# Building Babylon.js Source requires Visual Studio **URL:** \ **Category:** Bugs\ **Tags:** build\ **Created:** [May 6, 2023, 4:47pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/building-babylon-js-source-requires-visual-studio/40552 "2023-05-06T16:47:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jelster](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/jelster/32/25881_2.png) [@jelster](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/jelster)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 4:47pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/building-babylon-js-source-requires-visual-studio/40552/1 "2023-05-06T16:47:23Z")
Howdy @RaananW or @sebavan – ### UPDATE: tried with node 20.1.0 and same general error I forked the BJS repos and have been following the docs to get started working locally. Doing a completely fresh install (I don’t think I even have TSC installed anywhere!), I ran `npm install` after cloning the repo, and I got a big ol’ failure with `node-gyp`. It looks like it was able to locate python executable (which I do happen to have installed, lucky me) and of course Node.js and NPM were also verified ok. The failure happens because it is looking for Visual Studio - any version from 2013 or higher with the “Desktop development with C++” workload installed. Obvs, I don’t have any version of VS installed (VSCode doesn’t count lol!), but I didn’t think it was required. Did this change, and/or do the docs need to reflect this requirement? Or do I just need to be on an higher-numbered Node.js version (e.g., 18+)? Another thing that I’m probably missing something obvious – the docs mention in multiple places and contexts a “list of recommended VSCode extensions”, but I can’t seem to find that list - is it still TBD? node version: `17.2.0` npm version: `8.12.1` Windows `11 v22H2 (22621.1555)` pwsh `7.3.4` Error log: > **Long wall of text** > > ```auto > ❯ npm install > npm WARN EBADENGINE Unsupported engine { > npm WARN EBADENGINE package: '@jest/schemas@29.0.0', > npm WARN EBADENGINE required: { node: '^14.15.0 || ^16.10.0 || >=18.0.0' }, > npm WARN EBADENGINE current: { node: 'v17.2.0', npm: '8.12.1' } > npm WARN EBADENGINE } > npm WARN EBADENGINE Unsupported engine { > npm WARN EBADENGINE package: '@jest/transform@29.3.1', > npm WARN EBADENGINE required: { node: '^14.15.0 || ^16.10.0 || >=18.0.0' }, > npm WARN EBADENGINE current: { node: 'v17.2.0', npm: '8.12.1' } > npm WARN EBADENGINE } > npm WARN EBADENGINE Unsupported engine { > npm WARN EBADENGINE package: '@jest/types@29.3.1', > npm WARN EBADENGINE required: { node: '^14.15.0 || ^16.10.0 || >=18.0.0' }, > npm WARN EBADENGINE current: { node: 'v17.2.0', npm: '8.12.1' } > npm WARN EBADENGINE } > npm WARN EBADENGINE Unsupported engine { > npm WARN EBADENGINE package: 'jest-haste-map@29.3.1', > npm WARN EBADENGINE required: { node: '^14.15.0 || ^16.10.0 || >=18.0.0' }, > npm WARN EBADENGINE current: { node: 'v17.2.0', npm: '8.12.1' } > npm WARN EBADENGINE } > npm WARN EBADENGINE Unsupported engine { > npm WARN EBADENGINE package: 'jest-regex-util@29.2.0', > npm WARN EBADENGINE required: { node: '^14.15.0 || ^16.10.0 || >=18.0.0' }, > npm WARN EBADENGINE current: { node: 'v17.2.0', npm: '8.12.1' } > npm WARN EBADENGINE } > npm WARN EBADENGINE Unsupported engine { > npm WARN EBADENGINE package: 'jest-util@29.3.1', > npm WARN EBADENGINE required: { node: '^14.15.0 || ^16.10.0 || >=18.0.0' }, > npm WARN EBADENGINE current: { node: 'v17.2.0', npm: '8.12.1' } > npm WARN EBADENGINE } > npm WARN EBADENGINE Unsupported engine { > npm WARN EBADENGINE package: 'jest-worker@29.3.1', > npm WARN EBADENGINE required: { node: '^14.15.0 || ^16.10.0 || >=18.0.0' }, > npm WARN EBADENGINE current: { node: 'v17.2.0', npm: '8.12.1' } > npm WARN EBADENGINE } > npm WARN deprecated @npmcli/move-file@2.0.1: This functionality has been moved to @npmcli/fs > npm ERR! code 1 > npm ERR! path C:\Users\joshe\source\Babylon.js\node_modules\node-sass > npm ERR! command failed > npm ERR! command C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe /d /s /c node scripts/build.js > npm ERR! Binary found at C:\Users\joshe\source\Babylon.js\node_modules\node-sass\vendor\win32-x64-102\binding.node > npm ERR! Testing binary > npm ERR! Binary has a problem: Error: \\?\C:\Users\joshe\source\Babylon.js\node_modules\node-sass\vendor\win32-x64-102\binding.node is not a valid Win32 application. > npm ERR! \\?