npx cannot find module 'webpack'

Question

I'm trying to test a custom Webpack configuration. I've read that instead of typing node ./node_modules/webpack/bin/webpack.js, I can use npx webpack. But I can't seem to get it to work.

user@comp:~/raw> npx webpack
The CLI moved into a separate package: webpack-cli.
Please install 'webpack-cli' in addition to webpack itself to use the CLI.
-> When using npm: npm install webpack-cli -D
-> When using yarn: yarn add webpack-cli -D

When I switch to running npx webpack-cli, I get a different error:

user@comp:~/> npx webpack-cli
npx: installed 489 in 19.186s
Cannot find module 'webpack'

Can you double-check if you're in a directory with a `package.json` (or that Webpack is installed globally and linked)? — Atav32, Apr 01 '18 at 06:53
The instructions on the first error message say precisely what you should do here: `npm install webpack-cli -D`. Reading error messages is important — kingdaro, Apr 01 '18 at 06:55
To clarify: the binary itself is still `webpack` (and not `webpack-cli`), you just have to have the `webpack-cli` package installed. — kingdaro, Apr 01 '18 at 06:55
Running `npm install webpack-cli -D` does not fix the problem. — Andrew Koster, Jan 04 '20 at 21:07
After running that command, you get this error: `Error: Cannot find module 'webpack-cli'` — Andrew Koster, Jan 04 '20 at 21:11

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 01 '18 at 07:30

1

Please install 'webpack-cli' in addition to webpack itself to use the CLI.
-> When using npm: npm install webpack-cli -D
-> When using yarn: yarn add webpack-cli -D

Basically that's all. After you've installed the webpack-cli just use

npx webpack

answered Apr 01 '18 at 07:30

scor4er

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score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 01 '18 at 07:56

1

You can install webpack and webpack-cli packages globally so you won't need to use node ./path/to/webpack :

  $ npm install webpack webpack-cli -g

This will install webpack globally on your machine. Then in your project folder run

  $ webpack

answered Apr 01 '18 at 07:56

radtelbi

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score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 03 '18 at 16:42

0

I followed the advice in the other answers and installed Webpack globally with npm install webpack webpack-cli -g.

When I ran npx webpack, I got

No configuration file found and no output filename configured via CLI option.
A configuration file could be named 'webpack.config.js' in the current directory.
Use --help to display the CLI options.

That's when I realized that I wasn't in the project folder...

answered Apr 03 '18 at 16:42

Lizi

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That's what I suspected – Atav32 Apr 03 '18 at 18:12

npx cannot find module 'webpack'

3 Answers3