that it's my error, but it would save many hours if there were more information about the source of the error.

In my case, I get Cannot read properties of null (reading 'package'). I'm using symbolic links, so there may be an inconsistency, but how can I find it? I can attach the log though I'm wary about posting specific info.

The line

37 verbose shrinkwrap failed to load node_modules/.package-lock.json missing from lockfile: ../mlib/node_modules/ansi-styles

hints at the problem but it works in other contexts

[silentcloud]

+1
node 16.15.1
npm 8.11.0

[lesliesu]

+1
node 16.13.2
npm 8.1.2

[AlekhyaYalla]

Any update on this issue? I'm facing this issue

[david-987]

+1 npm cache clear --force doesn't work which is my go-to when npm bugs out.
npm 8.1.4
node 16.14

[Zakyyy]

same

[jerinkalexander]

128 verbose node v16.15.1
129 verbose npm v8.14.0
130 error Cannot read properties of null (reading 'children')
131 verbose exit 1

Same here while running npm link.

[andrey-helldar]

Node 16.16 and Npm 8.11 and 8.15 too

Show log

0 verbose cli C:\Users\Helldar\AppData\Local\nvs\default\node.exe C:\Users\Helldar\AppData\Local\nvs\default\node_modules\npm\bin\npm-cli.js
1 info using npm@8.11.0
2 info using node@v16.16.0
3 timing npm:load:whichnode Completed in 0ms
4 timing config:load:defaults Completed in 3ms
5 timing config:load:file:C:\Users\Helldar\AppData\Local\nvs\node\16.16.0\x64\node_modules\npm\npmrc Completed in 1ms
6 timing config:load:builtin Completed in 1ms
7 timing config:load:cli Completed in 1ms
8 timing config:load:env Completed in 0ms
9 timing config:load:file:D:\domains\volunteers\web\.npmrc Completed in 0ms
10 timing config:load:project Completed in 1ms
11 timing config:load:file:C:\Users\Helldar\.npmrc Completed in 0ms
12 timing config:load:user Completed in 0ms
13 timing config:load:file:C:\Users\Helldar\AppData\Local\nvs\default\etc\npmrc Completed in 1ms
14 timing config:load:global Completed in 1ms
15 timing config:load:validate Completed in 0ms
16 timing config:load:credentials Completed in 0ms
17 timing config:load:setEnvs Completed in 1ms
18 timing config:load Completed in 9ms
19 timing npm:load:configload Completed in 9ms
20 timing npm:load:mkdirpcache Completed in 1ms
21 timing npm:load:mkdirplogs Completed in 0ms
22 verbose title npm i
23 verbose argv "i"
24 timing npm:load:setTitle Completed in 1ms
25 timing config:load:flatten Completed in 2ms
26 timing npm:load:display Completed in 3ms
27 verbose logfile logs-max:10 dir:C:\Users\Helldar\AppData\Local\npm-cache\_logs
28 verbose logfile C:\Users\Helldar\AppData\Local\npm-cache\_logs\2022-07-24T10_07_31_732Z-debug-0.log
29 timing npm:load:logFile Completed in 3ms
30 timing npm:load:timers Completed in 0ms
31 timing npm:load:configScope Completed in 0ms
32 timing npm:load Completed in 17ms
33 timing arborist:ctor Completed in 0ms
34 silly logfile start cleaning logs, removing 1 files
35 silly logfile done cleaning log files
36 timing arborist:ctor Completed in 0ms
37 timing idealTree:init Completed in 9ms
38 timing idealTree:userRequests Completed in 0ms
39 silly idealTree buildDeps
40 silly fetch manifest @cloudgeek/vue3-video-player@^0.3.10
41 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/@cloudgeek%2fvue3-video-player 300ms (cache miss)
42 silly fetch manifest @mdi/font@^6.2.0
43 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/@mdi%2ffont 128ms (cache miss)
44 silly fetch manifest apexcharts@^3.35.3
45 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/apexcharts 64ms (cache miss)
46 silly fetch manifest axios@^0.27.2
47 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/axios 45ms (cache miss)
48 silly fetch manifest laravel-vue-i18n@^2.1.1
49 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/laravel-vue-i18n 47ms (cache miss)
50 silly fetch manifest laravel-mix@^6.0.43
51 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/laravel-mix 57ms (cache miss)
52 silly fetch manifest postcss@^8.4.14
53 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/postcss 43ms (cache miss)
54 silly fetch manifest lodash@^4.17.21
55 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/lodash 58ms (cache miss)
56 silly fetch manifest maska@^1.5.0
57 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/maska 39ms (cache miss)
58 silly fetch manifest moment@^2.29.3
59 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/moment 51ms (cache miss)
60 silly fetch manifest moment-duration-format@^2.3.2
61 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/moment-duration-format 54ms (cache miss)
62 silly fetch manifest moment-timezone@^0.5.34
