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Copilot fails to start due to .npmrc package age policy #53611

@hodeinavarro

Description

@hodeinavarro

Reproduction steps

  1. Configure ~/.npmrc to reject packages younger than 7 days.
  2. Start Zed.

Current vs. Expected behavior

Current Behavior

Copilot fails to start with:

Copilot can't be started: failed to execute npm install subcommand:
stdout: ""
stderr: "npm error code ETARGET
npm error notarget No matching version found for @github/copilot-language-server@1.466.0 with a date before 4/3/2026, 10:23:13 AM.
npm error notarget In most cases you or one of your dependencies are requesting a package version that doesn't exist.
npm error A complete log of this run can be found in: /Users/.../Library/Application Support/Zed/node/cache/_logs/..."

More specifically, autocomplete / predictions are disabled.

Expected Behavior

  • @github/copilot-language-server should not be uninstalled / corrupted if the latest version can't be downloaded or installed.
  • Autocomplete / predictions should keep working.
Image

Zed version and system specs

  • Zed: 0.231.2 (/Applications/Zed.app)
  • OS: macOS Tahoe 26.3.1
  • Hardware: MacBook Pro M1 Max
  • Architecture: Apple Silicon
  • npm policy: min-release-age=7 in ~/.npmrc

Attach Zed log file

Zed.log
0 verbose cli /opt/homebrew/Cellar/node/25.8.2/bin/node /opt/homebrew/bin/npm
1 info using npm@11.11.1
2 info using node@v25.8.2
3 silly config load:file:/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/npm/npmrc
4 silly config load:file:/Users/hodeinavarro/Library/Application Support/Zed/copilot/.npmrc
5 silly config load:file:/Users/hodeinavarro/.npmrc
6 silly config load:file:/Users/hodeinavarro/Library/Application Support/Zed/copilot/etc/npmrc
7 verbose title npm install @github/copilot-language-server@1.466.0
8 verbose argv "install" "--cache" "/Users/hodeinavarro/Library/Application Support/Zed/node/cache" "@github/copilot-language-server@1.466.0" "--save-exact" "--fetch-retry-mintimeout" "2000" "--fetch-retry-maxtimeout" "5000" "--fetch-timeout" "5000" "--prefix" "/Users/hodeinavarro/Library/Application Support/Zed/copilot"
9 verbose logfile logs-max:10 dir:/Users/hodeinavarro/Library/Application Support/Zed/node/cache/_logs/2026-04-10T08_23_13_103Z-
10 verbose logfile /Users/hodeinavarro/Library/Application Support/Zed/node/cache/_logs/2026-04-10T08_23_13_103Z-debug-0.log
11 silly logfile start cleaning logs, removing 2 files
12 silly packumentCache heap:4496293888 maxSize:1124073472 maxEntrySize:562036736
13 silly logfile done cleaning log files
14 silly idealTree buildDeps
15 silly fetch manifest @github/copilot-language-server@1.466.0
16 silly packumentCache full:https://registry.npmjs.org/@github%2fcopilot-language-server cache-miss
17 http cache https://registry.npmjs.org/@github%2fcopilot-language-server 9ms (cache hit)
18 silly packumentCache full:https://registry.npmjs.org/@github%2fcopilot-language-server set size:827876 disposed:false
19 silly placeDep ROOT @github/copilot-language-server@ REPLACE for:  want: 1.466.0
20 verbose type version
21 verbose stack @github/copilot-language-server: No matching version found for @github/copilot-language-server@1.466.0 with a date before 4/3/2026, 10:23:13 AM.
21 verbose stack     at module.exports (/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/npm-pick-manifest/lib/index.js:210:23)
21 verbose stack     at RegistryFetcher.manifest (/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/pacote/lib/registry.js:130:54)
21 verbose stack     at async #fetchManifest (/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js:1227:20)
21 verbose stack     at async #nodeFromEdge (/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js:1061:19)
21 verbose stack     at async #buildDepStep (/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js:917:11)
21 verbose stack     at async Arborist.buildIdealTree (/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js:170:7)
21 verbose stack     at async Promise.all (index 1)
21 verbose stack     at async Arborist.reify (/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/@npmcli/arborist/lib/arborist/reify.js:111:5)
21 verbose stack     at async Install.exec (/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/npm/lib/commands/install.js:146:5)
21 verbose stack     at async Npm.exec (/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/npm/lib/npm.js:193:9)
22 error code ETARGET
23 error notarget No matching version found for @github/copilot-language-server@1.466.0 with a date before 4/3/2026, 10:23:13 AM.
24 error notarget In most cases you or one of your dependencies are requesting a package version that doesn't exist.
25 silly unfinished npm timer reify 1775809393269
26 silly unfinished npm timer reify:loadTrees 1775809393269
27 verbose cwd /Users/hodeinavarro/Library/Application Support/Zed/copilot
28 verbose os Darwin 25.3.0
29 verbose node v25.8.2
30 verbose npm  v11.11.1
31 verbose exit 1
32 verbose code 1
33 error A complete log of this run can be found in: /Users/hodeinavarro/Library/Application Support/Zed/node/cache/_logs/2026-04-10T08_23_13_103Z-debug-0.log

Relevant Zed settings

settings.json
{
  "agent": {
    "default_profile": "write",
    "default_model": {
      "provider": "copilot_chat",
      "model": "gpt-5.4-mini",
      "enable_thinking": false,
      "effort": "high"
    },
    "favorite_models": [],
    "model_parameters": []
  },
  "edit_predictions": {
    "provider": "copilot"
  },
  "agent_servers": {
    "github-copilot-cli": {
      "type": "registry"
    }
  }
}

Relevant Keymap

keymap.json

(for AI issues) Model provider details

No response

If you are using WSL on Windows, what flavor of Linux are you using?

None

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area:ai/copilotAI feedback for GitHub Copilot via ACPfrequency:uncommonBugs that happen for a small subset of users, special configurations, rare circumstances, etcpriority:P3Papercuts, minor issues with a clear workaround, cosmetic bugs

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