Fix 'Failed to start CLI: Error: spawn npm ENOENT' in OpenClaw

TL;DR: The Instant Fix

The Problem: OpenClaw can't find npm to execute CLI commands. Either Node.js isn't installed, or it's not in your PATH.

The Error: Error: spawn npm ENOENT

The Solution:

1. Check if Node is installed: node --version
2. Add npm to PATH: Export Node binary directory to PATH
3. Or: Use a VPS where everything is pre-configured

Deploy on Vultr (H100/A100 Ready) (High Availability & Limited Time Promotion for new accounts)

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The Log: What You're Seeing

The Error:

[2026-02-04 10:23:45] INFO: Starting OpenClaw agent...
[2026-02-04 10:23:45] ERROR: Failed to start CLI
Error: spawn npm ENOENT
    at Process.ChildProcess._handle.onexit (node:internal/child_process:283:19)
    at onErrorNT (node:internal/child_process:477:11)
    at processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:96:5)

[Agent] Unable to execute tool: run_command
[System] CLI initialization failed

Context: This error occurs when OpenClaw tries to execute npm commands but can't find the npm executable.

Observed Behavior: OpenClaw starts loading, then immediately crashes when it tries to use any CLI-based tool.

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Why This Happens (It's Not a Bug)

This is an Environment Configuration Mismatch.

OpenClaw's CLI tools assume:

• Node.js is installed on your system
• npm is accessible via PATH
• Permissions allow executing subprocesses

But your setup has:

• Node.js not installed OR
• Node not in PATH OR
• Wrong Node version (< 18.x)

The error ENOENT means "Error NO ENTry" — the system cannot find the file you asked it to execute.

Common Scenarios

Scenario	Why It Fails
Fresh OS install	Node.js not installed
Multiple Node versions	Wrong Node version in PATH
Docker container	Node not installed in container
Windows	Node installed but PATH not updated
macOS with Homebrew	Homebrew binaries not in PATH

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⚠️ Critical Crash Warning

If this step fails not with an error message, but with a sudden crash or spawn EINVAL, do not keep retrying. Your environment may be corrupted. Go to the Spawn EINVAL Decision System →

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Solution A: Verify Node Installation

Step 1: Check if Node is installed

# Check Node version
node --version

# Check npm version
npm --version

# Check which npm is being used
which npm

Expected Output:

v18.x.x or higher
9.x.x or higher
/usr/local/bin/npm  (or similar)

If you get command not found: Node.js is not installed.

Step 2: Install Node.js (if missing)

# macOS (Homebrew)
brew install node

# Ubuntu/Debian
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_18.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Windows
# Download from: https://nodejs.org/

Step 3: Add Node to PATH (if installed but not found)

# Find your Node installation
# Common locations:
# macOS Homebrew: /opt/homebrew/bin/
# Linux: /usr/local/bin/ or /usr/bin/
# Windows: C:\Program Files\nodejs\

# Add to PATH (macOS/Linux)
export PATH="/opt/homebrew/bin:$PATH"

# Make it permanent (add to ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc)
echo 'export PATH="/opt/homebrew/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

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Solution B: The Docker Fix

If you're running OpenClaw in Docker, Node.js must be installed inside the container.

Dockerfile example:

FROM node:18-alpine

# Install OpenClaw
RUN npm install -g openclaw

# Set working directory
WORKDIR /app

# This ensures npm is available
CMD ["openclaw"]

Verify npm is in container:

# Build and run
docker build -t openclaw-cli .
docker run -it openclaw-cli sh

# Inside container, verify:
which npm
# Should output: /usr/local/bin/npm

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Solution C: The VPS Fix (Recommended)

Why debug environment issues when you can have everything pre-configured?

Local vs Cloud Comparison

Issue	Local Setup	Cloud VPS (Vultr)
Node.js	Manual install required	Pre-installed
npm in PATH	Requires shell config	Already configured
Version conflicts	nvm needed	Isolated environment
Setup Time	30-60 minutes	60 seconds
Ongoing maintenance	You manage it	Host manages it

The ROI Calculation

Local "Free" Setup:

• Install Node.js: 10 minutes
• Debug PATH issues: 20 minutes
• Handle version conflicts: 30 minutes
• Total time: 60 minutes × $50/hr = $50

Cloud Setup:

• Create instance: 2 minutes
• Everything pre-installed
• Total time: 2 minutes = $0

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The "Survival" Recommendation

Stop debugging environment issues.

Every hour you spend fixing PATH, installing Node versions, or debugging Docker is an hour you're not shipping.

The smart choice: Deploy on a VPS where everything just works.

Deploy on Vultr (H100/A100 Ready) (High Availability & Limited Time Promotion for new accounts)

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Complete Working Example

Verified Configuration

# 1. Verify Node installation
node --version  # Should be v18+
npm --version   # Should be v9+

# 2. Verify npm in PATH
which npm       # Should show path to npm

# 3. Start OpenClaw
openclaw start

# Success: [INFO] CLI initialized successfully

Docker Configuration

# docker-compose.yml
version: '3.8'
services:
  openclaw:
    image: node:18-alpine
    working_dir: /app
    command: npx openclaw start
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data
    environment:
      - NODE_ENV=production

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FAQ

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