How to fix npm ERR! code ENODEV npm ERR! ENODEV: no such device in npm

Before troubleshooting npm, confirm the hardware device is physically connected and your operating system can see it.

On Linux:

lsusb  # List all connected USB devices
ls -la /dev/ttyUSB*  # For serial ports
ls -la /dev/ttyACM*  # For Arduino-style devices

On macOS:

ls -la /dev/tty.* /dev/cu.*  # Serial ports

On Windows:

Mode COM3:  # Check if COM port exists (replace COM3 with your port)

If your device doesn't appear, reconnect it or check if you need to install drivers.

On Linux and macOS, you may need special permissions to access USB and serial devices. Check if you're in the correct user group.

On Linux (add your user to dialout group for serial ports):

# Check current groups
groups

# Add user to dialout group
sudo usermod -a -G dialout $USER

# For USB devices, you may need plugdev group
sudo usermod -a -G plugdev $USER

# Apply new group membership (logout and login, or use:)
newgrp dialout

After changing groups, logout and log back in for changes to take effect.

Native npm modules need proper drivers to access devices.

For Serial/USB devices:
- Check manufacturer websites for the latest drivers for your OS
- Arduino, FTDI, Prolific chips each have specific drivers
- On macOS, you may need to install additional drivers (check System Preferences > Security & Privacy)

On Linux, install required development libraries:

# For building native modules that access USB/serial
sudo apt-get install build-essential python3 libusb-1.0-0 libusb-1.0-0-dev

# For serial port support
sudo apt-get install libudev-dev

For Bluetooth modules specifically:

# Linux - Install Bluetooth development libraries
sudo apt-get install libbluetooth-dev

Sometimes native modules need to be recompiled for your system. This is especially important after changing device drivers or updating Node.js.

# Clean rebuild of all native modules
npm rebuild

# Or rebuild a specific package
npm rebuild serialport

# Clear cache and reinstall if rebuild doesn't work
npm cache clean --force
rm -rf node_modules package-lock.json
npm install

If the rebuild fails with errors about missing development tools, install build dependencies (see Step 3).

If running in Docker, VirtualBox, or another container, the device must be explicitly passed through.

Docker - Pass through USB device:

# Find the device
lsusb
# Bus 001 Device 003: ID 1234:5678

# Run container with device access
docker run --device=/dev/bus/usb/001/003 -it your-image

# Or for serial ports
docker run --device=/dev/ttyUSB0 -it your-image

# In docker-compose.yml:
services:
  app:
    devices:
      - /dev/ttyUSB0:/dev/ttyUSB0
      - /dev/bus/usb:/dev/bus/usb

VirtualBox - Enable USB support:
1. Shut down the virtual machine
2. Settings > USB
3. Enable "Enable USB Controller" and "Enable USB 2.0"
4. Add specific devices or create a USB filter
5. Restart the VM