facebook/docusaurus · error

Unknown Docusaurus CLI command code=${cmd}

Error message

Unknown Docusaurus CLI command code=${cmd}

What it means

Thrown by the same CLI default action when a command argument IS supplied but does not match any registered internal subcommand (and no external/plugin command picks it up). The interpolation token `code=${cmd}` renders the unknown command name verbatim.

Source

Thrown at packages/docusaurus/src/commands/cli.ts:292

      '--migrate',
      'migrate existing heading IDs to the target --syntax, if they are using a different syntax (default: false)',
    )
    .option(
      '--overwrite',
      'overwrite existing heading IDs, re-generate them from the heading text (default: false)',
    )
    .option(
      '--maintain-case',
      "keep the headings' casing, otherwise make all lowercase (default: false)",
    )
    .action(writeHeadingIds);

  cli.arguments('<command>').action((cmd) => {
    cli.outputHelp();
    if (!cmd) {
      throw new Error(logger.interpolate`Missing Docusaurus CLI command.`);
    }
    throw new Error(
      logger.interpolate`Unknown Docusaurus CLI command code=${cmd}`,
    );
  });

  // There is an unrecognized subcommand
  // Let plugins extend the CLI before parsing
  if (!isInternalCommand(command)) {
    await externalCommand({cli, siteDir, config});
  }

  return cli;
}

View on GitHub (pinned to 3f483e80e3)

Solutions

1. Check spelling against `docusaurus --help`.
2. After an upgrade, consult the changelog for renamed/removed commands.
3. If the command should come from a plugin, ensure that plugin is enabled in docusaurus.config.js.

Example fix

// before
docusaurus biuld
// after
docusaurus build

import {readFileSync} from 'fs';
// before invoking, validate the command is one Docusaurus knows
const known = ['build','start','serve','deploy','clear','write-translations','write-heading-ids','docs','init'];
if (!known.includes(cmd)) throw new Error(`Unknown command: ${cmd}`);

function isKnownCommand(cmd: string): boolean {
  return ['build','start','serve','deploy','clear','write-translations','write-heading-ids','docs','init'].includes(cmd);
}

When it happens

Trigger: Typing a non-existent command such as `docusaurus biuld` (typo) or `docusaurus deploy-staging` when no plugin registers that command.

Common situations: Typos, removed/renamed commands after a Docusaurus upgrade (e.g. old `docusaurus publish`), or expecting a plugin command that was never registered.

Related errors

• Missing Docusaurus CLI command.
• Invalid package manager choice ${packageManager}. Must be on
• Directory already exists at path=${dest}!
• ${pluginIdLogPrefix}: this version already exists! Use a ver
• ${pluginIdLogPrefix}: no docs found in path=${docsDir}.

AI-assisted analysis of facebook/docusaurus@3f483e80e3 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/3dd09db266d1cb6b. Report an issue: GitHub.