npm ERR! code ELIFECYCLE / Command failed with exit code 1
An npm script (build, start, test, postinstall) exited with an error. ELIFECYCLE is only the wrapper — the real error is printed above it.
Command failed with exit code 1Lifecycle scriptnpm ERR! errno 1 Meaning
npm runs the command in package.json scripts and reports ELIFECYCLE / “Lifecycle script failed” when it exits non-zero. Scroll up to the first error from the actual tool (webpack, tsc, jest, node).
Common causes
- Build/compile error in your code (TypeScript, webpack, Vite)
- Failing tests
- Postinstall script of a dependency failing (native modules)
- Port already in use for
npm start - Out-of-memory during build (exit code 134/137)
⚡ Quick fix
- Scroll up to the first real error above the npm ERR! lines
- Run the script command directly to see full output
- For memory:
NODE_OPTIONS=--max-old-space-size=4096 npm run build - Clean reinstall if a dependency script fails:
rm -rf node_modules && npm ci
Detailed fix by platform
npm
- Run with verbose logs:bash
npm run build --loglevel verbose cat ~/.npm/_logs/*-debug-0.log | tail -50
How to diagnose
- First error — What failed before npm ERR!?
- Script — Which script and command?
- Exit code — 1 = tool error, 134/137 = memory
🔧 Still not fixed?
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Where this error sits
Origin: Build & delivery. Errors that are often confused with or caused by this one (click to open):
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Last updated 13 Oct 2026