npm err! missing script: start Solution

If you have worked on JavaScript applications, you have seen and probably used Node.js. There are lots of tools in Node.js, and npm (node package manager) can help you manage them. npm installs the packages you want and provides a terminal interface so you can work with these tools and packages. 

You may get the missing script: start message if you recently updated to the newest version and tried to run npm start on your terminal. Or you may be running a command such as node Filename.js to run your file while not having a script for start. There could be other contributing factors.

Whatever the case, you can follow the steps below to learn how to run npm start without incurring an error message. 

What is the Cause of the npm err! missing script: start Error?

If you type npm start and get the npm err! missing script: start error, there must be a missing line in the script object located in your package.json file. The error also tells us that the missing content is in regards to the start command. 

How to Fix the Error Message

Let’s go over some steps we can take to fix this error. We will go into our project’s package.json file and add a start script to the file so we can use the npm start command.

• First, go into your package.json file by typing npm init in your terminal. You will be taken through the process of creating a package.json file. The utility will ask you a few basics, such as project name and starting file name. I have a file named “App.js” I’m working with, so I typed that in for the “entry point” option. Choose the best options for you, and press Enter to accept the defaults. 

• Now go to the location of the file and open it. The package.json file will be saved in the directory you are currently in inside your terminal. I was in my user directory (the same place where my “App.js” file is) so I found the file there. Then, add a start script in the “scripts” object in your package.json file. This will help to help activate your npm start command.

• Finally, run npm start again. You should be able to run it successfully now!

Conclusion

In this article, you learned how to fix a line in a file so that the npm start command works. As you saw, the error that was thrown at us was pretty descriptive—there was a missing script regarding the start command! 

In the solution we discussed, we went into our package.json file where our scripts live and added a start script. When you get an error, be sure to read the description for clues!

If you want to learn more about npm, check out this article on the best resources to learn npm. Good luck!