63 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/moment-timezone 58ms (cache miss)
64 silly fetch manifest pinia@^2.0.14
65 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/pinia 51ms (cache miss)
66 silly fetch manifest @vue/composition-api@^1.4.0
67 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/@vue%2fcomposition-api 152ms (cache miss)
68 silly fetch manifest vue@^3.2.25
69 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/vue 69ms (cache miss)
70 silly fetch manifest vue@>= 2.5 < 2.7
71 silly fetch manifest typescript@^4.5.4
72 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/typescript 142ms (cache miss)
73 silly fetch manifest pinia-plugin-persistedstate@^1.6.3
74 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/pinia-plugin-persistedstate 45ms (cache miss)
75 silly fetch manifest query-string@^7.1.1
76 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/query-string 41ms (cache miss)
77 silly fetch manifest roboto-fontface@*
78 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/roboto-fontface 42ms (cache miss)
79 silly fetch manifest vue-router@^4.0.16
80 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/vue-router 54ms (cache miss)
81 silly fetch manifest vue-toastification@^2.0.0-rc.5
82 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/vue-toastification 47ms (cache miss)
83 silly fetch manifest vue3-apexcharts@^1.4.1
84 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/vue3-apexcharts 42ms (cache miss)
85 silly fetch manifest vue3-audio-player@^1.0.5
86 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/vue3-audio-player 42ms (cache miss)
87 silly fetch manifest vue3-openlayers@^0.1.68
88 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/vue3-openlayers 48ms (cache miss)
89 silly fetch manifest vue3-telegram-login@^0.0.4
90 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/vue3-telegram-login 48ms (cache miss)
91 silly fetch manifest vuetify@^3.0.0-beta.5
92 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/vuetify 62ms (cache miss)
93 silly fetch manifest @formatjs/intl@^1.0.0 || ^2.0.0
94 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/@formatjs%2fintl 157ms (cache miss)
95 silly fetch manifest vite-plugin-vuetify@^1.0.0-alpha.0
96 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/vite-plugin-vuetify 62ms (cache miss)
97 silly fetch manifest vite-plugin-vuetify@1.0.0-alpha.12
98 silly fetch manifest vite@^2.9.9
99 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/vite 75ms (cache miss)
100 silly fetch manifest less@*
101 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/less 49ms (cache miss)
102 silly fetch manifest sass@^1.53.0
103 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/sass 53ms (cache miss)
104 silly fetch manifest stylus@*
105 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/stylus 57ms (cache miss)
106 silly fetch manifest vue-i18n@^9.0.0
107 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/vue-i18n 54ms (cache miss)
108 silly fetch manifest webpack-plugin-vuetify@2.0.0-alpha.11
109 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/webpack-plugin-vuetify 77ms (cache miss)
110 silly fetch manifest @vue/compiler-sfc@^3.2.6
111 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/@vue%2fcompiler-sfc 74ms (cache miss)
112 silly fetch manifest webpack@^5.0.0
113 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/webpack 124ms (cache miss)
114 silly fetch manifest webfontloader@^1.0.0
115 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/webfontloader 49ms (cache miss)
116 silly fetch manifest @babel/core@^7.18.6
117 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/@babel%2fcore 57ms (cache miss)
118 silly fetch manifest @babel/plugin-proposal-class-properties@^7.18.6
119 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/@babel%2fplugin-proposal-class-properties 52ms (cache miss)
120 silly fetch manifest @babel/plugin-proposal-optional-chaining@^7.18.6
121 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/@babel%2fplugin-proposal-optional-chaining 58ms (cache miss)
122 silly fetch manifest @popperjs/core@^2.11.5
123 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/@popperjs%2fcore 89ms (cache miss)
124 silly fetch manifest @types/lodash@^4.14.182
125 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/@types%2flodash 63ms (cache miss)
126 silly fetch manifest @types/node@^18.0.5
127 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/@types%2fnode 69ms (cache miss)
128 silly fetch manifest @types/webfontloader@^1.0.0
129 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/@types%2fwebfontloader 66ms (cache miss)
130 silly fetch manifest @vitejs/plugin-vue@^2.3.3
