MEAN NPM Cannot find module 'webpack/lib/optimize/CommonsChunkPlugin' Error - node.js

Question

I am having a little bit of problem upgrading to latest webpack. I have already checked the following threads and found that the cause of the error is a deprecated class.
Webpack migration 3 -> 4: Error: Cannot find module 'webpack/lib/optimize/CommonsChunkPlugin'
Webpack 4 migration CommonsChunkPlugin
The only problem is that I am not using this class in my code but even though I updated it, webpack itself is referencing it somewhere.
Note: I have already tried removing the node_modules, clearing cache and reinstalling
I generated the package.json through MEAN and the start script that is in the package.json use is referencing a bunch of webpack scripts which might be the issue.
One thing that is interesting is the following warning, tho, I am not sure if it is related:
preload-webpack-plugin#2.3.0 requires a peer of webpack#^3.2.0 but none is installed. You must install peer dependencies yourself.
It is saying a version higher then 3.2.0 is required (I have 4.2.0). I am not sure if it is because it is not recognizing the WebpackV4 or if V4 is just not backward compatible
current node version: 9.8.0
I appreciate any ideas/suggestions. package.json and the full error is below. Please let me know if I can provide any further info
[0] > Mean#2.0.1 server:dev /Users/Sinan/Desktop/cllctroffcl
[0] > npm run webpack-dev-server -- --config config/webpack.dev.js --open --
progress --profile --watch --content-base src/
[0]
[0]
[0] > Mean#2.0.1 webpack-dev-server /Users/Sinan/Desktop/cllctroffcl
[0] > node --max_old_space_size=4096 node_modules/webpack-dev-
server/bin/webpack-dev-server.js "--config" "config/webpack.dev.js" "--open" "--progress" "--profile" "--watch" "--content-base" "src/"
[0]
[1] PC listening on 8888
[0] module.js:545
[0] throw err;
[0] ^
[0]
[0] Error: Cannot find module 'webpack/lib/optimize/CommonsChunkPlugin'
[0] at Function.Module._resolveFilename (module.js:543:15)
[0] at Function.Module._load (module.js:470:25)
[0] at Module.require (module.js:593:17)
[0] at require (internal/module.js:11:18)
[0] at Object.<anonymous>
(/Users/Sinan/Desktop/cllctroffcl/config/webpack.common.js:16:28)
[0] at Module._compile (module.js:649:30)
[0] at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:660:10)
[0] at Module.load (module.js:561:32)
[0] at tryModuleLoad (module.js:501:12)
[0] at Function.Module._load (module.js:493:3)
[0] npm ERR! code ELIFECYCLE
[0] npm ERR! errno 1
[0] npm ERR! Mean#2.0.1 webpack-dev-server: `node --max_old_space_size=4096
node_modules/webpack-dev-server/bin/webpack-dev-server.js "--config"
"config/webpack.dev.js" "--open" "--progress" "--profile" "--watch" "--
content-base" "src/"`
[0] npm ERR! Exit status 1
[0] npm ERR!
npm ERR! Failed at the Mean#2.0.1 webpack-dev-server script.
[0] npm ERR! This is probably not a problem with npm. There is likely
additional logging output above.
[0]
[0] npm ERR! A complete log of this run can be found in:
[0] npm ERR! /Users/Sinan/.npm/_logs/2018-03-26T03_43_37_514Z-debug.log
[0] npm ERR! code ELIFECYCLE
[0] npm ERR! errno 1
[0] npm ERR! Mean#2.0.1 server:dev: `npm run webpack-dev-server -- --config
config/webpack.dev.js --open --progress --profile --watch --content-base
src/`
[0] npm ERR! Exit status 1
[0] npm ERR!
[0] npm ERR! Failed at the Mean#2.0.1 server:dev script.
npm ERR! This is probably not a problem with npm. There is likely additional
logging output above.
