Error: Could not start Xvfb. Install XVFB and run Cypress again.

Hi, folks! I’m using Cypress to run an end-to-end testing suite against an application I work on. I’ve been running into a really weird issue with the docker images, one which only seems to happen on our CI (TeamCity); I haven’t been able to reproduce it locally.

Running cypress verify in the Docker image ends up failing and saying that Xvfb is not installed, even though it’s listed in the Dockerfile as a dependency to be installed. Simply restarting a build is enough to get the Docker setup back into the right state, and then the tests can run just fine. Here is a log of pulling and starting the Cypress docker image; between failing and passing builds, nothing changes. The same image sha ends up being pulled but sometimes fails to detect Xvfb.

[09:07:49]	[Step 3/11] Temporary file was created: /opt/teamcity-agent/work/5c5a013f643109a5/Dockerfile_TC_1523290069059-temp
[09:07:49]	[Step 3/11] Starting: docker build -t SCRUBBED --pull --label "branch=refs/heads/master" --label "commit=SCRUBBED" -f /opt/teamcity-agent/work/5c5a013f643109a5/Dockerfile_TC_1523290069059-temp .
[09:07:49]	[Step 3/11] in directory: /opt/teamcity-agent/work/5c5a013f643109a5
[09:07:49]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:07:49]	[Step 3/11] Step 1/6 : FROM cypress/base:8
[09:07:50]	[Step 3/11] 8: Pulling from cypress/base
[09:07:50]	[Step 3/11] f2b6b4884fc8: Already exists
[09:07:50]	[Step 3/11] 4fb899b4df21: Already exists
[09:07:50]	[Step 3/11] 74eaa8be7221: Already exists
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] 2d6e98fe4040: Already exists
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] 452c06dec5fa: Pulling fs layer
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] 7b3c215894de: Pulling fs layer
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] c62e8e1f22ef: Pulling fs layer
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] 93263a0b6217: Pulling fs layer
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] 344085b70f46: Pulling fs layer
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] f18709ef8150: Pulling fs layer
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] 16b62243dd9a: Pulling fs layer
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] f18709ef8150: Waiting
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] 344085b70f46: Waiting
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] 16b62243dd9a: Waiting
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] 93263a0b6217: Waiting
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] 452c06dec5fa: Verifying Checksum
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] 7b3c215894de: Download complete
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] 452c06dec5fa: Pull complete
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] 7b3c215894de: Pull complete
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] c62e8e1f22ef: Verifying Checksum
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] c62e8e1f22ef: Download complete
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] 93263a0b6217: Verifying Checksum
[09:07:51]	[Step 3/11] 93263a0b6217: Download complete
[09:07:52]	[Step 3/11] 16b62243dd9a: Verifying Checksum
[09:07:52]	[Step 3/11] 16b62243dd9a: Download complete
[09:07:52]	[Step 3/11] f18709ef8150: Verifying Checksum
[09:07:53]	[Step 3/11] c62e8e1f22ef: Pull complete
[09:07:53]	[Step 3/11] 344085b70f46: Verifying Checksum
[09:07:53]	[Step 3/11] 344085b70f46: Download complete
[09:07:53]	[Step 3/11] 93263a0b6217: Pull complete
[09:07:57]	[Step 3/11] 344085b70f46: Pull complete
[09:07:58]	[Step 3/11] f18709ef8150: Pull complete
[09:07:58]	[Step 3/11] 16b62243dd9a: Pull complete
[09:07:58]	[Step 3/11] Digest: sha256:d82d1db790e5a585b1db2e0f8fe3ff343d981ba18db477e40a0b498e04c73e23
[09:07:58]	[Step 3/11] Status: Downloaded newer image for cypress/base:8
[09:07:58]	[Step 3/11]  ---> ed9c4e411f39
[09:07:58]	[Step 3/11] Step 2/6 : ADD integration-tests /src/integration-tests
[09:07:59]	[Step 3/11]  ---> 14d57ea2af4d
[09:07:59]	[Step 3/11] Removing intermediate container 66e0363b40eb
[09:07:59]	[Step 3/11] Step 3/6 : WORKDIR /src/integration-tests
[09:07:59]	[Step 3/11]  ---> 3071a36c58b5
[09:07:59]	[Step 3/11] Removing intermediate container 478a01054b29
[09:07:59]	[Step 3/11] Step 4/6 : RUN yarn install
[09:07:59]	[Step 3/11]  ---> Running in e9ca1a3678ff
[09:08:05]	[Step 3/11] yarn install v1.5.1
[09:08:05]	[Step 3/11] [1/4] Resolving packages...
[09:08:06]	[Step 3/11] [2/4] Fetching packages...
[09:08:10]	[Step 3/11] [3/4] Linking dependencies...
[09:08:12]	[Step 3/11] [4/4] Building fresh packages...
[09:08:52]	[Step 3/11] Done in 46.50s.
[09:09:00]	[Step 3/11]  ---> b8cb0306c75a
