Error: The externalDependency 'webpack-cli' for 'server:build' could not be found

[qstyler]

Current Behavior

NX started to fail when I try to serve or build my NestJS app. It gives this error if Itry to do so:
Error: The externalDependency 'webpack-cli' for 'server:build' could not be found.

This was happening to my existing project. But I also tried it on a fresh NX install and it behaved the same way.

Expected Behavior

I expect a server to build and/or serve my NestJS app as normal.

GitHub Repo

No response

Steps to Reproduce

You install a fresh and clear nx workspace with NestJS project in it.

npx create-nx-workspace@latest --packageManager pnpm

You try to run or build your nest application:

pnpm nx run server:build --verbose --production

You get this error:

NX   Daemon process terminated and closed the connection

Please rerun the command, which will restart the daemon.
If you get this error again, check for any errors in the daemon process logs found in: /Users/kostia/www/ah/nx-test/org/.nx/cache/d/daemon.log

The logfile has this:

[NX Daemon Server] - 2024-04-18T08:34:52.785Z - Started listening on: /var/folders/j7/xhw343n932j1vvwmmvscjb9c0000gn/T/811fdf97adf7a7465abd/d.sock
[NX Daemon Server] - 2024-04-18T08:34:52.788Z - [WATCHER]: Subscribed to changes within: /Users/kostia/www/ah/nx-test/org (native)
[NX Daemon Server] - 2024-04-18T08:34:52.789Z - Established a connection. Number of open connections: 1
[NX Daemon Server] - 2024-04-18T08:34:52.789Z - Established a connection. Number of open connections: 2
[NX Daemon Server] - 2024-04-18T08:34:52.790Z - Closed a connection. Number of open connections: 1
[NX Daemon Server] - 2024-04-18T08:34:52.790Z - [REQUEST]: Client Request for Project Graph Received
[NX Daemon Server] - 2024-04-18T08:34:52.902Z - [REQUEST]: Updated workspace context based on watched changes, recomputing project graph...
[NX Daemon Server] - 2024-04-18T08:34:52.902Z - [REQUEST]: 
[NX Daemon Server] - 2024-04-18T08:34:52.902Z - [REQUEST]: 
[NX Daemon Server] - 2024-04-18T08:34:53.341Z - [REQUEST]: Responding to the client. project-graph
[NX Daemon Server] - 2024-04-18T08:34:53.342Z - Time taken for 'total for creating and serializing project graph' 550.926709ms
[NX Daemon Server] - 2024-04-18T08:34:53.342Z - [WATCHER]: .nx/cache/d/server-process.json was created or restored
[NX Daemon Server] - 2024-04-18T08:34:53.345Z - Done responding to the client project-graph
[NX Daemon Server] - 2024-04-18T08:34:53.345Z - Handled REQUEST_PROJECT_GRAPH. Handling time: 551. Response time: 4.
[NX Daemon Server] - 2024-04-18T08:34:53.357Z - [REQUEST]: Updated workspace context based on watched changes, recomputing project graph...
[NX Daemon Server] - 2024-04-18T08:34:53.357Z - [REQUEST]: .nx/cache/d/server-process.json
[NX Daemon Server] - 2024-04-18T08:34:53.357Z - [REQUEST]: 
/Users/kostia/www/ah/nx-test/org/node_modules/.pnpm/[email protected]_@[email protected]_@[email protected]_@[email protected]__@[email protected]_ty_3ucfppfglqkeeg5ozfwxzyyns4/node_modules/nx/src/hasher/native-task-hasher-impl.js:32
        const plans = this.planner.getPlansReference(tasks.map((t) => t.id), taskGraph);
                                   ^

