Unable to install bootsplash due to sharp

[dougg0k]

Before submitting a new issue

• I tested using the latest version of the library, as the bug might be already fixed.
• I tested using a supported version of react native.
• I checked for possible duplicate issues, with possible answers.

Bug summary

❯ pnpm i react-native-bootsplash                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  ...
Progress: resolved 1021, reused 987, downloaded 0, added 0, done
node_modules/.pnpm/sharp@0.32.6/node_modules/sharp: Running install script...
 ELIFECYCLE  Command failed.

I have sharp added to onlyBuiltDependencies in package.json.

"pnpm": {
     "onlyBuiltDependencies": [
              ...
	      "sharp"
       ]
}

The install does not go through. It's not added to package.json.

I then ran pnpm i react-native-bootsplash --reporter ndjson

{"time":1749583931121,"hostname":"desktop-pc","pid":118967,"level":"debug","name":"pnpm:lifecycle","depPath":"sharp@0.32.6","line":"sharp: Building from source via node-gyp","stage":"install","stdio":"stdout","wd":"/some_app/node_modules/.pnpm/sharp@0.32.6/node_modules/sharp"}
{"time":1749583931156,"hostname":"desktop-pc","pid":118967,"level":"debug","name":"pnpm:lifecycle","depPath":"sharp@0.32.6","line":"sh: line 1: node-gyp: command not found","stage":"install","stdio":"stderr","wd":"/some_app/node_modules/.pnpm/sharp@0.32.6/node_modules/sharp"}
{"time":1749583931187,"hostname":"desktop-pc","pid":118967,"level":"error","name":"pnpm","code":"ELIFECYCLE","errno":"ENOENT","syscall":"spawn","file":"sh","pkgid":"sharp@0.32.6","stage":"install","script":"(node install/libvips && node install/dll-copy && prebuild-install) || (node install/can-compile && node-gyp rebuild && node install/dll-copy)","pkgname":"sharp","name":"pnpm","err":{"name":"pnpm","message":"sharp@0.32.6 install: `(node install/libvips && node install/dll-copy && prebuild-install) || (node install/can-compile && node-gyp rebuild && node install/dll-copy)`\nspawn ENOENT","code":"ELIFECYCLE","stack":"pnpm: sharp@0.32.6 install: `(node install/libvips && node install/dll-copy && prebuild-install) || (node install/can-compile && node-gyp rebuild && node install/dll-copy)`\nspawn ENOENT\n    at ChildProcess.<anonymous> (/snapshot/dist/pnpm.cjs)\n    at ChildProcess.emit (node:events:518:28)\n    at maybeClose (node:internal/child_process:1105:16)\n    at Socket.<anonymous> (node:internal/child_process:457:11)\n    at Socket.emit (node:events:518:28)\n    at Pipe.<anonymous> (node:net:337:12)"}}

Seems related to node-gyp. Any alternatives to sharp to not need that or what is the solution to it? I'd rather not have to install it.

Library version

Latest

Environment info

info Fetching system and libraries information...
System:
  OS: Linux 6.15 Arch Linux
  CPU: (16) x64 AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D 8-Core Processor
  Memory: 9.13 GB / 31.24 GB
  Shell:
    version: 0.104.1
    path: /home/user/.cargo/bin/nu
Binaries:
  Node:
    version: 22.16.0
    path: ~/.local/share/mise/installs/node/22.16.0/bin/node
  Yarn:
    version: 1.22.22
    path: ~/.local/share/mise/installs/yarn/1.22.22/bin/yarn
  npm:
    version: 10.9.2
    path: ~/.local/share/mise/installs/node/22.16.0/bin/npm
  Watchman:
    version: 20250525.093350.0
    path: /usr/bin/watchman
SDKs:
  Android SDK:
    API Levels:
      - "35"
      - "36"
    Build Tools:
      - 35.0.0
      - 35.0.1
      - 36.0.0
    System Images:
      - android-36 | Google APIs Intel x86_64 Atom
    Android NDK: 27.2.12479018
IDEs:
  Android Studio: AI-243.26053.27.2432.13536105
Languages:
  Java:
    version: 21.0.2
    path: /home/user/.local/share/mise/installs/java/21.0.2/bin/javac
  Ruby:
    version: 3.4.4
    path: /home/user/.local/share/mise/installs/ruby/3.4.4/bin/ruby
npmPackages:
  "@react-native-community/cli":
    installed: 19.0.0
    wanted: ^19.0.0
  react:
    installed: 19.1.0
    wanted: 19.1.0
  react-native:
    installed: 0.79.3
    wanted: 0.79.3
npmGlobalPackages:
  "*react-native*": Not Found
Android:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: true
iOS:
  hermesEnabled: Not found
  newArchEnabled: false

Steps to reproduce

Described in the bug summary

Reproducible sample code

Described in the bug summary

[dougg0k]

Current solution:

Install node-gyp globally.

---

Perhaps an alternative to sharp that does not require node-gyp.

https://image.napi.rs/docs

[zoontek]

@dougg0k Thanks. sharp is a problem for other reasons (license change on the latest version), so I will definitely have a look.

