asdf-vm/asdf · error

unable to resolve latest version for %s

Error message

unable to resolve latest version for %s

What it means

asdf set resolves `latest` arguments to concrete versions before writing them to config. If versions.Latest fails to resolve a latest version for the named plugin, Main returns "unable to resolve latest version for <plugin>", so the set operation is aborted.

Source

Thrown at internal/cli/set/set.go:45

	if home && parent {
		return printError(stderr, "home and parent flags cannot both be specified; must be one location or the other")
	}

	conf, err := config.LoadConfig()
	if err != nil {
		return printError(stderr, fmt.Sprintf("error loading config: %s", err))
	}

	resolvedVersions := []string{}

	for _, version := range args[1:] {
		parsedVersion := toolversions.ParseFromCliArg(version)
		if parsedVersion.Type == "latest" {
			plugin := plugins.New(conf, args[0])
			resolvedVersion, err := versions.Latest(plugin, parsedVersion.Value, stderr)
			if err != nil {
				return fmt.Errorf("unable to resolve latest version for %s", plugin.Name)
			}
			resolvedVersions = append(resolvedVersions, resolvedVersion)
			continue
		}
		resolvedVersions = append(resolvedVersions, version)
	}

	tv := toolversions.ToolVersions{Name: args[0], Versions: resolvedVersions}

	if home {
		homeDir, err := homeFunc()
		if err != nil {
			return err
		}

		filepath := filepath.Join(homeDir, conf.DefaultToolVersionsFilename)
		err = toolversions.WriteToolVersionsToFile(filepath, []toolversions.ToolVersions{tv})
		if err != nil {

View on GitHub (pinned to 074a1722ca)

Solutions

1. Ensure the plugin is added: `asdf plugin add <plugin>` and updated: `asdf plugin update <plugin>`.
2. Pin an explicit version instead: `asdf set <plugin> 20.11.0`.
3. Check network connectivity in CI and retry.
4. Inspect the underlying error by running `asdf latest <plugin>` to see why resolution fails.

Example fix

# before
asdf set nodejs latest   # resolution fails
# after
asdf plugin update nodejs
asdf set nodejs latest   # or: asdf set nodejs 20.11.0

asdf plugin list | grep -qx "$PLUGIN" || asdf plugin add "$PLUGIN"
asdf latest "$PLUGIN" >/dev/null || { echo "cannot resolve latest for $PLUGIN"; exit 1; }
asdf set "$PLUGIN" latest

if ! asdf set "$PLUGIN" latest 2>&1; then
  asdf set "$PLUGIN" "$PINNED_VERSION"
fi

When it happens

Trigger: Running `asdf set <plugin> latest` (or `asdf global/local <plugin> latest`) where the plugin cannot resolve a latest version — e.g. plugin not installed, no network, or the plugin's list-all/latest callbacks fail.

Common situations: Using `latest` before installing the plugin; plugin repo broken or outdated so latest resolution fails; offline CI environments.

Related errors

• No compatible versions available (%s %s)
• command removed
• bad shell name
• no plugin name specified
• must provide command

AI-assisted analysis of asdf-vm/asdf@074a1722ca (2026-08-30). Data as JSON: /api/errors/e97cc4df63d9df81. Report an issue: GitHub.