[0]
[0] npm ERR! A complete log of this run can be found in:
[0] npm ERR! /Users/Sinan/.npm/_logs/2018-03-26T03_43_37_532Z-debug.log
[0] npm run server:dev exited with code 1
Package.json
{
"name": "Mean",
"version": "2.0.1",
"description": "A MEAN stack framework using Angular Webpack Starter kit - featuring Angular (Router, Http, Forms, Services, Tests, E2E, Coverage), Karma, Protractor, Jasmine, Istanbul, TypeScript, and Webpack",
"keywords": [
"angular",
"angular2",
"angular4",
"webpack",
"typescript"
],
"author": "Lior Kesos <lior#linnovate.net>",
"homepage": "http://mean.io",
"license": "MIT",
"scripts": {
"build:aot:prod": "npm run clean:dist && npm run clean:aot && cross-env BUILD_AOT=1 npm run webpack -- --config config/webpack.prod.js --progress --profile --bail",
"build:aot": "npm run build:aot:prod",
"build:dev": "npm run clean:dist && npm run webpack -- --config config/webpack.dev.js --progress --profile",
"build:docker": "npm run build:prod && docker build -t angular2-webpack-start:latest .",
"build:prod": "npm run clean:dist && npm run webpack -- --config config/webpack.prod.js --progress --profile --bail",
"build": "npm run build:dev",
"ci:aot": "npm run lint && npm run test && npm run build:aot && npm run e2e",
"ci:jit": "npm run lint && npm run test && npm run build:prod && npm run e2e",
"ci:nobuild": "npm run lint && npm test && npm run e2e",
"ci:testall": "npm run lint && npm run test && npm run build:prod && npm run e2e && npm run build:aot && npm run e2e",
"ci:travis": "npm run lint && npm run test && npm run build:aot && npm run e2e:travis",
"ci": "npm run ci:testall",
"clean:dll": "npm run rimraf -- dll",
"clean:aot": "npm run rimraf -- compiled",
"clean:dist": "npm run rimraf -- dist",
"clean:install": "npm set progress=false && npm install",
"clean": "npm cache clean && npm run rimraf -- node_modules doc coverage dist compiled dll",
"docker": "docker",
"docs": "npm run typedoc -- --options typedoc.json --exclude '**/*.spec.ts' ./src/",
"e2e:live": "npm-run-all -p -r server:prod:ci protractor:live",
"e2e:travis": "npm-run-all -p -r server:prod:ci protractor:delay",
"e2e": "npm-run-all -p -r server:prod:ci protractor",
"github-deploy:dev": "npm run webpack -- --config config/webpack.github-deploy.js --progress --profile --env.githubDev",
"github-deploy:prod": "npm run webpack -- --config config/webpack.github-deploy.js --progress --profile --env.githubProd",
"github-deploy": "npm run github-deploy:dev",
"lint": "npm run tslint \"src/**/*.ts\"",
"node": "node",
"postinstall": "npm run webdriver:update",
"postversion": "git push && git push --tags",
"preclean:install": "npm run clean",
"preversion": "npm test",
"protractor": "protractor",
"protractor:delay": "sleep 3 && npm run protractor",
"protractor:live": "protractor --elementExplorer",
"rimraf": "rimraf",
"server:dev:hmr": "npm run server:dev -- --inline --hot",
"server:dev": "npm run webpack-dev-server -- --config config/webpack.dev.js --open --progress --profile --watch --content-base src/",
"server:prod": "http-server dist -c-1 --cors",
"server:prod:ci": "http-server dist -p 3000 -c-1 --cors",
"server": "npm run server:dev",
"start:hmr": "npm run server:dev:hmr",
"start": "concurrently \"npm run server:dev\" \"nodemon --watch server server-start.js\" ",
