# An unknown error has occurred \[incompatible\_app\_runtime\_nodejs\]

**URL:** <https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753>\
**Category:** Developers\
**Tags:** homey-pro-2016-19\
**Created:** [June 4, 2026, 11:31am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753 "2026-06-04T11:31:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bramtops](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/bramtops/32/166144_2.png) [@bramtops](https://community.homey.app/u/bramtops)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 11:31am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/1 "2026-06-04T11:31:17Z")

</div>

I’m working on an app and I’m running into this error message when trying to install it on a Homey Pro 2019. When installing from the store, the usual message “… will be installed on your Homey shortly” appears, but the app never shows up on the Homey.

When trying to run the app locally (`homey app run --clean`) we get this error:

> [@](#):
>
> ```auto
> ✓ Pre-processing app...
> Added Driver `envoy`
> Added Capability `connected_inverters`
> Added Capability `control_state`
> Added Capability `last_update`
> Added Capability `metered_gateway`
> Added Capability `power_production`
> Added Discovery Strategy `envoy-discovery`
> Added Locale `en`
> Added Locale `nl`
> ✓ Validating app...
> ✓ App validated successfully against level `debug`
> ✓ Packing Homey App...
> — App archive size: 2.47 MB, 60 files
> ✓ Installing Homey App on `xxx` (https://xxx.homey.homeylocal.com)...
> ✖ An unknown error has occurred [incompatible_app_runtime_nodejs]
> 
> ```

The message itself looks fairly self-explenatory, but I have absolutely no clue what’s triggering it. There’s no mention of it anywhere in the docs; I can’t even find it in the Homey CLI source code repositories. And if it’s actually not directly Homey related, there’s no mention of this error anywhere on the internet.

Has anyone encountered this before?

This is from the Homey in question:

> [@](#):
>
> | nodeVersion | v12.22.11 |
> | --- | --- |
> | homeyVersion | 13.2.1 |
> | homeyModelId | homey4d |
> | homeyModelName | Homey Pro (Early 2019) |

Tagging @Peter_Kawa as he’s kindly helping me trying to figure this one out.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![smarthomesven](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/smarthomesven/32/79712_2.png) [@smarthomesven](https://community.homey.app/u/smarthomesven)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 11:40am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/2 "2026-06-04T11:40:34Z")

</div>

I also have a Homey Pro 2019 but never get that error when running homey app run. Are you building a JS app? Which dependencies does it use? I think it’s an issue with a dependency that requires a newer version of Node

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bramtops](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/bramtops/32/166144_2.png) [@bramtops](https://community.homey.app/u/bramtops)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 12:02pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/3 "2026-06-04T12:02:54Z")

</div>

Yes, its and nodejs app. Nothing funky in my dependencies:

```auto
{
  "name": "nl.creitive.enlighten",
  "version": "1.2.1",
  "main": "app.js",
  "scripts": {
    "lint": "eslint --ext .js,.ts --ignore-path .gitignore ."
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "node-fetch": "^2.7.0"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "@types/homey": "npm:homey-apps-sdk-v3-types@^0.3.12",
    "eslint": "^7.32.0",
    "eslint-config-athom": "^3.1.5"
  }
}

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![smarthomesven](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/smarthomesven/32/79712_2.png) [@smarthomesven](https://community.homey.app/u/smarthomesven)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 12:11pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/4 "2026-06-04T12:11:12Z")

</div>

That app.json looks normal, node-fetch should work though I’ve never used it (I use axios for my own apps). Have you installed the latest NodeJS version on your PC?

> **[Node.js — Download Node.js®](https://nodejs.org/en/download)**
>
> Node.js® is a free, open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment that lets developers create servers, web apps, command line tools and scripts.

Also, AFAIK fetch is included by default on newer NodeJS versions so you can try removing the dependency as well

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bramtops](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/bramtops/32/166144_2.png) [@bramtops](https://community.homey.app/u/bramtops)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 12:25pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/5 "2026-06-04T12:25:56Z")

</div>

Wait… i had an entry

```auto
      "engines": {
        "node": ">=16.0.0"
      }

```

in there before which I initially thought was the culprit and was removed.

But when going over the other JSON files I noticed this was in my package-lock.json:

```auto
  "packages": {
    "": {
      "name": "nl.creitive.enlighten",
      "version": "1.2.0",
      "dependencies": {
        "node-fetch": "^2.7.0"
      },
      "devDependencies": {
        "@types/homey": "npm:homey-apps-sdk-v3-types@^0.3.12",
        "eslint": "^7.32.0",
        "eslint-config-athom": "^3.1.5"
      },
      "engines": {
        "node": ">=16.0.0"
      }
    },

```

An ‘empty’ (?) entry that still has the `engines->node` spec.

@Peter_Kawa this empty entry is missing completely from the package-lock.json in that version we (you) got ‘accidentally’ running.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![smarthomesven](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/smarthomesven/32/79712_2.png) [@smarthomesven](https://community.homey.app/u/smarthomesven)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 12:31pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/6 "2026-06-04T12:31:57Z")

</div>

That means “higher than or equal to”, so it shouldn’t be an issue. Can you try to remove that engines part from your package.json anyway? I don’t think it will fix anything though. Package-lock is also not needed for the app to function, you can delete it and run `npm update` to generate a new one if it somehow got corrupted. As long as you don’t delete package.json, you should be fine.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![smarthomesven](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/smarthomesven/32/79712_2.png) [@smarthomesven](https://community.homey.app/u/smarthomesven)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 12:35pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/7 "2026-06-04T12:35:15Z")

</div>

And can you share your .homeycompose/app.json as well?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bramtops](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/bramtops/32/166144_2.png) [@bramtops](https://community.homey.app/u/bramtops)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 12:42pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/8 "2026-06-04T12:42:55Z")

</div>

Yeah but the Homey 2019 is running nodejs 12 (which I also find odd…).

I’m a long time developer, but fairly new to the npm stuff 😅  
The package-lock.json indeed shouldn’t be a problem.

Here’s the app.json:

