OpenBB-finance/OpenBB · error · RuntimeError

Failed to load the file specs for '{file_path}'

Error message

Failed to load the file specs for '{file_path}'

What it means

Raised by _load_module_from_file_path in the platform_api app-loading utilities when importlib.util.spec_from_file_location returns None for the given path, meaning Python cannot create a module spec for that file. It then cannot be imported to find the FastAPI app instance.

Source

Thrown at openbb_platform/extensions/platform_api/openbb_platform_api/utils/api.py:237

    from openbb_core.api.rest_api import system

    def _is_module_colon_notation(app_path: str) -> bool:
        """Check if the path uses module:name notation vs a Windows path."""
        if ":" not in app_path:
            return False
        # Windows absolute path check (e.g., C:\path or D:/path)
        if len(app_path) >= 2 and app_path[1] == ":" and app_path[0].isalpha():
            # Could still have colon notation: C:\path\file.py:app
            parts = app_path.split(":")
            return len(parts) > 2  # More than just drive letter colon
        return True

    def _load_module_from_file_path(file_path: str):
        spec_name = os.path.basename(file_path).split(".")[0]
        spec = util.spec_from_file_location(spec_name, file_path)

        if spec is None:
            raise RuntimeError(f"Failed to load the file specs for '{file_path}'")

        module = util.module_from_spec(spec)  # type: ignore
        sys.modules[spec_name] = module  # type: ignore
        spec.loader.exec_module(module)  # type: ignore
        return module

    if _is_module_colon_notation(app_path):
        module_path, name = app_path.rsplit(":", 1)
        try:  # First try to import as a module
            module = import_module(module_path)
        except ImportError:  # If module import fails, try to load as a local file
            if not module_path.endswith(".py"):
                module_path += ".py"

            if not Path(module_path).is_absolute():
                cwd = Path.cwd()
                file_path = str(cwd.joinpath(module_path).resolve())
            else:

View on GitHub (pinned to 3e071fcc2c)

Solutions

1. Check that the path passed via --app / import_app is a regular .py file.
2. Confirm the file exists and is readable (ls -l on the resolved absolute path).
3. Fix typos in the path or use module notation ('my_app.main:app') if the file is inside a package.
4. If loading non-.py source, precompile or rename it to .py.

Example fix

# before
import_app('my_app', 'app')  # points at a directory

# after
import_app('my_app/main.py', 'app')

from pathlib import Path
p = Path(app_path)
assert p.is_file() and p.suffix == ".py", f"app path must be a .py file, got {app_path}"

def is_loadable_py_file(path: str) -> bool:
    p = Path(path)
    return p.is_file() and p.suffix == ".py" and p.stat().st_size > 0

try:
    module = _load_module_from_file_path(app_path)
except RuntimeError as e:
    raise RuntimeError(f"cannot create module spec for {app_path}; is it a .py file?") from e

When it happens

Trigger: Calling import_app with a module:colon or file path that resolves to a file importlib refuses to load: a non-.py file (e.g. a .pyc, directory, or extensionless file), an unreadable file, or a path with a null byte.

Common situations: Passing --app pointing at a directory instead of main.py; typos in the path that still match a non-module file; pointing at a notebook (.ipynb); permissions errors on the file.

Related errors

• Error: Neither module '{module_path}' could be imported nor
• Error: The app file '{app_path}' does not exist
• Failed to load the file specs for '{file_path}'
• Error: The app file '{app_path}' does not contain an '{name}
• Error: The {name} instance in '{app_path}' appears not to be

AI-assisted analysis of OpenBB-finance/OpenBB@3e071fcc2c (2026-08-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/50291b8576f691da. Report an issue: GitHub.