"start:prod": "NODE_ENV=production node server-start.js",
"test": "npm run lint && karma start",
"tslint": "tslint",
"typedoc": "typedoc",
"version": "npm run build",
"watch:dev:hmr": "npm run watch:dev -- --hot",
"watch:dev": "npm run build:dev -- --watch",
"watch:prod": "npm run build:prod -- --watch",
"watch:test": "npm run test -- --auto-watch --no-single-run",
"watch": "npm run watch:dev",
"webdriver-manager": "webdriver-manager",
"webdriver:start": "npm run webdriver-manager start",
"webdriver:update": "webdriver-manager update",
"webpack-dev-server": "node --max_old_space_size=4096 node_modules/webpack-dev-server/bin/webpack-dev-server.js",
"webpack": "node --max_old_space_size=4096 node_modules/webpack/bin/webpack.js"
},
"dependencies": {
"#angular/animations": "~5.2.9",
"#angular/cdk": "~5.2.4",
"#angular/common": "^5.0.0",
"#angular/compiler": "~5.2.9",
"#angular/core": "^5.0.0",
"#angular/forms": "~5.2.9",
"#angular/http": "~5.2.9",
"#angular/material": "~5.2.4",
"#angular/platform-browser": "~5.2.9",
"#angular/platform-browser-dynamic": "~5.2.9",
"#angular/platform-server": "~5.2.9",
"#angular/router": "~5.2.9",
"#angularclass/hmr": "~2.1.3",
"#angularclass/hmr-loader": "~3.0.2",
"#ng-select/ng-select": "^0.30.1",
"#reactivex/rxjs": "^5.4.3",
"angular-in-memory-web-api": "~0.6.0",
"angular2-universal": "2.1.0-rc.1",
"apollo-angular": "^1.0.1",
"apollo-client": "^1.4.2",
"app-root-path": "^2.0.1",
"babel-cli": "^6.24.1",
"body-parser": "^1.17.2",
"casual": "^1.5.14",
"cookie-parser": "^1.4.3",
"core-js": "^2.4.1",
"cors": "^2.8.3",
"dotenv": "^5.0.1",
"express": "^4.15.3",
"express-graphql": "^0.6.6",
"express-jwt": "^5.3.0",
"express-validation": "^1.0.2",
"express-winston": "^2.4.0",
"graphql": "^0.13.2",
"graphql-server-express": "latest",
"graphql-tag": "^2.2.2",
"graphql-tools": "^2.23.1",
"hammerjs": "^2.0.8",
"helmet": "^3.6.1",
"hll": "^1.1.0",
"http-server": "^0.11.1",
"http-status": "^1.0.1",
"ie-shim": "^0.1.0",
"innograph": "git://github.com/linnovate/innograph.git#devel",
"joi": "^13.1.2",
"jsonwebtoken": "^8.1.0",
"long": "^4.0.0",
"material": "^0.2.6",
"method-override": "^2.3.9",
"mongoose": "^5.0.11",
"mongoose-double": "0.0.1",
"morgan": "^1.8.2",
"ng2-go-top-button": "^4.1.0",
"ngx-carousel": "^1.3.5",
"passport": "^0.4.0",
"passport-local": "^1.0.0",
"preboot": "^5.0.0-rc.10",
"react": "^16.2.0",
"react-dom": "^16.2.0",
"reflect-metadata": "^0.1.10",
"rxjs": "^5.4.3",
"sockjs-client": "^1.1.4",
"winston": "^2.3.1",
"zone.js": "latest"
},
"devDependencies": {
"#angular/compiler-cli": "~5.2.9",
"#ngtools/webpack": "^1.10.2",
"#types/hammerjs": "^2.0.34",
"#types/jasmine": "2.8.6",
"#types/node": "^9.6.0",
"#types/source-map": "^0.5.0",
"#types/uglify-js": "^3.0.0",
"#types/webpack": "^4.1.2",
"add-asset-html-webpack-plugin": "^2.1.3",
"angular2-template-loader": "^0.6.2",
"assets-webpack-plugin": "^3.5.1",
"awesome-typescript-loader": "~4.0.1",
"babel-core": "^6.26.0",
"babel-loader": "^7.1.2",
"babel-plugin-syntax-async-functions": "^6.13.0",
"babel-plugin-transform-es2015-destructuring": "^6.23.0",
"babel-plugin-transform-object-rest-spread": "^6.23.0",
"babel-polyfill": "^6.23.0",
"babel-preset-es2015": "^6.24.1",
