{"record":{"id":"d4c40b3a9e3429c8","repo":"jestjs/jest","slug":"can-t-find-a-root-directory-while-resolving-a-conf","errorCode":null,"errorMessage":"Can't find a root directory while resolving a config file path.\nProvided path to resolve: ${pathToResolve}\ncwd: ${cwd}","messagePattern":"Can't find a root directory while resolving a config file path\\.\nProvided path to resolve: (.+?)\ncwd: (.+?)","errorType":"exception","errorClass":"Error","httpStatus":null,"severity":"error","filePath":"packages/jest-config/src/resolveConfigPath.ts","lineNumber":52,"sourceCode":"    ? pathToResolve\n    : path.resolve(cwd, pathToResolve);\n\n  if (isFile(absolutePath)) {\n    return absolutePath;\n  }\n\n  // This is a guard against passing non existing path as a project/config,\n  // that will otherwise result in a very confusing situation.\n  // e.g.\n  // With a directory structure like this:\n  //   my_project/\n  //     package.json\n  //\n  // Passing a `my_project/some_directory_that_doesnt_exist` as a project\n  // name will resolve into a (possibly empty) `my_project/package.json` and\n  // try to run all tests it finds under `my_project` directory.\n  if (!fs.existsSync(absolutePath)) {\n    throw new Error(\n      \"Can't find a root directory while resolving a config file path.\\n\" +\n        `Provided path to resolve: ${pathToResolve}\\n` +\n        `cwd: ${cwd}`,\n    );\n  }\n\n  return resolveConfigPathByTraversing(\n    absolutePath,\n    pathToResolve,\n    cwd,\n    skipMultipleConfigError,\n  );\n}\n\nconst resolveConfigPathByTraversing = (\n  pathToResolve: string,\n  initialPath: string,\n  cwd: string,","sourceCodeStart":34,"sourceCodeEnd":70,"githubUrl":"https://github.com/jestjs/jest/blob/8e6d128e4a278059ecddecaa97400b04c8ae5fd9/packages/jest-config/src/resolveConfigPath.ts#L34-L70","documentation":"Thrown by resolveConfigPath when the resolved absolute path is neither an existing file nor an existing directory (fs.existsSync returns false). This guard prevents a non-existent path from silently falling through to directory traversal, which would unexpectedly resolve to a parent package.json and run unrelated tests.","triggerScenarios":"Passing a path that does not exist on disk: a typo in --config, a deleted project directory, or a relative path resolved against the wrong cwd.","commonSituations":"Typos in CLI --config flags; renamed/moved directories; CI checkouts that skipped a workspace; passing a glob pattern where a path is expected.","solutions":["Verify the path exists: ls <path>","Check for typos and correct the relative-vs-absolute resolution","If the intent is directory traversal, pass the parent directory that actually exists","Ensure CI checks out the workspace containing the path"],"exampleFix":"// before\njest --config ./jest.config.tss\n\n// after\njest --config ./jest.config.ts","handlingStrategy":"validation","validationCode":"import * as fs from 'node:fs';\nimport * as path from 'node:path';\nfunction assertPathExists(p: string, cwd: string): void {\n  const abs = path.isAbsolute(p) ? p : path.resolve(cwd, p);\n  if (!fs.existsSync(abs)) {\n    throw new Error(`Path does not exist: ${abs}`);\n  }\n}","typeGuard":"function pathExists(p: string): boolean {\n  return fs.existsSync(p);\n}","tryCatchPattern":null,"preventionTips":["Validate --config paths exist before launching Jest in CI scripts","Avoid shell globbing where a literal path is expected","Log the resolved absolute path when debugging config discovery"],"tags":["config","paths","filesystem","argument-validation"],"backgroundTag":null,"analyzedSha":"8e6d128e4a278059ecddecaa97400b04c8ae5fd9","analyzedAt":"2026-08-10T18:11:27.960Z","contentChangedAt":null,"schemaVersion":2},"datasetVersion":"2026-09-23T08:17:48.524Z"}