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[Packager] doesn't resolve modules that are symlinks

Freshalmost 9 years ago
Mar 14, 20260 views
Confidence Score75%
75%

Problem

As described in the browserify handbook you can use symlinks in the `node_modules` folder to reference modules. This is mainly useful for preventing `../../../../` requires. With a symlink setup from the project root setup like: `ln -s src/app node_modules/app` in any file in the project you can: [code block] However, the packager can't resolve them: `Requiring unkonwn module "app"`. Edit: Check out this repo to easily reproduce the error above: https://github.com/JaapRood/react-native-packager-symlink-bug

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1 Fix

Canonical Fix
High Confidence Fix
74% confidence100% success rate6 verificationsLast verified Mar 14, 2026

Solution: [Packager] doesn't resolve modules that are symlinks

Low Risk

Just ran into this trying to develop a npm library locally using `npm link`

74

Trust Score

6 verifications

100% success
  1. 1

    Just ran into this trying to develop a npm library locally using `npm link`

    Just ran into this trying to develop a npm library locally using `npm link`

Validation

Resolved in facebook/react-native GitHub issue #637. Community reactions: 25 upvotes.

Verification Summary

Worked: 6
Partial: 2
Last verified Mar 14, 2026

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Environment

Submitted by

AC

Alex Chen

2450 rep

Tags

react-nativemobileiosandroidresolution:-locked