Anchor "Error: Unable to read keypair file" in CI

By Daniel Zoghalchali·Latchkey

Anchor read the wallet path from Anchor.toml (or the Solana config) and could not open the keypair file there. In CI the default ~/.config/solana/id.json does not exist unless a keypair is generated first.

What this error means

anchor build or anchor test fails with "Error: Unable to read keypair file" and a path such as /home/runner/.config/solana/id.json.

Error: Unable to read keypair file (/home/runner/.config/solana/id.json): No such file or directory (os error 2)

Common causes

No keypair exists at the configured path

A fresh runner has no Solana keypair, so the default id.json referenced by the wallet setting is missing.

Anchor.toml points at a path not present in CI

The [provider] wallet value references a file that exists locally but was never created or provided on the runner.

How to fix it

Generate a keypair before building

Create a throwaway keypair at the expected path so Anchor can read it.

solana-keygen new --no-bip39-passphrase -o ~/.config/solana/id.json

Point the wallet at an existing file

Set the provider wallet in Anchor.toml to a path you create in CI.

[provider]
cluster = "localnet"
wallet = "~/.config/solana/id.json"

How to prevent it

• Generate a keypair as a setup step before anchor commands.
• Keep the wallet path in Anchor.toml consistent with what CI creates.
• Never commit real keypairs; generate throwaway ones for CI.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

References

• GitHub Actions documentation