EEXIST 🟩 Node.js

Error: EEXIST: file already exists, mkdir

Node tried to create a file/directory/symlink that already exists.

Seen on: Node.js

Meaning

fs.mkdir without { recursive: true }, symlink creation in repeated runs, or npm linking over an existing binary.

Common causes

  • mkdir on an existing directory
  • Re-running setup scripts
  • npm global install over an existing bin link

⚡ Quick fix

  1. Use fs.mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true })
  2. Check existence first or ignore EEXIST
  3. npm: install with --force or remove the old link

Detailed fix by platform

Node.js

  1. fs.mkdirSync(outDir, { recursive: true });

How to diagnose

  1. Path — What already exists?
  2. Script — Idempotent?

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