131 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/@vitejs%2fplugin-vue 89ms (cache miss)
132 silly fetch manifest autoprefixer@^10.4.7
133 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/autoprefixer 56ms (cache miss)
134 silly fetch manifest eslint@^8.18.0
135 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/eslint 48ms (cache miss)
136 silly fetch manifest eslint-plugin-prettier@^4.2.1
137 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/eslint-plugin-prettier 59ms (cache miss)
138 silly fetch manifest prettier@>=2.0.0
139 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/prettier 63ms (cache miss)
140 silly fetch manifest eslint-plugin-you-dont-need-lodash-underscore@^6.12.0
141 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/eslint-plugin-you-dont-need-lodash-underscore 45ms (cache miss)
142 silly fetch manifest postcss-import@^14.1.0
143 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/postcss-import 42ms (cache miss)
144 silly fetch manifest vite@^2.7.0
145 silly fetch manifest sass@*
146 silly fetch manifest vuetify@^3.0.0-beta.4
147 silly fetch manifest typescript@^4.5
148 silly fetch manifest vue@^3.2.0
149 timing idealTree Completed in 3734ms
150 timing command:i Completed in 3743ms
151 verbose stack TypeError: Cannot read properties of null (reading 'explain')
151 verbose stack     at Arborist.[explainPeerConflict] (C:\Users\Helldar\AppData\Local\nvs\node\16.16.0\x64\node_modules\npm\node_modules\@npmcli\arborist\lib\arborist\build-ideal-tree.js:1434:29)
151 verbose stack     at Arborist.[failPeerConflict] (C:\Users\Helldar\AppData\Local\nvs\node\16.16.0\x64\node_modules\npm\node_modules\@npmcli\arborist\lib\arborist\build-ideal-tree.js:1427:44)
151 verbose stack     at Arborist.[loadPeerSet] (C:\Users\Helldar\AppData\Local\nvs\node\16.16.0\x64\node_modules\npm\node_modules\@npmcli\arborist\lib\arborist\build-ideal-tree.js:1394:34)
151 verbose stack     at async Arborist.[buildDepStep] (C:\Users\Helldar\AppData\Local\nvs\node\16.16.0\x64\node_modules\npm\node_modules\@npmcli\arborist\lib\arborist\build-ideal-tree.js:976:11)
151 verbose stack     at async Arborist.buildIdealTree (C:\Users\Helldar\AppData\Local\nvs\node\16.16.0\x64\node_modules\npm\node_modules\@npmcli\arborist\lib\arborist\build-ideal-tree.js:218:7)
151 verbose stack     at async Promise.all (index 1)
151 verbose stack     at async Arborist.reify (C:\Users\Helldar\AppData\Local\nvs\node\16.16.0\x64\node_modules\npm\node_modules\@npmcli\arborist\lib\arborist\reify.js:153:5)
151 verbose stack     at async Install.exec (C:\Users\Helldar\AppData\Local\nvs\node\16.16.0\x64\node_modules\npm\lib\commands\install.js:156:5)
151 verbose stack     at async module.exports (C:\Users\Helldar\AppData\Local\nvs\node\16.16.0\x64\node_modules\npm\lib\cli.js:78:5)
152 verbose cwd D:\domains\volunteers\web
153 verbose Windows_NT 10.0.22000
154 verbose node v16.16.0
155 verbose npm  v8.11.0
156 error Cannot read properties of null (reading 'explain')
157 verbose exit 1
158 timing npm Completed in 3831ms
159 verbose unfinished npm timer reify 1658657251816
160 verbose unfinished npm timer reify:loadTrees 1658657251822
161 verbose unfinished npm timer idealTree:buildDeps 1658657251833
162 verbose unfinished npm timer idealTree:#root 1658657251833
163 verbose code 1
164 error A complete log of this run can be found in:
164 error     C:\Users\Helldar\AppData\Local\npm-cache\_logs\2022-07-24T10_07_31_732Z-debug-0.log

[arimus]

This problem is super frustrating. I'm trying to get the package updated upstream, so that I no longer have a local file dependency, but that is taking a long time as well. Kind of surprised that more folks haven't been having this issue, which would give it more attention.

Worth noting that I've been playing with pnpm recently, which does not have this issue and also has a lot of good features. However, I did find some local relative path dependencies inside my tarball dep. That forced me to adjust to regular npm repo deps and rebuild the tarball, but that was pretty easy. Generally speaking, I'd love to just use npm straight up, but I may bite the bullet and start using pnpm (with shamefully-hoist :P for the time being).

Happy to re-test this when things are fixed though.

[ajibadeabd]

downgrade your node to 16.0, npm to 7+. this workes for me

[AnatuGreen]

Mine is this error:

npm ERR! Cannot read properties of null (reading 'children')

I have even uninstalled Node and reinstalled it. Same issue

[Zakyyy]

@AnatuGreen Can you try to install the dependencies from a terminal that opened with Rosetta (if you're using MacBook with M1 chip)
use node v16.16.0
npm v8