angular/angular-cli · error · SchematicsException

Bootstrap call not found

Error message

Bootstrap call not found

What it means

findBootstrapModulePath parses the project's main entry (src/main.ts) looking for the `platformBrowserDynamic().bootstrapModule(...)` call. If no bootstrap module call can be found in the main file, the schematic cannot locate the root module and throws this SchematicsException.

Source

Thrown at packages/schematics/angular/utility/ng-ast-utils.ts:51

    }

    if (
      bootstrapCallNode !== null &&
      bootstrapCallNode.parent !== undefined &&
      bootstrapCallNode.parent.kind === ts.SyntaxKind.CallExpression
    ) {
      bootstrapCall = bootstrapCallNode.parent as ts.CallExpression;
      break;
    }
  }

  return bootstrapCall;
}

function findBootstrapModulePath(host: Tree, mainPath: string): string {
  const bootstrapCall = findBootstrapModuleCall(host, mainPath);
  if (!bootstrapCall) {
    throw new SchematicsException('Bootstrap call not found');
  }

  const bootstrapModule = bootstrapCall.arguments[0];

  const mainText = host.readText(mainPath);
  const source = ts.createSourceFile(mainPath, mainText, ts.ScriptTarget.Latest, true);
  const allNodes = getSourceNodes(source);
  const bootstrapModuleRelativePath = allNodes
    .filter(ts.isImportDeclaration)
    .filter((imp) => {
      return findNode(imp, ts.SyntaxKind.Identifier, bootstrapModule.getText());
    })
    .map((imp) => {
      const modulePathStringLiteral = imp.moduleSpecifier as ts.StringLiteral;

      return modulePathStringLiteral.text;
    })[0];

View on GitHub (pinned to bb72145f9a)

Solutions

1. If the project is standalone, the schematic/version may not support it — upgrade Angular or apply the change manually.
2. Verify angular.json `browser`/`main` builder option points at the real entry file containing bootstrapModule.
3. Restore a standard `platformBrowserDynamic().bootstrapModule(AppModule)` structure if you converted the app by hand.

Example fix

// before (main.ts)
bootstrapApplication(AppComponent, appConfig);
// after (NgModule-style for legacy schematics)
platformBrowserDynamic().bootstrapModule(AppModule).catch(err => console.error(err));

const main = fs.readFileSync('src/main.ts', 'utf8');
if (!main.includes('bootstrapModule') && !main.includes('bootstrapApplication')) {
  throw new Error('main.ts contains no bootstrap call');
}

When it happens

Trigger: Running schematics (e.g. `ng add`, `ng g universal`, app-shell) on a project whose main.ts lacks a `bootstrapModule` call — because the app is standalone (bootstrapApplication), the main path in angular.json points to the wrong file, or the bootstrap code was refactored.

Common situations: Standalone (v14+) applications where main.ts uses `bootstrapApplication(AppComponent, ...)` while the schematic expects NgModule bootstrap; custom entry files; renamed bootstrap expression.

Related errors

• Cannot add provider to invalid bootstrapApplication call in
• Could not find bootstrapApplication call in ${mainFilePath}
• Cannot statically analyze bootstrapApplication call in ${boo
• Option "project" is required.
• Project is not defined in this workspace.

AI-assisted analysis of angular/angular-cli@bb72145f9a (2026-08-30). Data as JSON: /api/errors/0444175eac861ae1. Report an issue: GitHub.