How to fix Error: Module version mismatch. Expected 93, got 94. in Node.js

Node.jsBEGINNERMEDIUM

This error occurs when native Node.js modules are compiled for one Node.js version but run with a different version. The version numbers (e.g., 93 vs 94) represent the NODE_MODULE_VERSION ABI used by different Node.js releases.

What this error means

The "Module version mismatch" error indicates that a native addon or module (typically written in C/C++) was compiled against a specific version of Node.js's Application Binary Interface (ABI), but is now being loaded by a different version of Node.js with an incompatible ABI. Each Node.js version has an associated MODULE_VERSION number that represents its ABI. For example, Node.js 16.x uses version 93, Node.js 17.x uses version 102, and Node.js 18.x uses version 108. When you see "Expected 93, got 94," it means a native module was compiled for one version but is being used with another. Native modules contain compiled binary code that directly interfaces with Node.js internals. Unlike pure JavaScript modules, they must be recompiled whenever the underlying Node.js version changes significantly. This error most commonly occurs in CI/CD pipelines, Docker containers, or when switching Node.js versions locally without rebuilding dependencies.

How to fix "Error: Module version mismatch. Expected 93, got 94."

1Verify your current Node.js version

First, check which Node.js version you're actually running:

bash

node --version

Also check which version your package.json or .nvmrc specifies, and ensure they match across all environments (development, CI/CD, production).

2Rebuild all native modules for your current Node.js version

The quickest fix is to rebuild all native modules against your current Node.js version:

bash

npm rebuild

This recompiles all native addons in your node_modules folder. For yarn users:

bash

yarn install --force

For pnpm users:

bash

pnpm rebuild

3Delete node_modules and reinstall dependencies

If rebuilding doesn't work, perform a clean reinstall:

bash

# Remove existing dependencies
rm -rf node_modules
rm -f package-lock.json  # or yarn.lock or pnpm-lock.yaml

# Clear npm cache
npm cache clean --force

# Reinstall
npm install

On Windows:

powershell

rd /s /q "node_modules"
del package-lock.json
npm cache clean --force
npm install

This ensures all modules, including native addons, are compiled fresh for your current Node.js version.

4Standardize Node.js version across all environments

Ensure consistent Node.js versions everywhere:

Using .nvmrc:

bash

# Create .nvmrc file
echo "18.17.0" > .nvmrc

# Use it with nvm
nvm use

In package.json:

json

{
  "engines": {
    "node": ">=18.17.0 <19.0.0"
  }
}

In Dockerfile:

dockerfile

FROM node:18.17.0-alpine

In CI/CD (GitHub Actions example):

yaml

- uses: actions/setup-node@v3
  with:
    node-version: '18.17.0'

Update all environments to use the same Node.js version, then rebuild your dependencies.

5For Electron apps: Use electron-rebuild

Electron requires special handling because it uses a different V8 version than standard Node.js:

bash

# Install electron-rebuild
npm install --save-dev @electron/rebuild

# Rebuild for Electron
npx electron-rebuild

Or add it as a postinstall script in package.json:

json

{
  "scripts": {
    "postinstall": "electron-rebuild"
  }
}

This recompiles native modules specifically for Electron's Node.js environment.

6Check for platform-specific pre-built binaries

Some packages (like sharp, canvas, or sqlite3) provide pre-built binaries. Ensure you're downloading the correct ones:

bash

# Force download of pre-built binaries
npm install --force

# Or for specific packages
npm rebuild sharp --verbose

If pre-built binaries aren't available for your Node.js version, the package will compile from source, which requires build tools (python, make, g++/clang) to be installed.

How to fix Error: Module version mismatch. Expected 93, got 94. in Node.js

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How to fix "Error: Module version mismatch. Expected 93, got 94."

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