\C:\Users\joshe\source\Babylon.js\node_modules\node-sass\vendor\win32-x64-102\binding.node > npm ERR! at Object.Module._extensions..node (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1179:18) > npm ERR! at Module.load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:975:32) > npm ERR! at Function.Module._load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:822:12) > npm ERR! at Module.require (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:999:19) > npm ERR! at require (node:internal/modules/cjs/helpers:102:18) > npm ERR! at module.exports (C:\Users\joshe\source\Babylon.js\node_modules\node-sass\lib\binding.js:19:10) > npm ERR! at Object. (C:\Users\joshe\source\Babylon.js\node_modules\node-sass\lib\index.js:13:35) > npm ERR! at Module._compile (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1097:14) > npm ERR! at Object.Module._extensions..js (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1149:10) > npm ERR! at Module.load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:975:32) { > npm ERR! code: 'ERR_DLOPEN_FAILED' > npm ERR! } > npm ERR! Building the binary locally > npm ERR! Building: C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe C:\Users\joshe\source\Babylon.js\node_modules\node-gyp\bin\node-gyp.js rebuild --verbose --libsass_ext= --libsass_cflags= --libsass_ldflags= --libsass_library= > npm ERR! gyp info it worked if it ends with ok > npm ERR! gyp verb cli [ > npm ERR! gyp verb cli 'C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node.exe', > npm ERR! gyp verb cli 'C:\\Users\\joshe\\source\\Babylon.js\\node_modules\\node-gyp\\bin\\node-gyp.js', > npm ERR! gyp verb cli 'rebuild', > npm ERR! gyp verb cli '--verbose', > npm ERR! gyp verb cli '--libsass_ext=', > npm ERR! gyp verb cli '--libsass_cflags=', > npm ERR! gyp verb cli '--libsass_ldflags=', > npm ERR! gyp verb cli '--libsass_library=' > npm ERR! gyp verb cli ] > npm ERR! gyp info using node-gyp@8.4.1 > npm ERR! gyp info using node@17.2.0 | win32 | x64 > npm ERR! gyp verb command rebuild [] > npm ERR! gyp verb command clean [] > npm ERR! gyp verb clean removing "build" directory > npm ERR! gyp verb command configure [] > npm ERR! gyp verb find Python Python is not set from command line or npm configuration > npm ERR! gyp verb find Python Python is not set from environment variable PYTHON > npm ERR! gyp verb find Python checking if "python3" can be used > npm ERR! gyp verb find Python - executing "python3" to get executable path > npm ERR! gyp verb find Python - "python3" is not in PATH or produced an error > npm ERR! gyp verb find Python checking if "python" can be used > npm ERR! gyp verb find Python - executing "python" to get executable path > npm ERR! gyp verb find Python - executable path is "C:\Users\joshe\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\python.exe" > npm ERR! gyp verb find Python - executing "C:\Users\joshe\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\python.exe" to get version > npm ERR! gyp verb find Python - version is "3.10.10" > npm ERR! gyp info find Python using Python version 3.10.10 found at "C:\Users\joshe\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\python.exe" > npm ERR! gyp verb get node dir no --target version specified, falling back to host node version: 17.2.0 > npm ERR! gyp verb command install ['17.2.0'] > npm ERR! gyp verb install input version string "17.2.0" > npm ERR! gyp verb install installing version: 17.2.0 > npm ERR! gyp verb install --ensure was passed, so won't reinstall if already installed > npm ERR! gyp verb install version is already installed, need to check "installVersion" > npm ERR! gyp verb got "installVersion" 9 > npm ERR! gyp verb needs "installVersion" 9 > npm ERR! gyp verb install version is good > npm ERR! gyp verb get node dir target node version installed: 17.2.0 > npm ERR! gyp verb build dir attempting to create "build" dir: C:\Users\joshe\source\Babylon.js\node_modules\node-sass\build > npm ERR! gyp verb build dir "build" dir needed to be created? Yes > npm ERR! gyp verb find VS msvs_version not set from command line or npm config > npm ERR! gyp verb find VS VCINSTALLDIR not set, not running in VS Command Prompt > npm ERR! gyp verb find VS could not use PowerShell to find Visual Studio 2017 or newer, try re-running with '--loglevel silly' for more details > npm ERR! gyp verb find VS looking for Visual Studio 2015 > npm ERR! gyp verb find VS - not found > npm ERR! gyp verb find VS not looking for VS2013 as it is only supported up to Node.js 8 > npm ERR! gyp ERR! find VS > npm ERR! gyp ERR! find VS msvs_version not set from command line or npm config > npm ERR! gyp ERR! find VS VCINSTALLDIR not set, not running in VS Command Prompt > npm ERR! gyp ERR! find VS could not use