nodejs / nodejs/node

Improve the error message for missing modules

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errors module
Dominant language
JavaScript
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Description

Currently, the error that is produced in case of a missing module is not really user friendly:

node:internal/process/esm_loader:74
    internalBinding('errors').triggerUncaughtException(
                              ^
Error [ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND]: Cannot find package 'not-existing-module' imported from /Users/matteo/temp/a.mjs
    at new NodeError (node:internal/errors:363:5)
    at packageResolve (node:internal/modules/esm/resolve:698:9)
    at moduleResolve (node:internal/modules/esm/resolve:739:18)
    at Loader.defaultResolve [as _resolve] (node:internal/modules/esm/resolve:853:11)
    at Loader.resolve (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:89:40)
    at Loader.getModuleJob (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:242:28)
    at ModuleWrap.<anonymous> (node:internal/modules/esm/module_job:73:40)
    at link (node:internal/modules/esm/module_job:72:36) {
  code: 'ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND'
}

Rust for example provide more user friendly errors:

error[E0432]: unresolved import `crate::constants`
 --> src/primes.rs:5:12
  |
5 | use crate::constants::{FNUM, PNUM, SMAX};
  |            ^^^^^^^^^ maybe a missing crate `constants`?

Note that our errors do not list which line the dependency was not specified.

What do you think? I think it would improve things long term.

Contributor guide

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First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start by tracing the missing-module path through internal/process/esm_loader and internal/modules/esm/resolve and loader, using the shown ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND output as the baseline. The issue does not name a test or prescribe exact wording; done would mean agreeing on and implementing a clearer error that identifies where the dependency was requested, with coverage for the resulting message.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
javascript, node.js
Domain
backend, developer-experience
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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