`nuxt dev` hangs.
Hey, I think I might have bricked the
nuxt dev command
I've attached the output of running DEBUG=true bun dev14 Replies
Hi @MrBear038. I'm kapa.ai, your friendly support bot. I will try to answer your question by searching through the knowledge base. :wave:
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Based on the knowledge sources provided, there are several known causes for the Nuxt dev server hanging or not starting properly. Here are some relevant points and troubleshooting steps:
1. Symlink/Watcher Issues: If your project contains directories with many files or symlinks (e.g.,
.devenv or similar), Nuxt's file watcher may scan these and cause resource exhaustion or errors like "too many symbolic links encountered." This can lead to the dev server hanging or zombie processes that can't be killed. Excluding such directories from being watched (e.g., via .nuxtignore) or moving them outside the project root has resolved the issue for some users, especially on Linux/NixOS environments watcher scans all files in root directory.
2. Bun Compatibility: If you are using Bun as your runtime, there are known issues with HMR and the dev server hanging. A workaround is to run the dev server with the --no-fork flag:
or, if using Bun:
This has helped some users avoid constant reloading and hanging issues hmr not work current and many previous versions, normal worked some month ago.
3. Resource Limits: On some systems, especially with many open files or processes (e.g., due to Chrome, Slack, or other heavy applications), you may hit system limits that cause Nuxt or Vite to hang. Monitoring resource usage with tools like lsof and htop can help identify if this is the case EBADF error with Nuxt 3 and Vite on macOS, requiring esbuild version override.
4. Debugging: You can enable debug mode in Nuxt by setting debug: true in your nuxt.config or by using the DEBUG=true environment variable. This will print out more information about what Nuxt is doing, which can help pinpoint where it is hanging debug.
5. General Troubleshooting:
- Try deleting node_modules and your lock file, then reinstalling dependencies.
- Make sure you are not running into issues with missing modules or stubbed components, as this can cause the build to hang fix(nuxt): error on build when required module is missing.
- If you are running inside Docker, certain debugging features (like Node Inspector) may not work as expected Debugging.
If you can share the specific debug output from DEBUG=true bun dev, it may help narrow down the cause further. But based on the above, the most likely solutions are:
- Try running with --no-fork if using Bun.
- Exclude or move any large or symlinked directories from your project root.
- Check for resource exhaustion on your system.
If these steps do not resolve the issue, please provide the debug output for more targeted assistance.
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----------------------<@789952274804899881> Kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let me know how I did by reacting below.
@kapa.ai I've gone through what you've suggested, there hasn't been any improvement, whether I'm using
pnpm or bun nothing changes. I've removed the node_modules, refreshed the lock file, rolled back the changes that started this issue nothing. Even moving only the code to a new project causes the new project to brick.Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books:
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I'm sorry to hear that the issue persists even after trying the standard troubleshooting steps. Based on the knowledge sources provided, there are a few additional observations and limitations:
- Some users have reported that when a Nuxt project becomes "bricked" (i.e.,
nuxt dev hangs or fails to start), even copying the code into a new project does not resolve the issue. In at least one case, the only solution was to start with a completely fresh Nuxt project and very carefully copy files over, checking at each step to see if the problem reappears. Unfortunately, the root cause was not identified, and the issue did not show up in version control differences either. This suggests there may be hidden state, configuration, or environmental factors at play that are not obvious from the project files alone Nuxt3 build .output folder remains empty, nothing copied from .nuxt Part 4.
- There are also cases where system-level issues (such as file watcher limits, symlink loops, or resource exhaustion) can cause persistent problems, but you mentioned you've already tried moving directories and cleaning up resources.
- In some situations, users have found that only a full reset—starting a new project and incrementally moving code and configuration—eventually resolves the issue, even if the cause remains unclear.
Given these points, the knowledge sources do not provide a definitive solution for a situation where even a new project becomes bricked after moving code. If you have already tried all the standard steps (removing node_modules, lock files, rolling back changes, moving code to a new project, and checking for symlink/resource issues), and the problem persists, the knowledge sources do not contain enough information to offer a more specific fix.
If you can identify any particular file, configuration, or pattern that triggers the issue when copied to a new project, that might help isolate the cause. Otherwise, you may need to continue with the incremental approach—copying over files one by one and testing after each step—to find the problematic element.
I'm sorry I can't provide a more concrete answer based on the available information. If you have additional logs or error messages, sharing those might help narrow things down further.
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Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon:
----------------------<@789952274804899881> Kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let me know how I did by reacting below.
Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books:
Sorry @MrBear038, I seem to be having a bit of trouble. Don't worry though, I've pinged my support and they will try to fix me up! :technologist:
Perhaps try again in 15mins?
@kapa.ai
Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books:
Sorry @MrBear038, I seem to be having a bit of trouble. Don't worry though, I've pinged my support and they will try to fix me up! :technologist:
Perhaps try again in 15mins?
@kapa.ai Setting
devtools: { enabled: false } solves the problem.Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books:
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Yes, according to several knowledge sources, setting
devtools: { enabled: false } in your nuxt.config.ts can resolve issues where the Nuxt dev server hangs or fails to start. Disabling DevTools has been mentioned as a workaround in various contexts, especially when encountering problems with the development server or HMR (Hot Module Replacement). This is a valid and supported configuration option in Nuxt 3 and 4:
This disables the Nuxt DevTools integration, which can help avoid certain issues related to file watching, resource usage, or compatibility with specific environments or package managers. This approach is also documented as a way to control DevTools behavior in the official Nuxt documentation and related module docs devtools option Nuxt DevTools Getting Started.
If disabling DevTools resolves your problem, it is a reasonable workaround, especially if you do not need the DevTools features during development.
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----------------------<@789952274804899881> Kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let me know how I did by reacting below.
@kapa.ai Could you explain the reason why the DevTools crashes the dev server?
Let me check the knowledge base for you again. One moment! :books:
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I'm sorry, but the knowledge sources provided do not explicitly explain the underlying reason why Nuxt DevTools can cause the dev server to crash or hang. While there are multiple reports and discussions indicating that disabling DevTools (
devtools: { enabled: false }) can resolve issues with the dev server hanging or failing to start, the sources do not detail the technical cause behind these problems. The documentation and community threads acknowledge the workaround but do not provide a root cause analysis or a specific explanation for the crashes related to DevTools integration in Nuxt projects Nuxt DevTools Getting Started devtools option.
If you need a deeper technical explanation, it may be necessary to consult Nuxt's issue tracker or reach out to the Nuxt team for more details.
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Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon:
----------------------<@789952274804899881> Kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let me know how I did by reacting below.