PowerShell to find Visual Studio 2017 or newer, try re-running with '--loglevel silly' for more details > npm ERR! gyp ERR! find VS looking for Visual Studio 2015 > npm ERR! gyp ERR! find VS - not found > npm ERR! gyp ERR! find VS not looking for VS2013 as it is only supported up to Node.js 8 > npm ERR! gyp ERR! find VS > npm ERR! gyp ERR! find VS ************************************************************** > npm ERR! gyp ERR! find VS You need to install the latest version of Visual Studio > npm ERR! gyp ERR! find VS including the "Desktop development with C++" workload. > npm ERR! gyp ERR! find VS For more information consult the documentation at: > npm ERR! gyp ERR! find VS https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp#on-windows > npm ERR! gyp ERR! find VS ************************************************************** > npm ERR! gyp ERR! find VS > npm ERR! gyp ERR! configure error > npm ERR! gyp ERR! stack Error: Could not find any Visual Studio installation to use > npm ERR! gyp ERR! stack at VisualStudioFinder.fail (C:\Users\joshe\source\Babylon.js\node_modules\node-gyp\lib\find-visualstudio.js:122:47) > npm ERR! gyp ERR! stack at C:\Users\joshe\source\Babylon.js\node_modules\node-gyp\lib\find-visualstudio.js:75:16 > npm ERR! gyp ERR! stack at VisualStudioFinder.findVisualStudio2013 (C:\Users\joshe\source\Babylon.js\node_modules\node-gyp\lib\find-visualstudio.js:363:14) > npm ERR! gyp ERR! stack at C:\Users\joshe\source\Babylon.js\node_modules\node-gyp\lib\find-visualstudio.js:71:14 > npm ERR! gyp ERR! stack at C:\Users\joshe\source\Babylon.js\node_modules\node-gyp\lib\find-visualstudio.js:384:16 > npm ERR! gyp ERR! stack at C:\Users\joshe\source\Babylon.js\node_modules\node-gyp\lib\util.js:54:7 > npm ERR! gyp ERR! stack at C:\Users\joshe\source\Babylon.js\node_modules\node-gyp\lib\util.js:33:16 > npm ERR! gyp ERR! stack at ChildProcess.exithandler (node:child_process:404:5) > npm ERR! gyp ERR! stack at ChildProcess.emit (node:events:390:28) > npm ERR! gyp ERR! stack at maybeClose (node:internal/child_process:1062:16) > npm ERR! gyp ERR! System Windows_NT 10.0.22621 > npm ERR! gyp ERR! command "C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node.exe" "C:\\Users\\joshe\\source\\Babylon.js\\node_modules\\node-gyp\\bin\\node-gyp.js" "rebuild" "--verbose" "--libsass_ext=" "--libsass_cflags=" "--libsass_ldflags=" "--libsass_library=" > npm ERR! gyp ERR! cwd C:\Users\joshe\source\Babylon.js\node_modules\node-sass > npm ERR! gyp ERR! node -v v17.2.0 > npm ERR! gyp ERR! node-gyp -v v8.4.1 > npm ERR! gyp ERR! not ok > npm ERR! Build failed with error code: 1 > > npm ERR! A complete log of this run can be found in: > npm ERR! C:\Users\joshe\AppData\Local\npm-cache\_logs\2023-05-06T16_22_57_333Z-debug-0.log > > ``` ---
**Author:** ![jeremy-coleman](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/jeremy-coleman/32/15493_2.png) [@jeremy-coleman](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/jeremy-coleman)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 5:09pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/building-babylon-js-source-requires-visual-studio/40552/2 "2023-05-06T17:09:43Z")
Its because they are using node sass instead of sass. You have to rebuild cpp node addons if there isnt a prebuilt already available. So yes, u need a cpp compiler. Ms build tools or vs ide with desktop cpp workload is fine ---
**Author:** ![RaananW](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/raananw/32/28955_2.png) [@RaananW](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/RaananW)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 5:12pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/building-babylon-js-source-requires-visual-studio/40552/3 "2023-05-06T17:12:06Z")
So, dependencies failed to install? Most projects that require binaries have binaries for lts versions of node. There is usually an issue with the latest stable lts of node until we update the dependencies. Try node 18, it should work. About the vscode extensions - when you use vscode it will prompt you to install the recommended extensions. Going to the extensions section of vscode will show you the list as all ---
**Author:** ![brianzinn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/brianzinn/32/28013_2.png) [@brianzinn](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/brianzinn)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 5:12pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/building-babylon-js-source-requires-visual-studio/40552/4 "2023-05-06T17:12:56Z")
I really don’t like node-sass - sass is much better. You can switch node versions and don’t need specific binaries. That should probably be a github issue? ---
