npm packages using local paths are not supported.

[michalczaplinski]

Describe the bug:

The runtime does not support local npm packages using the "packageName": "file:./package" syntax.

Link to the blitz that caused the error:

https://stackblitz.com/edit/node-5ppqi3

Steps to reproduce:

npm install 
node index.js
Error: Cannot find module '/projects/node-5ppqi3/node_modules/test-package/index.js'. Please verify that the package.json has a valid "main" entry
    at tryPackage (https://node-5ppqi3.jw.staticblitz.com/blitz.57be275669708b1d42e233d60c80159bef577631.js:6:178912)
    at Function.Module._findPath (https://node-5ppqi3.jw.staticblitz.com/blitz.57be275669708b1d42e233d60c80159bef577631.js:6:180576)
    at Function.Module._resolveFilename (https://node-5ppqi3.jw.staticblitz.com/blitz.57be275669708b1d42e233d60c80159bef577631.js:6:185323)
    at Function.Module._load (https://node-5ppqi3.jw.staticblitz.com/blitz.57be275669708b1d42e233d60c80159bef577631.js:6:183130)
    at Module.require (https://node-5ppqi3.jw.staticblitz.com/blitz.57be275669708b1d42e233d60c80159bef577631.js:6:186304)
    at i (https://node-5ppqi3.jw.staticblitz.com/blitz.57be275669708b1d42e233d60c80159bef577631.js:6:484674)
    at _0x1cc684 (https://node-5ppqi3.jw.staticblitz.com/blitz.57be275669708b1d42e233d60c80159bef577631.js:11:20414)
    at Object.eval (/projects/node-5ppqi3/index.js:2:14)
    at Object.function (https://node-5ppqi3.jw.staticblitz.com/blitz.57be275669708b1d42e233d60c80159bef577631.js:11:20499)
    at Module._compile (https://node-5ppqi3.jw.staticblitz.com/blitz.57be275669708b1d42e233d60c80159bef577631.js:6:187549) {
  code: 'MODULE_NOT_FOUND',
  path: '/projects/node-5ppqi3/node_modules/test-package/package.json',
  requestPath: 'test-package'
}

Expected behavior:

Should run successfully

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• OS: MacOS
• Browser: chrome
• Version: 90

[KwintenP]

Hey!

You are right. This syntax is indeed not supported at this point. We do have this on our roadmap but might not be implemented in the near future. I will add this to our internal issue tracker so we def keep tracking it!

[luisherranz]

Until this is fixed, a possible workaround is to use workspaces.

For example, if your local dependencies are in the packages folder, like this:

{
  "dependencies": {
    "my-package": "file:./packages/my-package"
  }
}

You can make StackBlitz install them correctly by adding:

{
  "workspaces": [
    "packages/*"
  ]
}

With a small caveat: it doesn't work if you only have local dependencies. You need to have at least one external dependency:

{
  "dependencies": {
    "my-package": "file:./packages/my-package",
    "dependency": "0.0.1"
  }
}

Also, you probably need to remove both node_modules and package-lock.json before running npm install again.

This is the example that @michalczaplinski shared, but working now: https://stackblitz.com/edit/local-packages-node-example

[d3lm]

This issue has been fixed.