Error: Next.js cannot run in development mode on Node < 12 in Next.js: Causes and How to Fix

Upgrade Node.js Version

• Next.js requires Node.js version 12 or higher to run in development mode. The first step to fixing the error is to upgrade your Node.js version. You can check your current version with the following command:

node -v

• If your version is below 12, consider using a version manager like NVM (Node Version Manager) to install a newer version of Node.js. This can be done by executing the command:

nvm install node
nvm use node

• Ensure your environment is using the updated version by checking again with node -v.

Check Project's .nvmrc File

• Many projects include a .nvmrc file specifying the desired Node.js version. Ensure this file specifies a version >= 12 by checking or updating it:

cat .nvmrc

• Update the file as needed to reflect at least version 12:

echo "12" > .nvmrc

• Run nvm use to switch to the correct Node.js version as specified in the .nvmrc file.

Use Node.js with Docker

• If your development environment relies on Docker, ensure your Dockerfile specifies a Node.js base image with version >= 12. Update your Dockerfile as follows:

FROM node:14

• Build the Docker image again to apply the changes:

docker build -t your-app-name .

• Restart your Docker containers to use the new image:

docker-compose down && docker-compose up

Configure Package Management Scripts

• If you use npm or yarn scripts that might lock the Node.js version, check your package.json for any configurations that need updating:

"engines": {
  "node": ">=12.0.0"
}

• Add or update the engines field to ensure that it requires at least Node.js version 12.

Ensure IDE and Environment Consistency

• Some IDEs might have their own internal Node.js versions that are being used. Ensure your IDE utilizes the updated environment version, usually found in the IDE's settings.

• Check any CI/CD pipelines or integration systems that might have cached an older Node.js version and update them accordingly.

Clear Cache and Rebuild

• After updating Node.js, it's useful to clear your project's cache and rebuild all dependencies to prevent possible conflicts with older binaries:

rm -rf node_modules
npm cache clean --force
npm install

• This ensures that all dependencies are compiled with the correct Node.js version.

Verify Installation

• Once you've updated Node.js, verified your Docker or IDE environments, and rebuilt your project, test running your Next.js application in development mode again with:

npm run dev

• If the setup was correct, the application should now run without the initial error message.