```auto
{
  "id": "nl.creitive.enlighten",
  "version": "1.2.1",
  "compatibility": ">=10.0.0",
  "sdk": 3,
  "runtime": "nodejs",
  "brandColor": "#f0b400",
  "platforms": [
    "local"
  ],

```

(ommited the name/tags/description/etc)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![robertklep](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/robertklep/32/160628_2.png) [@robertklep](https://community.homey.app/u/robertklep)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 12:46pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/9 "2026-06-04T12:46:10Z")

</div>

To make things even more odd: Homey _apps_ run in a different Node.js version. I can’t remember which one and can’t check because my P-o-S HP2019 refuses to come back to life (even though it’s pinging, both the CLI tool and the dev tools claim it’s offline…)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![smarthomesven](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/smarthomesven/32/79712_2.png) [@smarthomesven](https://community.homey.app/u/smarthomesven)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 12:49pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/10 "2026-06-04T12:49:43Z")

</div>

Try to change compatibility to `>=12.9.0`

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![smarthomesven](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/smarthomesven/32/79712_2.png) [@smarthomesven](https://community.homey.app/u/smarthomesven)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 12:51pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/11 "2026-06-04T12:51:00Z")

</div>

Yes, but as of Homey version 12.9.0, NodeJS versions are the same across both first and second generation Homeys

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![robertklep](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/robertklep/32/160628_2.png) [@robertklep](https://community.homey.app/u/robertklep)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 12:54pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/12 "2026-06-04T12:54:19Z")

</div>

Indeed, it’s using v22.20.0 for apps.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bramtops](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/bramtops/32/166144_2.png) [@bramtops](https://community.homey.app/u/bramtops)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 12:56pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/13 "2026-06-04T12:56:46Z")

</div>

> [@smarthomesven](#):
>
> Try to change compatibility to `>=12.9.0`

We did some tests with different `compatibility` versions I believe. But now i’m not so sure, as we were messing with that `engines` entry also…

We’ll try! Pinging @Peter_Kawa (as I dont have a HP2019 myself).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![smarthomesven](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/smarthomesven/32/79712_2.png) [@smarthomesven](https://community.homey.app/u/smarthomesven)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 12:59pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/14 "2026-06-04T12:59:46Z")

</div>

Have you tried deleting package-lock.json and creating a new one with `npm update` as well? I use a Pro 2019 and have developed many apps but I’ve never seen this error before.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![smarthomesven](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/smarthomesven/32/79712_2.png) [@smarthomesven](https://community.homey.app/u/smarthomesven)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 1:04pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/15 "2026-06-04T13:04:35Z")

</div>

Do you also have a GitHub repo?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bramtops](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/bramtops/32/166144_2.png) [@bramtops](https://community.homey.app/u/bramtops)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 1:08pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/16 "2026-06-04T13:08:53Z")

</div>

> [@smarthomesven](#):
>
> Do you also have a GitHub repo?

Not yet; it’s on the list.

> [@smarthomesven](#):
>
> Have you tried deleting package-lock.json and creating a new one with `npm update` as well?

I can’t really try the stuff quickly myself, as I don’t have a HP2019. I sent Peter\_Kawa the source code and he’s been trying stuff. The odd thing he had a working version at one point but was not sure what exactly was changed in that version.

He did send me that version back and it has `"compatibility": ">=12.0.0",`

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![smarthomesven](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/smarthomesven/32/79712_2.png) [@smarthomesven](https://community.homey.app/u/smarthomesven)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 1:10pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/17 "2026-06-04T13:10:51Z")

</div>

I will test `node-fetch` on my Homey Pro 2019, since I think the issue might be there in that dependency. AFAIK you can also just remove node-fetch altogether, it’s built in to recent NodeJS versions anyway

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![smarthomesven](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/smarthomesven/32/79712_2.png) [@smarthomesven](https://community.homey.app/u/smarthomesven)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 1:15pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/18 "2026-06-04T13:15:50Z")

</div>

Strange, I don’t get that error (even with the engines property set and node-fetch@2.7.0 installed). Have you updated the Homey CLI to the latest version with `npm i -g homey`?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bramtops](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/bramtops/32/166144_2.png) [@bramtops](https://community.homey.app/u/bramtops)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 2:28pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/19 "2026-06-04T14:28:18Z")

</div>

> [@smarthomesven](#):
>
> Strange, I don’t get that error (even with the engines property set and node-fetch@2.7.0 installed).

And with `"compatibility": ">=10.0.0"`?  
Thanks for testing! Appreciate the back-and-forth!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![smarthomesven](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/smarthomesven/32/79712_2.png) [@smarthomesven](https://community.homey.app/u/smarthomesven)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 2:29pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753/20 "2026-06-04T14:29:21Z")

</div>

I also don’t get that error with compatibility set to `>=10.0.0`. have you updated the CLI to the latest version?

[Next page](https://community.homey.app/t/an-unknown-error-has-occurred-incompatible-app-runtime-nodejs/155753.md?page=2)