**Author:** ![RaananW](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/raananw/32/28955_2.png) [@RaananW](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/RaananW)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 5:15pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/building-babylon-js-source-requires-visual-studio/40552/5 "2023-05-06T17:15:07Z")
I’m with you on this one. I’ll see next week if i can get rid of this dependency. ---
**Author:** ![jeremy-coleman](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/jeremy-coleman/32/15493_2.png) [@jeremy-coleman](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/jeremy-coleman)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 5:17pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/building-babylon-js-source-requires-visual-studio/40552/6 "2023-05-06T17:17:47Z")
U can , replaced it locally many times. Idk if new repo layout has gulp sass still, but if so, replace that with gulp-dart-sass. ---
**Author:** ![RaananW](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/raananw/32/28955_2.png) [@RaananW](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/RaananW)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 5:19pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/building-babylon-js-source-requires-visual-studio/40552/7 "2023-05-06T17:19:19Z")
Gulp is long gone. I’ll check next week ---
**Author:** ![RaananW](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/raananw/32/28955_2.png) [@RaananW](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/RaananW)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 5:19pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/building-babylon-js-source-requires-visual-studio/40552/8 "2023-05-06T17:19:28Z")
---
**Author:** ![jelster](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/jelster/32/25881_2.png) [@jelster](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/jelster)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2023, 4:28am UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/building-babylon-js-source-requires-visual-studio/40552/9 "2023-05-07T04:28:13Z")
Thanks for the tip, I’ll try node 18 tomorrow! I was working from the CLI so hadn’t looked at the VSCode extensions list yet 🤦‍♂️ @jeremy-coleman - indeed, the dependency compile is why it was looking for the c++ components, my question revolves around whether/why that should be needed in the first place! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jelster](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/jelster/32/25881_2.png) [@jelster](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/jelster)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2023, 1:41pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/building-babylon-js-source-requires-visual-studio/40552/10 "2023-05-08T13:41:41Z")
@RaananW - looks like you were right about the node version. I switched to the LTS (18.16) and the dependencies installed without a hitch! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![RaananW](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/raananw/32/28955_2.png) [@RaananW](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/RaananW)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2023, 4:01pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/building-babylon-js-source-requires-visual-studio/40552/11 "2023-05-08T16:01:47Z")
i am working on updating the dependencies to support node 20 without an issue. will keep you all updated here ---
**Author:** ![RaananW](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/raananw/32/28955_2.png) [@RaananW](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/RaananW)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2023, 11:50am UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/building-babylon-js-source-requires-visual-studio/40552/12 "2023-05-09T11:50:45Z")
[[Build] Update dependencies, move to sass away from node-sass by RaananW · Pull Request #13825 · BabylonJS/Babylon.js (github.com)](https://github.com/BabylonJS/Babylon.js/pull/13825) ---
**Author:** ![RaananW](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/raananw/32/28955_2.png) [@RaananW](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/RaananW)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2023, 11:50am UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/building-babylon-js-source-requires-visual-studio/40552/13 "2023-05-09T11:50:47Z")