Bazel sh_test doesn't find node - node.js

Question

I am trying to run a script which needs node. I have node installed in my machine.
I can run sh_binary by bazel run //:sh_bin and the script runs node just fine:
sh_binary(
name = "sh_bin",
data = [
],
srcs = [":script.sh"],
)
script.sh:
node -v
bazel run //:sh_bin:
v14.17.6
Now I want to convert this to sh_test:
sh_test(
name = "sh_bin",
data = [
],
srcs = [":script.sh"],
)
but now bazel test //:sh_bin cannot find node:
node: command not found
I also tried to add local = True to the test and still the same issue.

Answer 1

Bazel tests are run in a more controlled environment than application run via bazel run. One of the initial conditions that the test runner establishes is the value of $PATH: https://docs.bazel.build/versions/main/test-encyclopedia.html#initial-conditions
If you are working with remote execution, another problem could be that your test is executed on a machine that does not have node installed.
It's always a great idea to strive for a hermetic build that runs and tests independent of the host's state. That means you'd need to make the node program available to your binary or test as a data dep.
A good alternative is to build on existing work such as https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_nodejs.
That being said, your example actually works for me.
cd `mktemp -d`
touch WORKSPACE
echo "node -v" > script.sh
chmod +x script.sh
cat <<EOF > BUILD
sh_test(
name = "sh_bin",
srcs = [":script.sh"],
)
EOF
bazel test --test_output=all -- //:sh_bin
Starting local Bazel server and connecting to it...
INFO: Analyzed target //:sh_bin (24 packages loaded, 282 targets configured).
INFO: Found 1 test target...
INFO: From Testing //:sh_bin:
==================== Test output for //:sh_bin:
v17.1.0
================================================================================
Target //:sh_bin up-to-date:
bazel-bin/sh_bin
INFO: Elapsed time: 6.895s, Critical Path: 0.10s
INFO: 5 processes: 3 internal, 2 linux-sandbox.
INFO: Build completed successfully, 5 total actions
//:sh_bin PASSED in 0.0s
Executed 1 out of 1 test: 1 test passes.
INFO: Build completed successfully, 5 total actions