npm install returns "TypeError: Cannot convert undefined or null to object"

Question

I'm trying to install eslint globally using npm install -g eslint. This is a fresh version of [email protected]/[email protected] installed using nvm. The error I'm getting is:

Stacktrace:

0 info it worked if it ends with ok
1 verbose cli [ '/Users/fitvalet/.nvm/versions/node/v7.2.1/bin/node',
1 verbose cli   '/Users/fitvalet/.nvm/versions/node/v7.2.1/bin/npm',
1 verbose cli   'install',
1 verbose cli   '-g',
1 verbose cli   'eslint' ]
2 info using [email protected]
3 info using [email protected]
4 silly loadCurrentTree Starting
5 silly install loadCurrentTree
6 silly install readGlobalPackageData
7 silly fetchPackageMetaData eslint
8 silly fetchNamedPackageData eslint
9 silly mapToRegistry name eslint
10 silly mapToRegistry using default registry
11 silly mapToRegistry registry http://skimdb.npmjs.com/registry
12 silly mapToRegistry data Result {
12 silly mapToRegistry   raw: 'eslint',
12 silly mapToRegistry   scope: null,
12 silly mapToRegistry   escapedName: 'eslint',
12 silly mapToRegistry   name: 'eslint',
12 silly mapToRegistry   rawSpec: '',
12 silly mapToRegistry   spec: 'latest',
12 silly mapToRegistry   type: 'tag' }
13 silly mapToRegistry uri http://skimdb.npmjs.com/registry/eslint
14 verbose request uri http://skimdb.npmjs.com/registry/eslint
15 verbose request no auth needed
16 info attempt registry request try #1 at 1:59:17 PM
17 verbose request id 066241c6e4150db4
18 http request GET http://skimdb.npmjs.com/registry/eslint
19 http 200 http://skimdb.npmjs.com/registry/eslint
20 verbose headers { 'cache-control': 'must-revalidate',
20 verbose headers   connection: 'close',
20 verbose headers   'content-type': 'application/json',
20 verbose headers   date: 'Tue, 13 Dec 2016 18:59:17 GMT',
20 verbose headers   server: 'CouchDB/2.0.0 (Erlang OTP/R16B03)',
20 verbose headers   'transfer-encoding': 'chunked',
20 verbose headers   'content-encoding': 'gzip',
20 verbose headers   'strict-transport-security': 'max-age=2592000000; includeSubDomains; preload;' }
21 silly get cb [ 200,
21 silly get   { 'cache-control': 'must-revalidate',
21 silly get     connection: 'close',
21 silly get     'content-type': 'application/json',
21 silly get     date: 'Tue, 13 Dec 2016 18:59:17 GMT',
21 silly get     server: 'CouchDB/2.0.0 (Erlang OTP/R16B03)',
21 silly get     'transfer-encoding': 'chunked',
21 silly get     'content-encoding': 'gzip',
21 silly get     'strict-transport-security': 'max-age=2592000000; includeSubDomains; preload;' } ]
22 verbose get saving undefined to /Users/fitvalet/.npm/skimdb.npmjs.com/registry/eslint/.cache.json
23 verbose correctMkdir /Users/fitvalet/.npm correctMkdir not in flight; initializing
24 verbose makeDirectory /Users/fitvalet/.npm creation not in flight; initializing
25 silly makeDirectory /Users/fitvalet/.npm uid: 501 gid: 20
26 verbose stack TypeError: Cannot convert undefined or null to object
26 verbose stack     at Function.keys (<anonymous>)
26 verbose stack     at pickVersionFromRegistryDocument (/Users/fitvalet/.nvm/versions/node/v7.2.1/lib/node_modules/npm/lib/fetch-package-metadata.js:125:29)
26 verbose stack     at /Users/fitvalet/.nvm/versions/node/v7.2.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/iferr/index.js:13:50
26 verbose stack     at /Users/fitvalet/.nvm/versions/node/v7.2.1/lib/node_modules/npm/lib/utils/pulse-till-done.js:20:8
26 verbose stack     at saved (/Users/fitvalet/.nvm/versions/node/v7.2.1/lib/node_modules/npm/lib/cache/caching-client.js:174:7)
26 verbose stack     at /Users/fitvalet/.nvm/versions/node/v7.2.1/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/graceful-fs/polyfills.js:241:18
26 verbose stack     at FSReqWrap.oncomplete (fs.js:111:15)
27 verbose cwd /Users/fitvalet
28 error Darwin 16.1.0
29 error argv "/Users/fitvalet/.nvm/versions/node/v7.2.1/bin/node" "/Users/fitvalet/.nvm/versions/node/v7.2.1/bin/npm" "install" "-g" "eslint"
30 error node v7.2.1
31 error npm  v3.10.10
32 error Cannot convert undefined or null to object
33 error If you need help, you may report this error at:
33 error     <https://github.com/npm/npm/issues>
34 verbose exit [ 1, true ]

YPCrumble · Accepted Answer · 2016-12-17 16:59:20Z

3

The issue was that I had an old .npmrc that pointed to an the npm registry using skimdb.npmjs.org. I removed the file and my modules now install fine.

I could check the registry by typing npm config list registry which now points to what I suppose is the default: https://registry.npmjs.org/

answered Dec 17, 2016 at 16:59

YPCrumble

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1 Comment

Rashid Over a year ago

In my machine, registry is already pointing to registry.npmjs.org, and I am seeing the "npm ERR! Cannot convert undefined or null to object" when I am running the install command "npm install [email protected]". Any suggestions?

vikram eklare · Accepted Answer · 2023-08-30 12:06:24Z

2

This is mostly because of poor internet connection speed

OR older version of npm

For internet connection issue try below

You can try below to make it working

npm install --prefer-offline --no-audit

secondly You can add project .npmrc file and add below lines

fetch-retry-maxtimeout = 6000000
fetch-retry-mintimeout = 1000000

Also you can try npm config set timeout 6000000

For older npm related try below

npm install -g [email protected]

If you don't know the versions of npm, use below command to list

npm view npm versions

You might need to update your node version as well , to update node using nvm

nvm use 10

Then try npm install

If this still give error try with yarn instead of npm.

edited Aug 30, 2023 at 12:06

answered Aug 30, 2023 at 8:51

vikram eklare

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Comments

Asiri Piyajanaka · Accepted Answer · 2022-04-06 10:51:14Z

1

Weird but I just downgraded npm from 8.5.2 to 6.14.16 and everything started to work.

answered Apr 6, 2022 at 10:51

Asiri Piyajanaka

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1 Comment

Timo Over a year ago

Which node version do you use? My .npmrc is ok, so maybe the npm version - 8 - is the problem.

elad BA · Accepted Answer · 2022-01-19 07:21:14Z

0

the problem is with the npm registry run this: npm config get registry

and see if it is set to the desired URI default registry should set to https://registry.npmjs.org

answered Jan 19, 2022 at 7:21

elad BA

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chikadance · Accepted Answer · 2022-09-17 10:35:46Z

0

Webstorm can debug npm cli with following conf:

add npm cli opt --loglevel verbose to show error stack trace detail

in webstorm set breakpoint in stack trace line to find what cause this error

in my case, the error is caused by a dep in package.json

answered Sep 17, 2022 at 10:35

chikadance

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Comments

Alex · Accepted Answer · 2023-04-06 03:16:30Z

0

Had the same problem with npm install

I'm getting better results with npm install --legacy-peer-deps

Of course, if you don't want that option, this isn't good for you.

answered Apr 6, 2023 at 3:16

Alex

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