tsc is not recognized as internal or external command
node.jsTypescriptVisual Studio-Codenode.js Problem Overview
I updated from VSCode 0.10.6 to 0.10.8, and tried using Typescript for the first time. Unfortunately I when I tell VSCode to build, I get the error:
>tsc is not a recognized as an internal or external command...
Here are the relevant details:
- I created a fresh "HelloWorld" project according to VS Code instructions. This included:
- I ran
npm init
for a new package.json - I ran
npm i --save-dev typescript
because I want a local install, rather than a global install. - I created a launch.json to define a node.js project.
- I created the tasks.json file, with prescribed settings for tsc.
- I ran
- I have made a settings.json file, as shown here. It did not help.
- I do have Visual Studio 2015 Community installed, but I have not installed a Typescript extension of any kind. When I type "where tsc" at a developer command prompt, it replies "could not find". I assume this is a good thing.
I have restarted VSCode (several times). What am I missing? What more must be done?
Update
I tried the solution offered by @zlumer. It succeeded in making the typescript compiler run, but then it caused thousands of errors to appear. To fix that, I also had to adjust my tsconfig.json to exclude the node_modules folder:
"exclude": [
"node_modules"
]
node.js Solutions
Solution 1 - node.js
There might be a reason that Typescript
is not installed globally, so install it
npm install -g typescript // installs typescript globally
If you want to convert .ts
files into .js
, do this as per your need
tsc path/file.ts // file.ts will be converted to file.js
tsc // all .ts files will be converted to .js files with in the directory
tsc --watch // converts all .ts files to .js, and watch changes in .ts files
Solution 2 - node.js
The problem is that tsc
is not in your PATH
if installed locally.
You should modify your .vscode/tasks.json
to include full path to tsc
.
The line to change is probably equal to "command": "tsc"
.
You should change it to "command": "node"
and add the following to your args: "args": ["${workspaceRoot}\\node_modules\\typescript\\bin\\tsc"]
(on Windows).
This will instruct VSCode to:
- Run NodeJS (it should be installed globally).
- Pass your local Typescript installation as the script to run.
(that's pretty much what tsc
executable does)
Are you sure you don't want to install Typescript globally? It should make things easier, especially if you're just starting to use it.
Solution 3 - node.js
You need to run:
npx tsc
...rather than just calling tsc
own its on like a Windows command as everyone else seems to be suggesting.
If you don't have npx
installed then you should. It should be installed globally (unlike Typescript). So first run:
npm install -g npx
..then run npx tsc
.
Solution 4 - node.js
For windows
After installing typescript globally
npm install typescript -g
just search for "node.js command prompt"
type in command promt
tsc -v
Here we can see tsc command works, now navigate to your folder and type
tsc filename.ts
its complies ts to js file.
Solution 5 - node.js
In the VSCode file tasks.json
, the "command": "tsc"
will try to find the tsc windows command script in some folder that it deems to be your modules folder.
If you know where the command npm install -g typescript
or npm install typescript
is saving to, I would recommend replacing:
"command": "tsc"
with
"command": "D:\\Projects\\TS\\Tutorial\\node_modules\\.bin\\tsc"
where D:\\...\\bin
is the folder that contains my tsc windows executable
Will determine where my vscode is natively pointing to right now to find the tsc and fix it I guess.
Solution 6 - node.js
tsc is not recognized as internal or external command
As mentioned in another answer this is because tsc is not present in path.
1. Install as global package
To make TypeScript compiler available to all directories for this user, run the below command:
npm install -g typescript
You will see something similar to
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\npm\tsserver -> C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\typescript\bin\tsserver C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\npm\tsc -> C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\typescript\bin\tsc + [email protected] added 1 package from 1 contributor in 4.769s
2. Set the environment variable
-
Add the npm installation folder to your "user variables" AND "environment variables".
-
In windows you can add environment variable PATH with value
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\npm\
i.e. wherever the npm installation folder is present.
> Note: If multiple Paths are present separate them with a ;(semicolon)
If the below command gives the version then you have successfully installed
tsc --version
Solution 7 - node.js
You have missed typescript installation, just run below command and then try tsc --init
npm install -g typescript
Solution 8 - node.js
One more scenario of this error:
locally
and run the command without npm run
Install typescript First, it is important to notice this is a "general" terminal error (Even if you write hello bla.js
-or- wowowowow index.js
):
"hello world" example of this error:
- You install typescript locally (without
-g
) ==>npm install typescript
. https://docs.npmjs.com/downloading-and-installing-packages-locally - In this case
tsc
commands available if you runnpm run
inside your local project. For example:npm run tsc -v
:
-or- install typescript globally (Like other answer mention).
Solution 9 - node.js
Me too faced the same problem. Use nodeJS command prompt instead of windows command prompt.
Step 1: Execute the npm install -g typescript
Step 2: tsc filename.ts
New file will be create same name and different extension as ".js"
Step 3: node filename.js
You can see output in screen. It works for me.
Solution 10 - node.js
If you want to run the tsc command from the integrated terminal with the TypeScript module installed locally, you can add the following to your .vscode\settings.json file.
{
"terminal.integrated.env.windows": { "PATH": "${workspaceFolder}\\node_modules\\.bin;${env:PATH}" }
}
This will prepend the locally installed node module's binary/executable directory (where tsc.cmd is located) to the $env.PATH variable.
Solution 11 - node.js
If none of the above make sense, especially if it used to work previously. Here is my solution: rm -f node_modules
and npm i
.
My problem was that I ran rm -rf node_modules
for a second or so and stopped it. Then I forgot about it and I have also ran npm i
. Then I got the tsc not recognized error. So I tried to run npm i
to make sure everything is up to date, and it said it it was, which it was not.
Solution 12 - node.js
For me, by running Visual Studio Code as Administrator, the problem is resolved.
Solution 13 - node.js
Alternatively you can use npm which automatically looks into the .bin folder. Then you can use tsc