Fix `dyld[]: missing symbol called` errors when running Node.js programs on M1 Macs (apple silicon)

fix-dyld-missing-symbol-called-errors-on-m1-macs.md

Problem

If you're getting this kind of error when running Node.js programs with binary dependencies that don't support M1 yet, e.g.:

$ yarn test
dyld[51175]: missing symbol called
dyld[51176]: missing symbol called

Solution

tl;dr: (Re)install a x64 build of Node.js.

Steps to follow

1. Start a new shell using Rosetta2

   $ arch -x86_64 zsh

2. In that shell, reinstall the x64 version of Node.js

   $ nvm use system
   $ nvm cache clear
   $ nvm uninstall 16 # or the version you need
   $ nvm install 16   # or the version you need
   $ nvm use 16       # or the version you need

3. Still in that shell, reinstall and build npm dependencies from scratch

   $ rm -rf node_modules
   $ yarn cache clean
   $ yarn install

4. Whenever you come back to your project (e.g. after restarting), don't forget to select that same version of Node.js!

   $ nvm use 16 # or the one you installed in step 2

Troubleshooting

If you still see the error:

• Try (re)installing your dependencies with npm install instead of yarn install.

• It could be that the node command is not linked to nvm.

  • To check that, run nvm use 16; nvm ls and check that the little arrow (->) targets v16.
  • If it targets system, you may want to uninstall any other installation of node (e.g. which node; brew uninstall node), then retry the whole procedure.

not work 😢

(base) ➜  server git:(main) ✗ bun ./src/index.ts
dyld[25666]: missing symbol called
[1]    25666 killed     bun ./src/index.ts
(base) ➜  server git:(main) ✗ arch -x86_64 zsh
(base) ➜  server git:(main) ✗ nvm use system
Now using system version of node: v21.6.0 (npm v10.2.4)
(base) ➜  server git:(main) ✗ nvm cache clear
nvm cache cleared.
(base) ➜  server git:(main) ✗ nvm uninstall v21.6.0
N/A version is not installed...
(base) ➜  server git:(main) ✗ nvm install v21.6.0 
Downloading and installing node v21.6.0...
Downloading https://nodejs.org/dist/v21.6.0/node-v21.6.0-darwin-x64.tar.xz...
################################################################################ 100.0%
Computing checksum with shasum -a 256
Checksums matched!
Now using node v21.6.0 (npm v10.2.4)
(base) ➜  server git:(main) ✗ nvm use v21.6.0     
Now using node v21.6.0 (npm v10.2.4)
(base) ➜  server git:(main) ✗ rm -rf node_modules    
(base) ➜  server git:(main) ✗ bun i       
[0.25ms] ".env.local"
bun install v1.0.24 (6fa35839)

 + @types/bcrypt@5.0.2
 + @types/bun@1.0.4
 + @types/cors@2.8.17
 + @types/express@4.17.21
 + @types/jsonwebtoken@9.0.5
 + @types/node@20.11.10
 + @types/swagger-jsdoc@6.0.4
 + @types/swagger-ui-express@4.1.6
 + ts-node@10.9.2
 + typescript@5.3.3
 + @supabase/supabase-js@2.39.3
 + bcrypt@5.1.1
 + canvas@2.11.2
 + cors@2.8.5
 + dotenv@16.4.1
 + express@4.18.2
 + fs@0.0.1-security
 + https@1.0.0
 + jsonwebtoken@9.0.2
 + multer@1.4.5-lts.1
 + sharp@0.33.2
 + swagger-jsdoc@6.2.8
 + swagger-ui-express@5.0.0

warn: canvas's install script took 5m11.2s

 241 packages installed [312.43s]
(base) ➜  server git:(main) ✗ 
(base) ➜  server git:(main) ✗ 
(base) ➜  server git:(main) ✗ 
(base) ➜  server git:(main) ✗ 
(base) ➜  server git:(main) ✗ 
(base) ➜  server git:(main) ✗ 
(base) ➜  server git:(main) ✗ 
(base) ➜  server git:(main) ✗ bun ./src/index.ts   
1 | 'use strict'
2 | 
3 | const bindings = require('../build/Release/canvas.node')
          ^
TypeError: dlopen(/Users/stepbystep/Documents/typing-app/server/node_modules/canvas/build/Release/canvas.node, 0x0001): tried: '/Users/stepbystep/Documents/typing-app/server/node_modules/canvas/build/Release/canvas.node' (mach-o file, but is an incompatible architecture (have 'x86_64', need 'arm64')), '/System/Volumes/Preboot/Cryptexes/OS/Users/stepbystep/Documents/typing-app/server/node_modules/canvas/build/Release/canvas.node' (no such file), '/Users/stepbystep/Documents/typing-app/server/node_modules/canvas/build/Release/canvas.node' (mach-o file, but is an incompatible architecture (have 'x86_64', need 'arm64'))
      at /Users/stepbystep/Documents/typing-app/server/node_modules/canvas/lib/bindings.js:3:7
      at /Users/stepbystep/Documents/typing-app/server/node_modules/canvas/lib/canvas.js:9:7
      at /Users/stepbystep/Documents/typing-app/server/node_modules/canvas/index.js:1:7
(base) ➜  server git:(main) ✗