Dependencies are wiped on each step of project creation with cordova-lib and NPM 7

[ath0mas]

Bug Report

Problem

What is expected to happen?

For a cordova project created through cordova-lib node api, with npm@7,
we expect the npm packages required by each cordova step/command to be stored and cumulated in /node_modules/
like what's done using npm@6 or with cordova-cli itself with npm@6 and npm@7.

What does actually happen?

Project creation has correct /node_modules/ and runs fine for

• cordova-lib with npm@6 only 😢
• cordova-cli with npm@6 and npm@7 👍

In those 3 cases, the order to add plugins and platform does not matter: plugins first and platform after them, or the opposite, platform first and then plugins.

😢 Using cordova-lib with npm@7 results in incomplete /node_modules/ and so possibly failing project creation (like when a plugin after_prepare hook script called during cordova platform add does not find one of its own dependencies).

Information

Again only since Npm 7, each step is fetching its packages correctly inside /node_modules/ but it is also like wiping its content first.
Each call to await cordova.plugin('add', pluginName); or await cordova.platform('add', platformName); will result in its content to have only new deps for current specific plugin or platform.

• add first plugin: its deps are in /node_modules/
• add second plugin: its deps are in /node_modules/ but not those of first plugin (should be, like with cli and npm 6)
• add platform: its deps are in /node_modules/ but not those of the two plugins (should be, like with cli and npm 6)
  • each plugin is now installed for this platform, also calling the after_prepare hook script if present
  • ERROR here if script logically uses one of its own dependencies

Command or Code

(simplified version of my code ; I am working on a basic and easily reusable project to share here soon)

await cordova.plugin('add', 'cordova-plugin-device');
await cordova.plugin('add', 'cordova-plugin-androidx-adapter');
await cordova.platform('add', 'android');

will give such failure

.. // "cordova-plugin-device" added first and ok
.. // "cordova-plugin-androidx-adapter" added second and ok
...
.. // starting _plaftom add_ for "android"
Installing "cordova-plugin-androidx-adapter" for android
Installing "cordova-plugin-device" for android
cordova-plugin-androidx-adapter: EXCEPTION: Failed to load dependencies: Error: Cannot find module 'recursive-readdir'
Require stack:
- C:\cdv-lib\helloCdvLib\plugins\cordova-plugin-androidx-adapter\apply.js
- C:\cdv-lib\node_modules\cordova-lib\src\hooks\HooksRunner.js
- C:\cdv-lib\node_modules\cordova-lib\src\plugman\install.js
- C:\cdv-lib\node_modules\cordova-lib\src\plugman\plugman.js
- C:\cdv-lib\node_modules\cordova-lib\cordova-lib.js
- C:\cdv-lib\node_modules\cordova\cordova.js
- C:\cdv-lib\generateHelloCdvLib.js

Environment, Platform, Device

Version information

• OS: Windows 10
• Node: 16.0.0 / 14.6.1
• npm: 7.10.0 / 6.14.12
• Cordova:
  • CLI 10.0.0
  • Lib 10.0.0
  • Common 4.0.2
  • Fetch 3.0.1
• Cordova Plugins:
  • cordova-plugin-device
  • cordova-plugin-androidx-adapter

Checklist

• I searched for existing GitHub issues
• I updated all Cordova tooling to most recent version
• I included all the necessary information above

[raphinesse]

Could you please check if passing the option save: true solves your issue?

await cordova.plugin('add', 'cordova-plugin-device', { save: true });
await cordova.plugin('add', 'cordova-plugin-androidx-adapter', { save: true });
await cordova.platform('add', 'android', { save: true });

[ath0mas]

@raphinesse adding the option save: true solves the issue !! 🎉

When using npm 6 I don't see any difference between with and without this option (mostly for dependencies fetched and stored), while using npm 7 it seems needed to add it 👍

Indeed this option seems to be set to true using cli without options, and mostly none of --nosave or --save : cli.js#L447

[nachocodoner]

I think this issue affects on a use-case when using Meteor 3 and cordova integration, Meteor 3 has built-in Node with a newer version of NPM. When installing a specific plugin with <dependency> tag the issue mentioned here triggers and node_modules deps are lost.

As part of fixing this issue, I am trying to use the save option as suggested here. However, I get this error:

=> Errors executing Cordova commands:
  While adding platform Android to Cordova project:
  Cordova error: CordovaError: Failed to fetch platform cordova-android
  Probably this is either a connection problem, or platform spec is incorrect.
  Check your connection and platform name/version/URL.
  CordovaError: Error: Cannot find module 'cordova-android/package.json'

Do you know what could be the cause?