[09:09:03]	[Step 3/11] Removing intermediate container e9ca1a3678ff
[09:09:03]	[Step 3/11] Step 5/6 : RUN $( yarn bin )/cypress verify
[09:09:03]	[Step 3/11]  ---> Running in 109a9fd4ae07
[09:09:04]	[Step 3/11] It looks like this is your first time using Cypress: 2.1.0
[09:09:04]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:04]	[Step 3/11] [16:09:04]  Verifying Cypress can run /src/integration-tests/node_modules/cypress/dist/Cypress [started]
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] [16:09:06]  Verifying Cypress can run /src/integration-tests/node_modules/cypress/dist/Cypress [failed]
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] [16:09:06] → Your system is missing the dependency: XVFB
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Install XVFB and run Cypress again.
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Read our documentation on dependencies for more information:
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] https://on.cypress.io/required-dependencies
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] If you are using Docker, we provide containers with all required dependencies installed.
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] ----------
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Caught error trying to run XVFB: "Your system is missing the dependency: XVFB
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Install XVFB and run Cypress again.
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Read our documentation on dependencies for more information:
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] https://on.cypress.io/required-dependencies
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] If you are using Docker, we provide containers with all required dependencies installed.
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] ----------
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Error: Could not start Xvfb.
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] ----------
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Platform: linux (Debian - 8.10)
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Cypress Version: 2.1.0"
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] ----------
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Platform: linux (Debian - 8.10)
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Cypress Version: 2.1.0
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Your system is missing the dependency: XVFB
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Install XVFB and run Cypress again.
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Read our documentation on dependencies for more information:
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] https://on.cypress.io/required-dependencies
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] If you are using Docker, we provide containers with all required dependencies installed.
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] ----------
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Caught error trying to run XVFB: "Your system is missing the dependency: XVFB
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Install XVFB and run Cypress again.
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Read our documentation on dependencies for more information:
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] https://on.cypress.io/required-dependencies
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] If you are using Docker, we provide containers with all required dependencies installed.
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] ----------
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Error: Could not start Xvfb.
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] ----------
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Platform: linux (Debian - 8.10)
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Cypress Version: 2.1.0"
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] ----------
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] 
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Platform: linux (Debian - 8.10)
[09:09:06]	[Step 3/11] Cypress Version: 2.1.0
[09:09:07]	[Step 3/11] The command '/bin/sh -c $( yarn bin )/cypress verify' returned a non-zero code: 1
[09:09:07]	[Step 3/11] The command '/bin/sh -c $( yarn bin )/cypress verify' returned a non-zero code: 1
[09:09:07]	[Step 3/11]
[09:09:07]	[Step 3/11] Process exited with code 1
[09:09:07]	[Step 3/11] Process exited with code 1
[09:09:07]	[Step 3/11] Step   ‍♀️ build integration-tests docker image (Docker Build) failed

[guigonc]

We have the same problem on version 3.1.0

[leorigon]

We has this same problem with Jenkins. Someone fixed it?