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This is probably a Windows specific issue but I haven't found any information when googling this issue. I had been using ionic framework which relies on Cordova (or Phonegap). However, the problem is not specific to any of these packages. I see this error quite often. So, the error is when I run a command such as the following:

npm install -g cordova

However, I could substitute various other packages and get the same error. I'll paste the snippet (very brief) below of the error message. What is strange is that I had an ionic project working in that directory earlier. Then today it told me that ionic could not be found. My hunch is that this is a different issue than the main issue I am describing here.

I installed git bash so I do have a linux-like environment that I could try. I would just select Git Bash for a bash window with various bash commands. If there is an easier way to fix this for Windows users, please let me know. I have seen courses on Pluralsight where the instructors seem to be happily using npm with no problems. Also, when I use yeoman, I also at some point, in many cases, get the same error.
The error is 

npm ERR! Failed to parse json
npm Unexpected token '\u0000' at 1:1
npm ERR!
npm ERR! ^
npm ERR! File: c:\Users\Bruce\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\amdefine\1.0.0\package\package.json
npm ERR! Failed to parse package.json data.
npm ERR! package.json must be actual JSON, not just JavaScript.
npm ERR!
npm ERR! This is not a bug in npm
npm ERR! Tell the package author to fix their package.json file. JSON.parse.

Thanks in advance for any help/advice, Bruce

Nikola
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Bruce Whealton
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1 Answers1

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Via this question on SO it could be that you just have to do:

npm cache clean.

But, also try the other methods suggested there like adding the registry option:

npm install <packagename> --registry http://registry.npmjs.org/.

Or, if you've been mingling with the package.json file by yourself, check if it's valid.

Community
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Nikola
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  • I apologize for not commenting sooner. I had been in chat and got the same answer you suggested first, of cleaning the cache. I'll have to check the other related question and the --registry flag, as I don't know that off the top of my head. But, no, I haven't mingled with the package.json files, these were fresh installs of packages available on npmjs.org... though, I did try to update them, using the install command instead of update. – Bruce Whealton Jul 28 '15 at 12:46
  • No problem, so basically the cache cleaning helped in the end, or the reinstall? – Nikola Jul 28 '15 at 13:12
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    FWIW, the cache cleaning was all I needed. – slushy Aug 02 '16 at 16:42