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Installation notes for macOS Catalina (v10.15)

This document specifically refers to upgrades from previous versions of macOS to Catalina (10.15). It should be removed from the source repository when Catalina ceases to be the latest macOS version or when future Catalina versions no longer raise these issues.

Both upgrading to macOS Catalina and running a Software Update in Catalina may cause normal node-gyp installations to fail. This might manifest as the following error during npm install:

gyp: No Xcode or CLT version detected!

node-gyp v7

The newest release of node-gyp should solve this problem. If you are using node-gyp directly then you should be able to install v7 and use it as-is.

If you need to use node-gyp from within npm (e.g. through npm install), you will have to install node-gyp (either globally with -g or to a predictable location) and tell npm where the new version is. Either use:

npm config set node_gyp <path to node-gyp>; or
run npm with an environment variable prefix: npm_config_node_gyp=<path to node-gyp> npm install

Where "path to node-gyp" is to the node-gyp executable which may be a symlink in your global bin directory (e.g. /usr/local/bin/node-gyp), or a path to the node-gyp installation directory and the bin/node-gyp.js file within it (e.g. /usr/local/lib/node_modules/node-gyp/bin/node-gyp.js).

If you use npm config set to change your global node_gyp you are responsible for keeping it up to date and can't rely on npm to give you a newer version when available. Use npm config delete node_gyp to unset this configuration option.

Fixing Catalina for older versions of `node-gyp`

Is my Mac running macOS Catalina?

Let's first make sure that your Mac is running Catalina:

% sw_vers
    ProductName:	Mac OS X
    ProductVersion:	10.15
    BuildVersion:	19A602

If ProductVersion is less then 10.15 then this document is not for you. Normal install docs for node-gyp on macOS can be found at https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp#on-macos

The acid test

To see if Xcode Command Line Tools is installed in a way that will work with node-gyp, run:

curl -sL https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp/raw/master/macOS_Catalina_acid_test.sh | bash

If test succeeded, you are done! You should be ready to install node-gyp.

If test failed, there is a problem with your Xcode Command Line Tools installation. Continue to Solutions.

Solutions

There are three ways to install the Xcode libraries node-gyp needs on macOS. People running Catalina have had success with some but not others in a way that has been unpredictable.

With the full Xcode (~7.6 GB download) from the App Store app.
With the much smaller Xcode Command Line Tools via xcode-select --install
With the much smaller Xcode Command Line Tools via manual download. For people running the latest version of Catalina (10.15.2 at the time of this writing), this has worked when the other two solutions haven't.

Installing `node-gyp` using the full Xcode

xcodebuild -version should show Xcode 11.1 or later.
- If not, then install/upgrade Xcode from the App Store app.
Open the Xcode app and...
- Under Preferences > Locations select the tools if their location is empty.
- Allow Xcode app to do an essential install of the most recent compiler tools.
Once all installations are complete, quit out of Xcode.
sudo xcodebuild -license accept # If you agree with the licensing terms.
softwareupdate -l # No listing is a good sign.
- If Xcode or Tools upgrades are listed, use "Software Upgrade" to install them.
xcode-select -version # Should return xcode-select version 2370 or later.
xcode-select -print-path # Should return /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer
Try the acid test steps above to see if your Mac is ready.
If the acid test does not pass then...
sudo xcode-select --reset # Enter root password. No output is normal.
Repeat step 7 above. Is the path different this time? Repeat the acid test.

Installing `node-gyp` using the Xcode Command Line Tools via `xcode-select --install`

If the acid test has not succeeded, then try xcode-select --install
If the installation command returns xcode-select: error: command line tools are already installed, use "Software Update" to install updates, continue to remove and reinstall
Wait until the install process is complete.
softwareupdate -l # No listing is a good sign.
- If Xcode or Tools upgrades are listed, use "Software Update" to install them.
xcode-select -version # Should return xcode-select version 2370 or later.
xcode-select -print-path # Should return /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools
Try the acid test steps above to see if your Mac is ready.
If the acid test does not pass then...
sudo xcode-select --reset # Enter root password. No output is normal.
Repeat step 5 above. Is the path different this time? Repeat the acid test.

Installing `node-gyp` using the Xcode Command Line Tools via manual download

Download the appropriate version of the "Command Line Tools for Xcode" for your version of Catalina from https://developer.apple.com/download/more/. As of MacOS 10.15.5, that's Command_Line_Tools_for_Xcode_11.5.dmg
Install the package.
Run the acid test steps above.

I did all that and the acid test still does not pass :-(

sudo rm -rf $(xcode-select -print-path) # Enter root password. No output is normal.
sudo rm -rf /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools # Enter root password.
sudo xcode-select --reset
xcode-select --install
If the acid test steps above still does not pass then...
npm explore npm -g -- npm install node-gyp@latest
npm explore npm -g -- npm explore npm-lifecycle -- npm install node-gyp@latest
If the acid test still does not pass then...
Add a comment to https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp/issues/1927 so we can improve.

Lessons learned from:

https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp/issues/1779
https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp/issues/1861
https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp/issues/1927 and elsewhere
Thanks to @rrrix for discovering Solution 3

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