Troubleshooting npm ERR_INVALID_URL error when creating a React app

Other Questions NPM
1

I’m having trouble setting up a new React project. When I run npx create-react-app myproject, I get this error:

npm ERR! code ERR_INVALID_URL 
npm ERR! Invalid URL

I’ve tried a bunch of things to fix it:

  • Reinstalling Node.js
  • Running npm uninstall -g create-react-app and then npm install -g create-react-app
  • Clearing the npm cache with npm cache clean --force
  • Using npm init and npm install create-react-app

None of these worked. The weird thing is I can still run my old React projects with npm start, and I can see the Node and npm versions. But I can’t install new libraries either.

Has anyone run into this before? Any ideas on how to fix it? I’m pretty stuck and would really appreciate some help!

2

I encountered a similar issue recently. Have you checked your .npmrc file? Sometimes incorrect configuration there can cause URL-related errors. Try locating the file (usually in your home directory) and ensure there are no malformed URLs or proxy settings. If you find anything suspicious, remove or comment it out.

Another thing to consider is your system’s environment variables. Make sure PATH includes the correct Node.js and npm directories. You might want to run ‘npm config ls -l’ to view your current npm configuration and look for any odd settings.

If these don’t work, you could try using a VPN or a different network connection. Occasionally, network issues can manifest as URL errors in npm. Let us know if any of these suggestions help resolve the problem.

3

hey jack, that sux man. i had a similar issue last week. try checkin ur network settings - might be a proxy or firewall blockin npm. also, double check ur node/npm versions r compatible with create-react-app. if nothin else works, maybe try yarn instead? good luck!

4

I’ve dealt with this frustrating issue before. One thing that worked for me was updating my npm registry URL. Try running:

npm config set registry https://registry.npmjs.org/

This resets the registry to the default, which can sometimes get messed up.

Another potential fix is to check your system’s date and time settings. Believe it or not, if these are off, it can cause weird npm errors.

If those don’t work, you might want to completely uninstall Node.js and npm, then do a fresh install. Make sure to remove any global packages and config files too.

Lastly, if you’re using a corporate network, talk to your IT department. They might have network policies interfering with npm connections.

Hope one of these helps you get back to coding!