cypress-io/cypress · error · RunSpecError

SPEC_NOT_FOUND

SPEC_NOT_FOUND

Error message

No file exists at path ${specPath}

What it means

Thrown by ProjectActions.runSpec (ProjectActions.ts:548-550) with code SPEC_NOT_FOUND when this.ctx.fs.existsSync(specPath) returns false. It is checked AFTER the testing type is resolved from specPattern but BEFORE any testing-type switch, intentionally so Cypress fails fast instead of switching testing types only to discover the file is missing. distinct from error 67, which checks the loaded-spec list later. Returned as { code: 'SPEC_NOT_FOUND', detailMessage }.

Source

Thrown at packages/data-context/src/actions/ProjectActions.ts:549

      // Check to see whether input specPath matches the specPattern for one or the other testing type
      // If it matches neither then we can't run the spec and we should error
      if (await this.ctx.project.matchesSpecPattern(relativeSpecPath, 'e2e')) {
        targetTestingType = 'e2e'
      } else if (await this.ctx.project.matchesSpecPattern(relativeSpecPath, 'component')) {
        targetTestingType = 'component'
      } else {
        throw new RunSpecError('NO_SPEC_PATTERN_MATCH', 'Unable to determine testing type, spec does not match any configured specPattern')
      }

      debug(`Spec %s matches '${targetTestingType}' pattern`, specPath)

      debug('Attempting to launch spec %s', specPath)

      // Look to see if there's actually a file at the target location
      // This helps us avoid switching testingType *then* finding out the spec doesn't exist
      if (!this.ctx.fs.existsSync(specPath)) {
        throw new RunSpecError('SPEC_NOT_FOUND', `No file exists at path ${specPath}`)
      }

      // We now know what testingType we need to be in - if we're already there, great
      // If not, verify that type is configured then switch (or throw an error if not configured)
      if (this.ctx.coreData.currentTestingType !== targetTestingType) {
        if (!this.ctx.lifecycleManager.isTestingTypeConfigured(targetTestingType)) {
          throw new RunSpecError('TESTING_TYPE_NOT_CONFIGURED', `Input path matched specPattern for '${targetTestingType}' testing type, but it is not configured.`)
        }

        debug('Setting testing type to %s', targetTestingType)

        const specChangeSubscription = this.ctx.emitter.subscribeTo('specsChange', { sendInitial: false })

        const originalTestingType = this.ctx.coreData.currentTestingType

        // Temporarily toggle testing type so the `activeBrowser` can be initialized
        // for the targeted testing type. Browser has to be initialized prior to our "relaunch"
        // call below - this can be an issue when Cypress is still on the launchpad and no

View on GitHub (pinned to 0d85fdc912)

Solutions

1. Verify the file exists at the exact absolute path passed (check case on case-sensitive filesystems).
2. Refresh the spec list in the UI so stale entries are removed before running.
3. Ensure specPath is an absolute, normalized path with no trailing whitespace/slash.
4. If the file was renamed, run the new name; if deleted, remove the dangling reference.

Example fix

// before
await runSpec({ specPath })

// after
if (!fs.existsSync(specPath)) {
  await ctx.actions.refreshSpecs() // or surface 'file missing' to user
  return
}
await runSpec({ specPath })

// Verify the file exists on disk before invoking runSpec
import { existsSync } from 'fs-extra'

if (!existsSync(specPath)) {
  // refresh the spec list or prompt the user; do not call runSpec
  return
}
await ctx.actions.runSpec({ specPath })

When it happens

Trigger: specPath matches a specPattern (so it passes the testing-type resolution) but no file actually exists on disk at that absolute path at run time.

Common situations: Stale spec list in the UI pointing at a file that was deleted/moved/renamed since the list was built; case-sensitivity mismatch on Linux/macOS (MySpec.cy.ts vs myspec.cy.ts); wrong drive or absolute path on Windows; file present in a different working tree; a path with a typo or trailing whitespace.

Related errors

• Could not read '${path}'.
• Your component devServer config for vite is missing a requir
• Failed generating files: ${results.failed.map((e) => `${e}`)
• NO_PROJECT
• NO_SPEC_PATH

AI-assisted analysis of cypress-io/cypress@0d85fdc912 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/6d5c8148c46c4518. Report an issue: GitHub.