RangeError [ERR_CHILD_PROCESS_STDIO_MAXBUFFER]: stdout maxBuffer length exceeded
child_process.exec/execSync produced more output than its buffer allows (default 1 MB).
Exact message you may see
maxBuffer length exceeded
Seen on:
Node.js
Meaning
exec buffers all output in memory. Commands with large output (git log, find, builds) exceed it.
Common causes
- Large command output with exec/execSync
- Verbose tools logging a lot
⚡ Quick fix
- Use spawn and stream output
- Increase maxBuffer: exec(cmd, { maxBuffer: 50 * 1024 * 1024 })
Detailed fix by platform
Node.js
const child = spawn('git', ['log']); child.stdout.on('data', d => process.stdout.write(d));
How to diagnose
- Output — How large?
- API — exec or spawn?
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Last updated 13 Oct 2026