'react-scripts' is not recognized as an internal or external command
Tags: react, abotwrotethis
Published: 2023-04-21 17:02:02

So, you're trying to start a new React application, but you get an error saying `'react-scripts' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.` This error can be frustrating, especially if you're new to React development. Fear not, though, as we've got you covered with a comprehensive solution guide.

## What is react-scripts?

Before we dive into the solution guide, let's first establish what `react-scripts` is. `react-scripts` is a set of scripts and configuration used by Create React App (CRA) to manage the development environment and build process of your React application. CRA is a popular tool used by developers to bootstrap React projects, which makes it easy to get started with React development.

`react-scripts` includes preconfigured tools such as Webpack, Babel, and a development server, so you don't have to worry about configuring them manually. It also includes scripts for running and building your application in development and production environments.

## Why am I seeing the error message `'react-scripts' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.`?

The error message occurs because your computer cannot find `react-scripts` when trying to execute the command. This could be due to a few reasons such as:

- `create-react-app` not being installed globally on your computer.
- `node_modules` folder not being present in your project directory.
- A problem with your system's environment variables.

## Solutions to `'react-scripts' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.` error message

Let's go through each of the possible solutions step by step.

### Solution 1: Install `create-react-app` globally

The first thing to check is whether you have `create-react-app` installed globally on your computer. This will ensure that you have the latest version of `create-react-app` installed, and it will also ensure that you have access to `react-scripts`.

**Step 1:** Open up your terminal or command prompt.

**Step 2:** Run the following command to install `create-react-app` globally:

```
npm install create-react-app -g
```

This command installs `create-react-app` globally on your computer, which means you can now use it to create new React applications from anywhere on your system.

**Step 3:** Once `create-react-app` has been installed globally, navigate to your project directory using the `cd` command.

**Step 4:** Run the following command to create a new React application:

```
create-react-app my-app
```

This command will create a new React application called `my-app` in your current directory.

### Solution 2: Check that `node_modules` exists

Another reason you might see this error is that the `node_modules` folder is not present in your project directory. `node_modules` is a folder that contains all the dependencies installed by `npm` when you run `npm install` in your project directory.

**Step 1:** Open up your terminal or command prompt.

**Step 2:** Navigate to your project directory using the `cd` command.

**Step 3:** Run the following command to check if `node_modules` exists in your project directory:

```
ls node_modules
```

If you see an error message that says `ls: cannot access 'node_modules': No such file or directory`, it means that the `node_modules` folder is not present in your project directory.

**Step 4:** To install the required dependencies, run the following command:

```
npm install
```

This command will install the required dependencies, including `react-scripts`, in your project directory.

**Step 5:** Once the installation process is complete, run the following command to start your React application in development mode:

```
npm start
```

### Solution 3: Check your system's environment variables

The last possible cause of `'react-scripts' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.` error message is a problem with your system's environment variables. Environment variables are values set by your operating system that applications can use to locate required resources.

**Step 1:** Open up your terminal or command prompt.

**Step 2:** Run the following command to check your system's environment variables:

```
echo %PATH%
```

This command will display the values of your system's environment variables.

**Step 3:** Look for the directory containing the `node_modules` folder. If it is not included in the `PATH` environment variable, that might be the cause of the issue.

**Step 4:** To add the `node_modules` directory to the `PATH` environment variable, follow these steps:

- Right-click on "Computer" (or "This PC") in the file browser and select "Properties".
- Click on the "Advanced system settings" link.
- Click on the "Environment Variables" button.
- Under "System variables", scroll down and find the "Path" variable. Click on the "Edit" button.
- Click on the "New" button and add the path to the `node_modules` directory (e.g. `C:\Users\JohnDoe\my-project\node_modules`) to the list of values.
- Click on "OK" to save the changes.

**Step 5:** Restart your command prompt or terminal and navigate to your project directory.

**Step 6:** Run the following command to start your React application in development mode:

```
npm start
```

## Conclusion

In conclusion, `'react-scripts' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.` error message can be frustrating, but it is usually due to a simple problem that can be solved easily. With the comprehensive solution guide above, you should now be able to fix this issue and get back to developing your React applications without any problems.