Function emulators throwing incorrect error message "Cannot find module './tsconfig.json' './tsconfig.json' error "

[REQUIRED] Environment info

firebase-tools: 8.4.2

Platform: Windows 10

[REQUIRED] Test case

I have a set of working and currently deployed functions I am trying to emulate. They are written in JavaScript and the project is not configured for TypeScript.

When I try to emulate my functions I am receiving the following error

!  functions: Cannot find module './tsconfig.json'
!  Your function was killed because it raised an unhandled error.

Trying to find the problem I init a clean project and wrote the following

index.js

const functions = require('firebase-functions');
const { text } = require('./utils/helpers')

exports.helloWorld = functions.https.onRequest((request, response) => {
  let responseText = text()
  response.send(responseText);
});

utils/helpers.js

exports.text = () => {
  return 'hello world'
}

Which worked.

However if I changed the require for helpers to …utils/helpers (which does not exist) I received the error:

!  functions: Cannot find module './tsconfig.json'
!  Your function was killed because it raised an unhandled error.

I can only assume there is something in my code emulators does not like however this is the only error message I am getting so I cannot find it. If I remove all code from my index file (in my actual project) and write a simple function the emulators will run.

[REQUIRED] Steps to reproduce

Changed the require for helpers to …utils/helpers (which does not exist) in index.js

[REQUIRED] Expected behavior

Receive meaningful error message

[REQUIRED] Actual behavior

Receive C:\Github\test-emulators\firebase-debug.log

!  functions: Cannot find module './tsconfig.json'
!  Your function was killed because it raised an unhandled error.

Project is not written in or configured for TypeScript

firebase-debug.log firebase-debug.log

[SOHELAHMED7]

I just tried with master branch, and I got success. The emulator works fine. The issue is fixed. In case you want to try:

• uninstall already installed firebase tools $ npm uninstall -g firebase-tools
• install firebase tools with master branch $ npm install -g git://github.com/firebase/firebase-tools.git#master --save
• run emulator /path/to/project/functions $ firebase emulators:start --only=functions

@samtstern I would like to know if there is any date time is set when the next version will be released, if yes please share.

Thanks very much.

[julioflima]

Same problem here.

Googling the problem i found this solution: https://medium.com/@onwuka_gideon/functions-cannot-find-module-tsconfig-json-how-i-fixed-it-70d7c4769174

Answer downgrade to 6.3.1 the firebase-tools, but seems to me much oldest, and unproductive without restart after some changes. But send to me a perfect description was happen to cause the error, I was using admin.initializeApp() twice at my code.

So, what is happening with meaningful erros?