"shopify node serve" Command Problem

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Topic summary

Shopify CLI “shopify node serve” fails on Windows 10 during ngrok setup with error: “System call failed: tar -xf …/shopify/ngrok.zip.” The tool appears to download a ZIP and attempt to extract it with tar, which may be misapplied on Windows.

Key context: ngrok is a tunneling utility used by the CLI to expose a local app; tar is a Unix archiver/extractor. The failure happens after scaffolding a project with “shopify node create.”

Actions and guidance: A suggestion was made to file an issue on the Shopify CLI GitHub repository. Multiple users report a workaround by manually handling ngrok files.

Workarounds reported:

  • Manually unzip the downloaded ngrok.zip in C:\Users[User]\AppData\Local\shopify and then rerun “shopify node serve.”
  • Alternatively, download ngrok from the official site, extract it, and place ngrok.exe into C:\Users[User]\AppData\Local\shopify.
  • One user on CLI 2.7.x succeeded by placing ngrok.zip manually; another on CLI 2.7.1 says the workaround did not work.

Status: No official fix posted; mixed results across CLI 2.7.x. The issue appears ongoing with suggested manual ngrok setup and a recommendation to report it.

Summarized with AI on January 31. AI used: gpt-5.
1

Hi, I’m trying out the Shopify CLI. I’m going through this tutorial. I’m using Windows 10.

Running “shopify node create” scaffolds the new project but when I run “shopify node serve” I get this error:

√ curl @ C:/WINDOWS/System32/curl.EXE
√ tar @ C:/Rtools/bin/tar.EXE
- Installing ngrok...
X System call failed: tar -xf C:/[...]/shopify/ngrok.zip

(I inserted the “[..]” to hide personal info in the folder name)

The “…/shopify/ngrok.zip” DOES exist. I tried deleting it and running “shopify node serve” again but same thing happens.

Based on this. I think “shopify node serve” is downloading a zip – thinking I’m on MAC – and then since I’m on Windows, it tries to tar(untar?) the zip file.

Am I missing something or should I report a bug?

2 Likes
2

Hey @bdowling

Thanks very much for raising this! Yes - sounds like it could be one for the CLI team to run their ruse over.

By all means, feel free to log an issue in the following repository. Much obliged!

1 Like
3

Hi, thanks for the reply. In case someone has a similar problem, I manually unzipped the file and was able to use the command with no problems after than.

5 Likes
4

Hi Thanks for the question.! Yes downloading the ngrok from the official site and extracting it and place the ngrok.exe into the shopify folder (C:\Users[YourUserName]\AppData\Local\shopify) will work.

5

I have tried the suggested solution but it doesn’t work for me.

I made sure I downloaded the stable version of ngrok.

I am using Shopify CLI version 2.7.1

6

I encountered same issue, but i was able to sort it out with same steps as @logez explained.

I just placed a ngrok.zip file manually in to the requested location on windows system

and it worked, I am using Shopify CLI version 2.7.x

Thanks