Error: The externalDependency 'webpack-cli' for 'server:build' could not be found
    at NativeTaskHasherImpl.hashTasks (/Users/kostia/www/ah/nx-test/org/node_modules/.pnpm/[email protected]_@[email protected]_@[email protected]_@[email protected]__@[email protected]_ty_3ucfppfglqkeeg5ozfwxzyyns4/node_modules/nx/src/hasher/native-task-hasher-impl.js:32:36)
    at InProcessTaskHasher.hashTasks (/Users/kostia/www/ah/nx-test/org/node_modules/.pnpm/[email protected]_@[email protected]_@[email protected]_@[email protected]__@[email protected]_ty_3ucfppfglqkeeg5ozfwxzyyns4/node_modules/nx/src/hasher/task-hasher.js:53:50)
    at handleHashTasks (/Users/kostia/www/ah/nx-test/org/node_modules/.pnpm/[email protected]_@[email protected]_@[email protected]_@[email protected]__@[email protected]_ty_3ucfppfglqkeeg5ozfwxzyyns4/node_modules/nx/src/daemon/server/handle-hash-tasks.js:30:56)
    at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5)
    at async handleResult (/Users/kostia/www/ah/nx-test/org/node_modules/.pnpm/[email protected]_@[email protected]_@[email protected]_@[email protected]__@[email protected]_ty_3ucfppfglqkeeg5ozfwxzyyns4/node_modules/nx/src/daemon/server/server.js:110:16)
    at async handleMessage (/Users/kostia/www/ah/nx-test/org/node_modules/.pnpm/[email protected]_@[email protected]_@[email protected]_@[email protected]__@[email protected]_ty_3ucfppfglqkeeg5ozfwxzyyns4/node_modules/nx/src/daemon/server/server.js:84:9)
    at async /Users/kostia/www/ah/nx-test/org/node_modules/.pnpm/[email protected]_@[email protected]_@[email protected]_@[email protected]__@[email protected]_ty_3ucfppfglqkeeg5ozfwxzyyns4/node_modules/nx/src/daemon/server/server.js:45:9 {
  code: 'GenericFailure'
}

Node.js v20.11.0

Nx Report

NX   Report complete - copy this into the issue template

Node   : 20.11.0
OS     : darwin-arm64
pnpm   : 9.0.2

nx                 : 18.3.1
@nx/js             : 18.3.1
@nx/jest           : 18.3.1
@nx/linter         : 18.3.1
@nx/eslint         : 18.3.1
@nx/workspace      : 18.3.1
@nx/devkit         : 18.3.1
@nx/eslint-plugin  : 18.3.1
@nx/nest           : 18.3.1
@nx/node           : 18.3.1
@nrwl/tao          : 18.3.1
@nx/web            : 18.3.1
@nx/webpack        : 18.3.1
typescript         : 5.4.5
---------------------------------------
Registered Plugins:
@nx/webpack/plugin
@nx/eslint/plugin
@nx/jest/plugin

### Operating System

- [X] macOS
- [ ] Linux
- [ ] Windows
- [ ] Other (Please specify)

[qstyler]

Update: it happens when I use pnpm. No problems with npm.

[djadriano]

One solution for now:
Downgrade your pnpm to version 8, I downgrade to 8.15.2 and works.

[vreddi]

I was facing the same thing with "storybook".

The externalDependency 'storybook' for '<package-name>:build-storybook' could not be found

Downgrading pnpm to v8 and regenerating the lock file made it work as a mitigation.

[riceboyler]

Saw the same issues with pnpm@9+ and eslint. Downgrading back to pnpm v8 resolved it.

It would appear NX and pnpm@9 are not friends yet.

[jaqua]

i'm using npm and I'm getting the same error.

[kmckee]

I was having the same issue using npm. I ran the commands below and it seems to have resolved everything. I'm not sure that all three are required, but I know it resolved my issue after running them all.

nx reset
npm update
npm audit fix

[anteqkois]

One solution for now: Downgrade your pnpm to version 8, I downgrade to 8.15.2 and works.

This works, don't forget to delete lock file and reinstall packages

[AgentEnder]

Nx doesn't support pnpm 9 yet. Support for that is currently being tracked in #22850. I'm going to close this as a duplicate.

[OrenSayag]

Downgrading pnpm didn't work for me.
I installed the package webpack-cli and it was fixed

[MilanKovacic]

@AgentEnder Can you please reopen this?
Issue has nothing to do with pnpm. it also reproduced with npm, when using nx 19.0.1. After downgrade to 18.3.4, issue goes away.

[github-actions]

This issue has been closed for more than 30 days. If this issue is still occuring, please open a new issue with more recent context.