Last modified: Jun 24, 2025 By Alexander Williams
Fix Error: Cannot find module 'fs-extra'
If you see the error Cannot find module 'fs-extra', don't worry. This is a common Node.js issue. It happens when the module is missing or not installed correctly.
Table Of Contents
What causes this error?
The error occurs when Node.js cannot locate the fs-extra
module. This usually happens for three reasons:
1. The module is not installed. 2. The installation failed. 3. The module path is incorrect.
How to fix the error
Here are the best solutions to resolve this issue quickly.
1. Install fs-extra
First, try installing the module. Open your terminal and run:
npm install fs-extra
If you need it as a development dependency, use:
npm install fs-extra --save-dev
2. Check node_modules
After installing, verify the module exists in node_modules
. Look for the fs-extra
folder.
If it's missing, delete node_modules
and package-lock.json
. Then run npm install
again.
3. Verify package.json
Ensure fs-extra
is listed in your package.json
. It should appear in either dependencies
or devDependencies
.
{
"dependencies": {
"fs-extra": "^11.0.0"
}
}
4. Global installation
If the error persists, try installing globally:
npm install -g fs-extra
5. Clear npm cache
A corrupted cache can cause installation issues. Clear it with:
npm cache clean --force
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Don't forget to run npm install
after adding dependencies. 2. Check for typos in your require
statement. 3. Ensure your Node.js version is compatible.
Example usage
Here's how to properly use fs-extra
in your code:
const fs = require('fs-extra');
// Copy a file
fs.copySync('source.txt', 'destination.txt');
If successful, this will copy the file without errors.
Related errors
Similar errors may occur with other modules. Learn how to fix them:
Fix Error: Cannot find module 'express'
Fix Error: Cannot find module 'dotenv'
Fix Node.js Error: Cannot find module
Conclusion
The Cannot find module 'fs-extra' error is easy to fix. Most times, reinstalling the module works. Always check your package.json
and node_modules
folder.
For other module errors, the solutions are similar. Check out our guides on fixing mongoose errors or axios errors if needed.