tauri-apps/tauri · error

The configured frontendDist includes the

Error message

The configured frontendDist includes the `{:?}` {}. Please isolate your web assets on a separate folder and update `tauri.conf.json > build > frontendDist`.

What it means

The CLI scans the canonicalized `frontendDist` for cargo `target/` output (issue #13287) and for `node_modules` and `src-tauri` subdirectories. If any are found, it aborts because bundling would embed hundreds of megabytes of dependencies or your whole Rust project into the app binary.

Solutions

1. Configure your frontend bundler to emit into a dedicated output dir (e.g. vite `build.outDir: 'dist'`) and point `frontendDist` there
2. If you use a custom cargo target dir, move it outside `frontendDist`
3. Remove stray `node_modules`/`src-tauri` folders accidentally created inside the dist folder, then rebuild

Example fix

// before (tauri.conf.json + vite.config)
"frontendDist": "../"           // project root contains node_modules & src-tauri

// after (vite.config.ts: build.outDir = 'dist')
"frontendDist": "../dist"

# abort if frontendDist swallows node_modules, src-tauri, or a target dir
DIST=$(jq -r '.build.frontendDist' src-tauri/tauri.conf.json)
ROOT="src-tauri/$DIST"
for bad in node_modules src-tauri target; do
  [ -e "$ROOT/$bad" ] && { echo "frontendDist contains $bad" >&2; exit 1; }
done

When it happens

Trigger: Setting `frontendDist` to the project root (`"../"`) so it swallows `node_modules/` and `src-tauri/`; a frontend bundler configured to emit into the repo root; a cargo target directory placed inside the frontend output folder.

Common situations: Trying to serve the repo root to avoid configuring a bundler outDir; vite/webpack `outDir` left at default while `frontendDist` points at a parent; `CARGO_TARGET_DIR` set to a path under `dist/`.

Related errors

• The configured frontendDist is the `src-tauri` folder…
• Unable to find your web assets, did you forget to build…
• beforeDevCommand ` ` failed with exit code
• Couldn't recognize the
• ` ` failed with exit code

AI-assisted analysis of tauri-apps/tauri@52e4b6e71d (2026-08-20). Data as JSON: /api/errors/e96bb801374d894a. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at crates/tauri-cli/src/build.rs:256

    let mut out_folders = Vec::new();
    if let Ok(web_asset_canonical) = dunce::canonicalize(web_asset_path) {
      if let Ok(relative_path) = target_path.strip_prefix(&web_asset_canonical) {
        let relative_str = relative_path.to_string_lossy();
        if !relative_str.is_empty() {
          out_folders.push(relative_str.to_string());
        }
      }

      for folder in &["node_modules", "src-tauri"] {
        let sub_path = web_asset_canonical.join(folder);
        if sub_path.is_dir() {
          out_folders.push(folder.to_string());
        }
      }
    }

    if !out_folders.is_empty() {
      crate::error::bail!(
        "The configured frontendDist includes the `{:?}` {}. Please isolate your web assets on a separate folder and update `tauri.conf.json > build > frontendDist`.",
        out_folders,
        if out_folders.len() == 1 { "folder" } else { "folders" }
      );
    }
  }

  if options.runner.is_none() {
    options.runner = config.build.runner.clone();
  }

  options
    .features
    .extend_from_slice(config.build.features.as_deref().unwrap_or_default());
  interface.build_options(&mut options.args, &mut options.features, mobile);

  Ok(())
}

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