Shopify theme app error

Shopify Apps
,

Topic summary

A developer inherited a Shopify theme app repository and encountered errors when running npm start with the latest component versions (Node v24.1.0, shopify-cli 3.80.7, Ruby 3.4.4).

Primary Error:

  • LoadError stating “cannot load such file – base64”
  • Message indicating gems are disabled and warning against modifying CLI locally

Additional Issue:

  • When attempting to run a Hydrogen repo, received “Cannot find module ‘vite’” error
  • Error traces back to shopify-cli installation path

Troubleshooting Attempts:

  • Initially installed CLI via Homebrew (brew install shopify-cli)
  • Tried uninstalling Homebrew version and reinstalling via npm (npm install -g @shopify/cli)
  • Both installation methods produced the same error

Suggested Solutions:

  • Remove old CLI and install fresh version from npm
  • Uninstall from gem
  • Run npm i to install packages
  • Install latest CLI: npm install -g @shopify/cli@latest

The issue remains unresolved, with the developer questioning whether a specific CLI version (3.35.0) is needed instead of the latest.

Summarized with AI on October 27. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

Hi there,

I just took over a repo of shopify theme app. I have installed the latest version of needed components and ran npm start, then I got error below. I don’t think there is any code that tries to modify the shopify-cli.

Just wonder if any of you have encountered similar issue before. Any information would be appreciated.

component versions:

Node: v24.1.0

npm: 11.3.0

Ruby: 3.4.4

shopify-cli: 3.80.7

openssl: 3.5.0

Error:

[Note] You cannot use gems with Shopify CLI.
[LoadError] cannot load such file – base64
They are disabled.
Please don’t modify the CLI locally.
If you would like to contribute to the CLI project, please refer to
https://github.com/Shopify/shopify-cli/blob/main/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md

2

Remove old cli and then install new CLI from npm.

3

Hi Hossain,

Thanks for your reply. Just i don’t have old version of the shopify cli, it was the first time installing it, and I believe the 3.80.7 is the latest. These are the command I used to install it. Does it matter by using brew or npm?

brew tap shopify/shopify
brew install shopify-cli
4

Also, when I tried to spin up another repo using Hydrogen, but doesn’t require shopify-cli, I received this error, not sure if related.

error ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ │
│ Cannot find module ‘vite’ │
│ Require stack: │
│ - /opt/homebrew/Cellar/shopify-cli/3.80.7/libexec/lib/node_modules/@shopify/cli/dist/chunk-TMYCLPMW.js │
│ │
│ To investigate the issue, examine this stack trace: │
│ at 7/libexec/lib/node_modules/ │
│ at _resolveFilename (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1405) │
│ at resolve (node:internal/modules/helpers:145) │
│ at importVite (opt/homebrew/Cellar/shopify-cli/3.80.7/libexec/lib/node_modules/@shopify/cli/dist/chunk-TMYC │
│ LPMW.js:135359) │
│ at runDev │
│ (opt/homebrew/Cellar/shopify-cli/3.80.7/libexec/lib/node_modules/@shopify/cli/dist/index.js:215264) │
│ at run (opt/homebrew/Cellar/shopify-cli/3.80.7/libexec/lib/node_modules/@shopify/cli/dist/index.js:215223) │
│ at _run (opt/homebrew/Cellar/shopify-cli/3.80.7/libexec/lib/node_modules/@shopify/cli/dist/chunk-5AFYDRV4.j │
│ s:175320) │
│ at runCommand (opt/homebrew/Cellar/shopify-cli/3.80.7/libexec/lib/node_modules/@shopify/cli/dist/chunk-5AFY │
│ DRV4.js:174145) │
│ at run (opt/homebrew/Cellar/shopify-cli/3.80.7/libexec/lib/node_modules/@shopify/cli/dist/chunk-5AFYDRV4.js │
│ :175396) │
│ at async launchCLI │
│ (opt/homebrew/Cellar/shopify-cli/3.80.7/libexec/lib/node_modules/@shopify/cli/dist/chunk-KUZYMDX4.js:33) │
│ at async runShopifyCLI │
│ (opt/homebrew/Cellar/shopify-cli/3.80.7/libexec/lib/node_modules/@shopify/cli/dist/index.js:240175)

5

Or do i need to use the 3.35.0 version for shopify-cli?

6

I have tried to uninstall cli using brew, and install cli using npm, still seeing the same error. :disappointed_face: these are the commands:

brew uninstall shopify-cli

npm cache clean --force

npm install -g @Shopify_77 /cli

7

Uninstall from gem

8

Install packages by running “npm i” command

9

Install npm package, run npm install -g @Shopify_77 [email removed]