Install dependencies for your app (npm, bun, pip)

Upload your dependency file (package.json, bun.lock or requirements.txt) with your code, and install packages on the server rather than uploading node_modules or a virtual environment from your own computer.

Why not upload node_modules or venv?#

• They are large and slow to upload through the file manager.
• Some packages contain native code compiled for your operating system. A node_modules folder built on Windows or macOS can fail on the Linux server with errors like "invalid ELF header".
• A virtual environment contains absolute paths from your machine and will not work when copied.

How installs happen#

Generic runtime templates often install dependencies automatically when the server starts, if a package.json or requirements.txt is present. Check the startup log in the console: you should see npm, bun or pip output before your app starts. If the template does not do this, or exposes a setting for it in your server's Startup settings, adjust that setting or include the install step in your startup command where the template allows editing it.

Node.js (npm)#

Make sure package.json lists every package your code imports:

{
  "name": "my-app",
  "type": "module",
  "scripts": { "start": "node index.js" },
  "dependencies": {
    "express": "^4.21.0"
  }
}

Upload package-lock.json too so the server installs the same versions you tested. A typical install command is:

npm install --omit=dev

Use --omit=dev only if nothing in your start command needs dev dependencies (for example TypeScript compilers used at runtime).

Bun#

bun install --production

Upload bun.lock (or bun.lockb on older Bun versions) for reproducible installs.

Python (pip)#

Create requirements.txt locally, ideally from a clean virtual environment:

pip freeze > requirements.txt

Or write it by hand with pinned versions:

flask==3.0.3
gunicorn==23.0.0
python-dotenv==1.0.1

The server then runs something like:

pip install -r requirements.txt

See Python virtual environments for how this relates to venvs.

Common problems#

Still stuck?#

Paste the install log in the Schokr Discord.