bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD · error · Error

${label} does not exist: ${filePath}

Error message

${label} does not exist: ${filePath}

What it means

Thrown by assertReadableFile when fs.stat resolves to null — the expected file does not exist. Used to validate required files such as package.json (label 'package.json') inside the BMAD source root before reading them.

Source

Thrown at tools/installer/core/install-paths.js:95

async function assertReadableDir(dirPath, label) {
  const stat = await fs.stat(dirPath).catch(() => null);
  if (!stat) {
    throw new Error(`${label} does not exist: ${dirPath}`);
  }
  if (!stat.isDirectory()) {
    throw new Error(`${label} is not a directory: ${dirPath}`);
  }
  try {
    await fs.access(dirPath, fs.constants.R_OK);
  } catch {
    throw new Error(`${label} is not readable: ${dirPath}`);
  }
}

async function assertReadableFile(filePath, label) {
  const stat = await fs.stat(filePath).catch(() => null);
  if (!stat) {
    throw new Error(`${label} does not exist: ${filePath}`);
  }
  if (!stat.isFile()) {
    throw new Error(`${label} is not a file: ${filePath}`);
  }
  try {
    await fs.access(filePath, fs.constants.R_OK);
  } catch {
    throw new Error(`${label} is not readable: ${filePath}`);
  }
}

async function ensureWritableDir(dirPath, label) {
  const stat = await fs.stat(dirPath).catch(() => null);
  if (stat && !stat.isDirectory()) {
    throw new Error(`${label} exists but is not a directory: ${dirPath}`);
  }

  try {

View on GitHub (pinned to b70486b9bd)

Solutions

1. Confirm the file exists: `ls <filePath>`.
2. Re-clone or reinstall the BMAD package so required files are present.
3. If you control getProjectRoot(), ensure it points at the directory containing package.json.

if (!(await fs.pathExists(filePath))) {
  throw new Error(`Missing required file: ${filePath}`);
}

try {
  await assertReadableFile(filePath, label);
} catch (error) {
  if (error.message.endsWith(`does not exist: ${filePath}`)) { /* missing file */ }
  throw error;
}

When it happens

Trigger: InstallPaths.create() calls assertReadableFile(pkgPath, 'package.json') and the resolved source root has no package.json. Reachable for any caller validating a required readable file.

Common situations: Corrupted or partial checkout missing package.json, running from a directory that is not a real BMAD source tree, or a packaging defect that omitted package.json.

Related errors

• ${label} does not exist: ${dirPath}
• ${label} is not a directory: ${dirPath}
• ${label} is not readable: ${dirPath}
• ${label} is not a file: ${filePath}
• ${label} is not readable: ${filePath}

AI-assisted analysis of bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD@b70486b9bd (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/03ff76f331d6bb22. Report an issue: GitHub.