npm WARN tar TAR_ENTRY_ERROR / npm ERR! tarball data for x seems to be corrupted
A downloaded package tarball is damaged — cache corruption or a network/proxy problem.
Exact message you may see
seems to be corruptedzlib: unexpected end of file
Seen on:
npm
Meaning
Interrupted downloads and proxies rewriting responses corrupt cached tarballs.
Common causes
- Corrupted npm cache
- Proxy altering downloads
- Disk full during install
⚡ Quick fix
- npm cache clean --force
- Reinstall
- Check disk space and proxy
Detailed fix by platform
npm
npm cache clean --force && rm -rf node_modules && npm install
How to diagnose
- Cache — Does a clean cache fix it?
- Recent change — Did it start after a deploy, upgrade, or configuration change? Compare with the last working version.
🔧 Still not fixed?
Many errors look alike. If the steps above didn’t solve it, one of these is probably what you’re facing:
Similar errors
Most viewed in npm
Other ways to find it
Where this error sits
Origin: Build & delivery. Errors that are often confused with or caused by this one (click to open):
🧠 Still stuck? Analyze your error
Paste the full message, response headers or stack trace — we'll detect the platform and point to the most likely cause.
💬 What worked for others
No tips yet — did something else fix this for you?
Share what worked for you
Tips are checked by an editor before they appear. Links are removed.
Did this fix work for you?
Report a correction or suggest an improvement
Last updated 13 Oct 2026