# NousResearch/hermes-agent · NODE_ENV=production causes devDependencies missing in web build

## Open now

- Nothing open on GitHub.

A regression where NODE_ENV=production (injected by the TUI/Hermes) causes npm to skip devDependencies during the web UI build, breaking tools like tsc. Multiple fix attempts address this via different approaches such as unsetting NODE_ENV, forcing --include=dev, or overriding the install environment.

## TL;DR

- 5 member(s): 0 open issue(s), 3 closed issue(s), 0 open PR(s), 0 merged PR(s), 2 PR(s) closed without merging.
- No fix has been merged to main; one or more PRs were attempted (see below).
- **Recommended:** review the prior/competing PR(s) below. A fix was attempted but not merged; your case may extend or revive that work.

## Maintainer resolution verdict

- Internal-tracker verdict over this cluster's issue members: `unresolved`. This is distinct from the fix status above. Weigh it yourself.

## How this cluster was grouped

- Link evidence (`STRUCTURAL_PARTIAL`): some members are connected by structural evidence (shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference); the rest are joined by an automated relevance judgement over their text.
- Members outside that structural core may belong to a different underlying problem.
- Pairwise link density `0.31`: the share of member pairs that carry a link, counting a structural link in full and a relevance-only link at 0.36. `1.00` means every pair is linked.

## Closed / duplicate issues

- #27430: hermes update fails web UI build when NODE_ENV=production — npm install omits devDependencies
- #49920: Desktop hangs in CONNECTING after update — dashboard build fails silently because Hermes injects NODE_ENV=production, making npm install skip devDependencies
- #65562: Regression: TUI injects NODE_ENV=production → hermes update web UI build fails (tsc not found) on main

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#17906: fix(web): build web UI with NODE_ENV=development so devDependencies install**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `0678f8f01`, `#18682`, `#17906`, `#22187`, `#65595`
- **#64708: fix: keep web build deps installed under NODE_ENV=production**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `uncategorized`; implication `needs_llm`

## Fix status

- No merged fix on record.
- Subsystem: `apps/desktop`