ESLint "couldn't find the plugin" - Fix Missing ESLint Plugins in CI

By Daniel Zoghalchali·Latchkey

ESLint resolved a plugin name from your config but the corresponding eslint-plugin-* package is not installed. This is a missing dependency - the plugin is referenced but absent from node_modules.

What this error means

ESLint fails to start with ESLint couldn't find the plugin "eslint-plugin-<x>", usually adding "(The package was not found ...)". Nothing lints because the config cannot be assembled.

Oops! Something went wrong! :(
ESLint couldn't find the plugin "eslint-plugin-import".
(The package "eslint-plugin-import" was not found when loaded as a Node module
from the directory "/app".)

Common causes

Plugin package not installed

The plugin is named in plugins/extends but missing from package.json, or a clean npm ci did not install it (only present locally before).

Pulled in transitively, not declared

The plugin only appeared as a transitive dependency of a shareable config; when that hoist changes, the direct reference can no longer resolve it.

How to fix it

Install the plugin as a dev dependency

npm install -D eslint-plugin-import
npm ls eslint-plugin-import   # confirm it's a direct dependency

Declare every referenced plugin

1. List each eslint-plugin-* you reference in devDependencies.
2. Do not rely on a shareable config to provide a plugin you also reference directly.
3. Install with npm ci so CI matches the lockfile exactly.

How to prevent it

• Declare all ESLint plugins directly in devDependencies.
• Avoid relying on transitive hoisting for plugins you reference.
• Use npm ci for reproducible lint dependencies.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

References

• Node.js documentation
• npm CLI documentation
• GitHub Actions documentation