How to fix Error: spawn ENOENT in Node.js

# Try running the command directly
which docker
docker --version

which git
git --version

which npm
npm --version

const { spawn } = require('child_process');

// Instead of this (relies on PATH):
spawn('docker', ['ps']);

// Do this (absolute path):
spawn('/usr/bin/docker', ['ps']);

# Linux/Mac
which docker
# Output: /usr/bin/docker

# Windows (in PowerShell)
Get-Command docker.exe
# Shows the full path

const { spawn } = require('child_process');
const { execSync } = require('child_process');

// Dynamically find executable path
function findCommand(cmd) {
  try {
    return execSync(`which ${cmd}`, { encoding: 'utf8' }).trim();
  } catch {
    // On Windows, try alternative
    try {
      return execSync(`where ${cmd}`, { encoding: 'utf8' }).trim().split('\n')[0];
    } catch {
      return null;
    }
  }
}

const dockerPath = findCommand('docker');
if (dockerPath) {
  spawn(dockerPath, ['ps']);
} else {
  console.error('docker command not found');
}

const { spawn } = require('child_process');

// WRONG: Missing PATH in custom environment
spawn('docker', ['ps'], {
  env: { MY_VAR: 'value' }  // PATH is lost!
});

// CORRECT: Inherit PATH from parent
spawn('docker', ['ps'], {
  env: { ...process.env, MY_VAR: 'value' }  // PATH is preserved
});

// Or use shell: true as a fallback
spawn('docker ps', {
  shell: true,
  env: process.env
});

const child = spawn('npm', ['install'], {
  cwd: '/path/to/project',
  env: { ...process.env, NODE_ENV: 'production' }
});

const { spawn } = require('child_process');
const fs = require('fs');
const path = require('path');

const workingDir = '/path/to/project';

// Check if directory exists before spawning
if (!fs.existsSync(workingDir)) {
  console.error(`Directory does not exist: ${workingDir}`);
  process.exit(1);
}

spawn('npm', ['install'], {
  cwd: workingDir
});

import { spawn } from 'child_process';
import { resolve } from 'path';

const workingDir = resolve(__dirname, '../project');
spawn('npm', ['install'], { cwd: workingDir });

const { spawn } = require('child_process');

const child = spawn('docker', ['ps']);

// This is the key - listen for the error event
child.on('error', (error) => {
  if (error.code === 'ENOENT') {
    console.error('Command not found: docker');
    console.error('Full error:', error.message);
    console.error('Searched in PATH:', process.env.PATH);
  } else {
    console.error('Failed to start child process:', error);
  }
});

child.stdout.on('data', (data) => {
  console.log(`stdout: ${data}`);
});

child.stderr.on('data', (data) => {
  console.error(`stderr: ${data}`);
});

child.on('close', (code) => {
  console.log(`Process exited with code ${code}`);
});

const { spawn } = require('child_process');

// WRONG on Windows: .bat file cannot be executed directly
spawn('build.bat', ['--release']);

// CORRECT on Windows: use shell option
spawn('build.bat', ['--release'], { shell: true });

// Also works for executables and provides better cross-platform support
spawn('npm', ['install'], { shell: true });

const { spawn } = require('child_process');
const { platform } = require('os');

const command = 'npm';
const args = ['install'];

const isWindows = platform() === 'win32';

spawn(command, args, {
  shell: isWindows,  // Only use shell on Windows
  stdio: 'inherit'   // Show output directly
});

# Check if file exists and has execute permission
ls -la /usr/bin/docker

# Should show something like: -rwxr-xr-x
#                             ^-- execute permission bit

# If execute permission is missing, add it:
chmod +x /usr/bin/docker

# Make your script executable
chmod +x ./my-script.sh

# Then spawn it with absolute path
spawn('/absolute/path/to/my-script.sh', []);

# Or use shell to interpret relative paths
spawn('./my-script.sh', [], { shell: true });