eslint/eslint · error · NoFilesFoundError

No files matching '${pattern}' were found${!globEnabled ? "

Error message

No files matching '${pattern}' were found${!globEnabled ? " (glob was disabled)" : ""}.

What it means

Thrown as NoFilesFoundError by `throwErrorForUnmatchedPatterns` (eslint-helpers.js:422) when a glob pattern matches no files on disk at all (not even with ignores disabled). `globMatch` returns false (patternHasMatch), confirming the pattern is truly unmatched. messageTemplate is 'file-not-found'.

Source

Thrown at lib/eslint/eslint-helpers.js:422

	basePath,
	patterns,
	rawPatterns,
	unmatchedPatterns,
}) {
	const pattern = unmatchedPatterns[0];
	const rawPattern = rawPatterns[patterns.indexOf(pattern)];

	const patternHasMatch = await globMatch({
		basePath,
		pattern,
	});

	if (patternHasMatch) {
		throw new AllFilesIgnoredError(rawPattern);
	}

	// if we get here there are truly no matches
	throw new NoFilesFoundError(rawPattern, true);
}

/**
 * Performs multiple glob searches in parallel.
 * @param {Object} options The options for this function.
 * @param {Map<string,GlobSearch>} options.searches
 *      A map of absolute path glob patterns to match.
 * @param {ConfigLoader} options.configLoader The config loader to use for
 *      determining what to ignore.
 * @param {boolean} options.errorOnUnmatchedPattern Determines if an
 *      unmatched glob pattern should throw an error.
 * @returns {Promise<Array<string>>} An array of matching file paths
 *      or an empty array if there are no matches.
 */
async function globMultiSearch({
	searches,
	configLoader,
	errorOnUnmatchedPattern,

View on GitHub (pinned to 87f66f4435)

Solutions

1. Correct the path or pattern to point at existing files.
2. Ensure the ESLint `cwd` option matches the directory the patterns are relative to.
3. Set `errorOnUnmatchedPattern: false` if missing patterns should be silently skipped.
4. Verify the glob syntax (e.g. use `**/*.js` not `/***/*.js`).

Example fix

// before
const eslint = new ESLint();
await eslint.lintFiles(['lib/*.jsx']); // wrong extension

// after
await eslint.lintFiles(['lib/*.js']);

const fs = require('node:fs/promises');
async function fileOrGlobExists(cwd, pattern) {
  try { await fs.stat(require('node:path').resolve(cwd, pattern)); return true; } catch {}
  const { globby } = await import('fast-glob');
  return (await globby(pattern, { cwd, dot: true })).length > 0;
}

try {
  const results = await eslint.lintFiles([pattern]);
} catch (err) {
  if (err.messageTemplate === 'file-not-found') {
    console.warn('Pattern not found:', err.messageData.pattern);
    return [];
  }
  throw err;
}

When it happens

Trigger: `ESLint#lintFiles(['nonexistent/*.js'])` where the path does not exist. `throwErrorForUnmatchedPatterns` is reached from globMultiSearch when unmatchedPatterns is non-empty and errorOnUnmatchedPattern is true.

Common situations: Typo in path; wrong cwd; deleted/moved files; branch-specific files linted on a different branch; glob syntax error producing a pattern that matches nothing.

Related errors

• No files matching '${rawPatterns}' in '${basePath}' were fou
• All files matched by '${pattern}' are ignored.
• ESLINT_INVALID_OPTIONS
• 'patterns' must be a non-empty string or an array of non-emp

AI-assisted analysis of eslint/eslint@87f66f4435 (2026-08-11). Data as JSON: /api/errors/e8b1517ad62d7d77. Report an issue: GitHub.