rails new doesn't install required npm dependencies

[j127]

Steps to reproduce

Create a new Rails project like this:

rails _8.0.2_ new my_website --js=esbuild --css=tailwind --database=postgresql

Run:

bin/setup

Expected behavior

The command should succeed and the server should be running, because bin/setup runs bin/dev.

Actual behavior

The command fails because there aren't any npm dependencies installed.

$ bin/setup

== Installing dependencies ==
The Gemfile's dependencies are satisfied
yarn install v1.22.22
info No lockfile found.
[1/4] 🔍  Resolving packages...
[2/4] 🚚  Fetching packages...
[3/4] 🔗  Linking dependencies...
[4/4] 🔨  Building fresh packages...

success Saved lockfile.
✨  Done in 0.03s.

== Preparing database ==
Created database 'my_website_development'
Created database 'my_website_test'

== Removing old logs and tempfiles ==

== Starting development server ==
12:23:09 web.1  | started with pid 11853
12:23:09 js.1   | started with pid 11854
12:23:09 css.1  | started with pid 11855
12:23:09 js.1   | yarn run v1.22.22
12:23:09 css.1  | yarn run v1.22.22
12:23:09 css.1  | $ npx @tailwindcss/cli -i ./app/assets/stylesheets/application.tailwind.css -o ./app/assets/builds/application.css --minify --watch
12:23:09 js.1   | $ esbuild app/javascript/*.* --bundle --sourcemap --format=esm --outdir=app/assets/builds --public-path=/assets --watch
12:23:09 js.1   | /bin/sh: esbuild: command not found
12:23:09 js.1   | error Command failed with exit code 127.
12:23:09 js.1   | info Visit https://yarnpkg.com/en/docs/cli/run for documentation about this command.
12:23:10 js.1   | exited with code 127
12:23:10 system | sending SIGTERM to all processes
12:23:11 css.1  | exited with code 1
12:23:11 web.1  | terminated by SIGTERM

Here's the package.json -- shouldn't tailwind and esbuild be there (edit: and hotwire dependencies)?

{
  "name": "app",
  "private": true,
  "scripts": {
    "build": "esbuild app/javascript/*.* --bundle --sourcemap --format=esm --outdir=app/assets/builds --public-path=/assets",
    "build:css": "npx @tailwindcss/cli -i ./app/assets/stylesheets/application.tailwind.css -o ./app/assets/builds/application.css --minify"
  }
}

Edit: here are some more logs -- it's running yarn add but the dependencies aren't found in package.json:

...

  Install esbuild
         run    yarn add --dev esbuild from "."
  Add build script
         run    npm pkg set scripts.build="esbuild app/javascript/*.* --bundle --sourcemap --format=esm --outdir=app/assets/builds --public-path=/assets" from "."
         run    yarn build from "."
         run  bundle install --quiet
       rails  turbo:install stimulus:install
       apply  /Users/username/.rbenv/versions/3.4.2/lib/ruby/gems/3.4.0/gems/turbo-rails-2.0.13/lib/install/turbo_with_node.rb
  Import Turbo
      append    app/javascript/application.js
  Install Turbo
         run    yarn add @hotwired/turbo-rails from "."
         run  bundle install --quiet
       apply  /Users/username/.rbenv/versions/3.4.2/lib/ruby/gems/3.4.0/gems/stimulus-rails-1.3.4/lib/install/stimulus_with_node.rb
  Create controllers directory
      create    app/javascript/controllers
      create    app/javascript/controllers/index.js
      create    app/javascript/controllers/application.js
      create    app/javascript/controllers/hello_controller.js
  Import Stimulus controllers
      append    app/javascript/application.js
  Install Stimulus
         run    yarn add @hotwired/stimulus from "."
         run  bundle install --quiet
       rails  css:install:tailwind
       apply  /Users/username/.rbenv/versions/3.4.2/lib/ruby/gems/3.4.0/gems/cssbundling-rails-1.4.3/lib/install/tailwind/install.rb
       apply    /Users/username/.rbenv/versions/3.4.2/lib/ruby/gems/3.4.0/gems/cssbundling-rails-1.4.3/lib/install/install.rb
    Build into app/assets/builds
       exist      app/assets/builds
   identical      app/assets/builds/.keep
   unchanged      .gitignore
   unchanged      .gitignore
    Remove app/assets/stylesheets/application.css so build output can take over
      remove      app/assets/stylesheets/application.css
      append      Procfile.dev
    Add bin/dev to start foreman
   identical      bin/dev
  Install Tailwind
      create    app/assets/stylesheets/application.tailwind.css
         run    yarn add tailwindcss@latest @tailwindcss/cli@latest from "."
  Add build:css script
  Add build:css script
         run    npm pkg set scripts.build:css="npx @tailwindcss/cli -i ./app/assets/stylesheets/application.tailwind.css -o ./app/assets/builds/application.css --minify" from "."
         run    yarn build:css from "."
         run  bundle install --quiet
         run  bundle binstubs kamal
         run  bundle exec kamal init
Created configuration file in config/deploy.yml
Created .kamal/secrets file
Created sample hooks in .kamal/hooks
       force  .kamal/secrets
       force  config/deploy.yml
       rails  solid_cache:install solid_queue:install solid_cable:install
      create  config/cache.yml
      create  db/cache_schema.rb
        gsub  config/environments/production.rb
      create  config/queue.yml
      create  config/recurring.yml
      create  db/queue_schema.rb
      create  bin/jobs
        gsub  config/environments/production.rb
      create  db/cable_schema.rb
       force  config/cable.yml

System configuration

Rails version: 8.0.2

Ruby version: ruby 3.4.2 (2025-02-15 revision d2930f8e7a) +PRISM [arm64-darwin24]

(M1 MacBook)

[j127]

I figured out the problem. I had upgraded Node to the latest minor version with nvm earlier, which meant yarn wasn't installed any more.

It might be a good idea to have rails new --css=tailwind --js=eslint fail if yarn isn't installed so there isn't a silent error.

[MatheusRich]

@j127 maybe this is an improvement you can make at jsbundling-rails? Or maybe even moving this issue there?

[j127]

Does rails new use jsbundling-rails? Sorry, I don't know how it works under the hood yet. I'll take a closer look.

[MatheusRich]

@j127 if you use --js=esbuild it will. By default, it uses importmaps

[j127]

Thanks, I'll search around in the code and see if I can figure out how it works.

[j127]

I moved it here for now, so I'll close this issue.