{"id":2554,"date":"2016-02-09T06:47:09","date_gmt":"2016-02-09T06:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nikola-breznjak.com\/blog\/?p=2554"},"modified":"2016-02-09T06:53:20","modified_gmt":"2016-02-09T06:53:20","slug":"why-am-i-getting-unexpected-token-u0000-when-using-npm-install-g-package-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nikola-breznjak.com\/blog\/javascript\/nodejs\/why-am-i-getting-unexpected-token-u0000-when-using-npm-install-g-package-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Why am I getting Unexpected token ‘\\u0000’ when using npm install -g package"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this StackOverflow question I answered what to do when you get an unexpected token ‘\\u0000’ error\u00a0when using npm install -g to install some package.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"profile<\/a>
\nI’m a big fan of Stack Overflow<\/a> and I tend to contribute regularly (am currently in the top 0.X%<\/a>).\u00a0In this category (stackoverflow<\/a>)\u00a0of posts, I will be posting my top rated questions and answers. This, btw, is allowed as explained in the meta thread here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As you may know, I’m really into Ionic framework lately\u00a0and am helping out on StackOverflow with the knowledge I gained so far with the framework. I’m currently #3<\/strong> in the top All time answerers<\/a> list.<\/p>\n

I answered this question<\/a>\u00a0by user Bruce Whealton<\/a>:<\/p>\n

This is probably a Windows specific issue but I haven’t found any information when googling this issue. I had been using ionic framework which relies on Cordova (or Phonegap). However, the problem is not specific to any of these packages. I see this error quite often. So, the error is when I run a command such as the following:<\/p>\n

npm install -g cordova<\/pre>\n
However, I could substitute various other packages and get the same error. I’ll paste the snippet (very brief) below of the error message. What is strange is that I had an ionic project working in that directory earlier. Then today it told me that ionic could not be found. My hunch is that this is a different issue than the main issue I am describing here.<\/p>\n
I installed git bash so I do have a linux-like environment that I could try. I would just select Git Bash for a bash window with various bash commands. If there is an easier way to fix this for Windows users, please let me know. I have seen courses on Pluralsight where the instructors seem to be happily using npm with no problems. Also, when I use yeoman, I also at some point, in many cases, get the same error.
\nThe error is<\/p>\n
npm ERR! Failed to parse json\r\nnpm Unexpected token '\\u0000' at 1:1\r\nnpm ERR!\r\nnpm ERR! ^\r\nnpm ERR! File: c:\\Users\\Bruce\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm-cache\\amdefine\\1.0.0\\package\\package.json\r\nnpm ERR! Failed to parse package.json data.\r\nnpm ERR! package.json must be actual JSON, not just JavaScript.\r\nnpm ERR!\r\nnpm ERR! This is not a bug in npm\r\nnpm ERR! Tell the package author to fix their package.json file. JSON.parse.<\/pre>\n
Thanks in advance for any help\/advice, Bruce<\/p>\n
My answer<\/a> was:<\/p>\n
Via this question on SO<\/a> it could be that you just have to do:<\/p>\n
npm cache clean<\/pre>\n
But, also try the other methods suggested there like adding the registry option:<\/p>\n
npm install <packagename> --registry http:\/\/registry.npmjs.org\/.<\/pre>\n
Or, if you’ve been mingling with the package.json<\/code> file by yourself, check if it’s valid.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n
Why am I getting Unexpected token \u2018u0000\u2019 when using #npm<\/a> install -g package #node<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/mjvmpMKuAT<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/HlqJ5S7PZ5<\/a><\/p>\n
— Nikola Bre\u017enjak (@HitmanHR) February 9, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n