"babel-preset-es2017": "^6.24.1",
"babel-preset-react": "^6.24.1",
"babel-register": "^6.24.1",
"codelyzer": "~4.2.1",
"concurrently": "^3.4.0",
"copy-webpack-plugin": "^4.0.1",
"cross-env": "^5.0.0",
"css-loader": "^0.28.0",
"exports-loader": "^0.7.0",
"expose-loader": "^0.7.3",
"extract-text-webpack-plugin": "~3.0.2",
"file-loader": "^1.1.11",
"find-root": "^1.0.0",
"gh-pages": "^1.1.0",
"html-webpack-plugin": "^3.1.0",
"imports-loader": "^0.8.0",
"inline-manifest-webpack-plugin": "^3.0.1",
"istanbul-instrumenter-loader": "3.0.0",
"jasmine-core": "^3.1.0",
"json-loader": "^0.5.4",
"karma": "^2.0.0",
"karma-chrome-launcher": "^2.0.0",
"karma-coverage": "^1.1.1",
"karma-jasmine": "^1.1.0",
"karma-mocha-reporter": "^2.2.3",
"karma-remap-coverage": "^0.1.4",
"karma-sourcemap-loader": "^0.3.7",
"karma-webpack": "~3.0.0",
"ng-router-loader": "^2.1.0",
"ngc-webpack": "~4.1.2",
"node-sass": "^4.5.2",
"nodemon": "^1.11.0",
"npm-run-all": "^4.0.2",
"optimize-js-plugin": "0.0.4",
"parse5": "^4.0.0",
"preload-webpack-plugin": "^2.3.0",
"protractor": "^5.1.1",
"raw-loader": "0.5.1",
"rimraf": "~2.6.1",
"sass-loader": "^6.0.3",
"script-ext-html-webpack-plugin": "^2.0.1",
"source-map-loader": "^0.2.1",
"string-replace-loader": "~2.1.1",
"style-loader": "~0.20.3",
"to-string-loader": "^1.1.5",
"ts-node": "~5.0.1",
"tslib": "^1.6.1",
"tslint": "~5.9.1",
"tslint-loader": "^3.5.2",
"typedoc": "^0.11.1",
"typescript": "~2.7.2",
"url-loader": "~1.0.1",
"webpack": "~4.2.0",
"webpack-cli": "^2.0.13",
"webpack-dev-middleware": "~3.0.1",
"webpack-dev-server": "^3.1.1",
"webpack-dll-bundles-plugin": "^1.0.0-beta.5",
"webpack-merge": "~4.1.0"
},
"repository": {
"type": "git",
"url": "https://github.com/AngularClass/angular-starter.git"
},
"bugs": {
"url": "https://github.com/AngularClass/angular-starter/issues"
},
"engines": {
"node": ">= 4.2.1",
"npm": ">= 3"
}
}

Answer 1

I just realized this was not a very well thought question however since other people might run into this I will keep the question up.
The problem is that config/webpack.common.js is out of date and tries to call on this deprecated class.
For a temporary work around is to comment out the following sections from config/webpack.common.js
const CommonsChunkPlugin = require('webpack/lib/optimize/CommonsChunkPlugin');
const ScriptExtHtmlWebpackPlugin = require('script-ext-html-webpack-plugin');
AND
new CommonsChunkPlugin({
name: 'vendor',
chunks: ['main'],
minChunks: module => /node_modules/.test(module.resource)
}),
new ScriptExtHtmlWebpackPlugin({
sync: /polyfill|vendor/,
defaultAttribute: 'async',
preload: [/polyfill|vendor|main/],
prefetch: [/chunk/]
As of webpack4, tsConfigPath, is required to be specified.
You will also need to go under
ngcWebpack.NgcWebpackPlugin
and add
tsConfigPath: 'tsconfig.webpack.json',
ScriptExtHtmlWebpack seems to be an external library they use, which is also broken under webpack 4.
Note: Obviously commenting out all these things will have effects on your project. Just want to repeat once again that this is a temporary work around if you absolutely must use web pack 4.
I created a feature request that you can track here
Hopefully the config file will be updated as the transition to MEAN 2 takes place
Hope this helps