[joshwinter]

Having the same issue. Thank you.

[dougg0k]

Somewhat related but unrelated to the topic. Your package.json seems to include a bunch of dependencies that should perhaps be included as devDep, dont they get included in the rn build?

Including sharp. I read that the size were around ~15mb, and it only seem to be used to generate assets.

https://github.com/zoontek/react-native-bootsplash/blob/master/package.json#L71

---

If most of those packages are used by the CLI functionality, I wonder if it would make sense for you to have a different package, that could be installed independently as devDep.

Keeping react-native-bootsplash as lightweight as possible.

---

https://packagephobia.com/result?p=sharp

---

Nvm if this is correct - https://stackoverflow.com/a/77371882

[zoontek]

Dont they get included in the rn build?

No, they don't end into your app bundle.

I kept them in dependencies as some users are generating the assets during their app build, and they only install production dependencies in such flows.

[Hkmu]

I encountered the same issue. To resolve it, I navigated to node_modules/.pnpm/sharp@0.32.6/node_modules/sharp and manually ran pnpm install.

This successfully completed the sharp installation. Hope this helps anyone facing a similar problem!

[ayazwx]

sharp issue, can't fix it:

USER@USERs-MacBook-Air PROJECT % yarn react-native-bootsplash generate assets/logo-light.svg
--platforms=android,ios,web
--background=EB662B
--logo-width=100
--assets-output=assets/bootsplash
--flavor=main
--html=public/index.html
yarn run v1.22.22
$ /Users/USER/Documents/work/mobileapp/PROJECT/node_modules/.bin/react-native-bootsplash generate assets/logo-light.svg --platforms=android,ios,web --background=EB662B --logo-width=100 --assets-output=assets/bootsplash --flavor=main --html=public/index.html
/Users/USER/Documents/work/mobileapp/PROJECT/node_modules/.pnpm/sharp@0.32.6/node_modules/sharp/lib/sharp.js:37
throw new Error(help.join('\n'));
^

Error:
Something went wrong installing the "sharp" module

Cannot find module '../build/Release/sharp-darwin-arm64v8.node'
Require stack:

• /Users/USER/Documents/work/mobileapp/PROJECT/node_modules/.pnpm/sharp@0.32.6/node_modules/sharp/lib/sharp.js
• /Users/USER/Documents/work/mobileapp/PROJECT/node_modules/.pnpm/sharp@0.32.6/node_modules/sharp/lib/constructor.js
• /Users/USER/Documents/work/mobileapp/PROJECT/node_modules/.pnpm/sharp@0.32.6/node_modules/sharp/lib/index.js
• /Users/USER/Documents/work/mobileapp/PROJECT/node_modules/.pnpm/react-native-bootsplash@6.3.11_react-native@0.79.6_@babel+core@7.28.4_@react-native-com_56081a414668a90717af7fc5f749204b/node_modules/react-native-bootsplash/dist/commonjs/generate.js
• /Users/USER/Documents/work/mobileapp/PROJECT/node_modules/.pnpm/react-native-bootsplash@6.3.11_react-native@0.79.6_@babel+core@7.28.4_@react-native-com_56081a414668a90717af7fc5f749204b/node_modules/react-native-bootsplash/cli.js

Possible solutions:

• Install with verbose logging and look for errors: "npm install --ignore-scripts=false --foreground-scripts --verbose sharp"
• Install for the current darwin-arm64v8 runtime: "npm install --platform=darwin --arch=arm64v8 sharp"
• Consult the installation documentation: https://sharp.pixelplumbing.com/install
  at Object. (/Users/USER/Documents/work/mobileapp/PROJECT/node_modules/.pnpm/sharp@0.32.6/node_modules/sharp/lib/sharp.js:37:9)
  at Module._compile (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1723:14)
  at Object..js (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1888:10)
  at Module.load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1458:32)
  at Function._load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1275:12)
  at TracingChannel.traceSync (node:diagnostics_channel:322:14)
  at wrapModuleLoad (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:234:24)
  at Module.require (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1480:12)
  at require (node:internal/modules/helpers:135:16)
  at Object. (/Users/USER/Documents/work/mobileapp/PROJECT/node_modules/.pnpm/sharp@0.32.6/node_modules/sharp/lib/constructor.js:11:1)

Node.js v23.7.0
error Command failed with exit code 1.
info Visit https://yarnpkg.com/en/docs/cli/run for documentation about this command.
USER@USERs-MacBook-Air PROJECT % npm install --platform=darwin --arch=arm64v8 sharp
npm warn Unknown cli config "--platform". This will stop working in the next major version of npm.
npm warn Unknown cli config "--arch". This will stop working in the next major version of npm.
npm error Cannot read properties of null (reading 'matches')
npm error A complete log of this run can be found in: /Users/USER/.npm/_logs/2025-09-20T09_21_44_184Z-debug-0.log

[zoontek]

@ayazwx https://pnpm.io/cli/approve-builds