Fix: Error: spawn ENOENT error

The ‘Error: spawn ENOENT’ error occurs when Node.js cannot find the executable file specified in a child process spawn operation, typically due to missing commands, incorrect paths, or PATH issues.

How the Error Happens

❌ Error Scenario:

// ❌ This causes spawn ENOENT error
const { spawn } = require('child_process');

const child = spawn('nonexistent-command', ['--version']); // ❌ Command doesn't exist
// Error: spawn nonexistent-command ENOENT

✅ Quick Fix - Resolve Spawn Issues

Solution 1: Verify Command Exists

// ✅ Check if command exists before spawning
const { spawn } = require('child_process');

function commandExists(command) {
  return new Promise((resolve) => {
    const child = spawn(command, ['--help'], { stdio: 'ignore' });
    child.on('error', () => resolve(false));
    child.on('close', (code) => resolve(code !== 127)); // 127 = command not found
  });
}

async function runCommand(command, args) {
  if (await commandExists(command)) {
    const child = spawn(command, args);
    // ✅ Process the child process
  } else {
    console.error(`Command '${command}' not found`);
  }
}

Solution 2: Use Full Path to Executable

// ✅ Use full path to executable
const { spawn } = require('child_process');
const { which } = require('which'); // npm install which

async function runWithFullPath() {
  try {
    const gitPath = await which('git');
    const child = spawn(gitPath, ['--version']);
    
    child.stdout.on('data', (data) => {
      console.log(`Git version: ${data}`);
    });
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Git not found in PATH');
  }
}

Solution 3: Cross-Platform Command Execution

// ✅ Handle cross-platform differences
const { spawn } = require('child_process');
const os = require('os');

function spawnCommand(command, args, options = {}) {
  // ✅ Add .cmd or .exe for Windows
  if (os.platform() === 'win32') {
    command += '.cmd'; // ✅ For npm, node, etc.
  }
  
  return spawn(command, args, options);
}

// ✅ Usage
const child = spawnCommand('npm', ['--version']);

Solution 4: Use exec instead of spawn for Simple Commands

// ✅ Use exec for simple command execution
const { exec } = require('child_process');

exec('git --version', (error, stdout, stderr) => {
  if (error) {
    console.error(`Error: ${error.message}`);
    return;
  }
  console.log(`Git version: ${stdout}`);
});