node build throwing “error:0308010C:digital envelope routines::unsupported”? Let’s fix it!

This article explains how to fix an annoying error – somewhat along the lines of “error:0308010C:digital envelope routines::unsupported” – you might encounter when running node scripts. This might happen in a pipeline or locally. And guess what: you can probably fix it.

Alright. Let’s get to it, then!

Problem

So I still get to code something occasionally (despite being a part of the cursed middle management now), and not a week goes by without yours truly breaking the build (or the build environment, or the dev environment)!

When running a node build script (for your reference – this can be a command something like “npm run build” or “npm run serve”, and the actual tool and command to execute is likely defined in a package.json file).

ModuleBuildError: Module build failed (from ./node_modules/babel-loader/lib/index.js):
Error: error:0308010C:digital envelope routines::unsupported
    at new Hash (node:internal/crypto/hash:69:19)
    at Proxy.createHash (node:crypto:138:10)
    at filename (C:\code\Contoso\AdventureWorks.Web\node_modules\babel-loader\lib\cache.js:94:23)
    at C:\code\Contoso\AdventureWorks.Web\node_modules\babel-loader\lib\cache.js:122:39
    at Generator.next (<anonymous>)
    at asyncGeneratorStep (C:\code\Contoso\AdventureWorks.Web\node_modules\babel-loader\lib\cache.js:3:103)
    at _next (C:\code\Contoso\AdventureWorks.Web\node_modules\babel-loader\lib\cache.js:5:194)
    at C:\code\Contoso\AdventureWorks.Web\node_modules\babel-loader\lib\cache.js:5:364
    at new Promise (<anonymous>)
    at C:\code\Contoso\AdventureWorks.Web\node_modules\babel-loader\lib\cache.js:5:97
    at processResult (C:\code\Contoso\AdventureWorks.Web\node_modules\webpack\lib\NormalModule.js:751:19)
    at C:\code\Contoso\AdventureWorks.Web\node_modules\webpack\lib\NormalModule.js:853:5
    at C:\code\Contoso\AdventureWorks.Web\node_modules\loader-runner\lib\LoaderRunner.js:400:11
    at C:\code\Contoso\AdventureWorks.Web\node_modules\loader-runner\lib\LoaderRunner.js:252:18
    at context.callback (C:\code\Contoso\AdventureWorks.Web\node_modules\loader-runner\lib\LoaderRunner.js:124:13)
    at C:\code\Contoso\AdventureWorks.Web\node_modules\babel-loader\lib\index.js:55:103

If you run into this in a Docker container build step in your CI pipeline, it might look somewhat like below:

Error: error:0308010C:digital envelope routines::unsupported
    at new Hash (node:internal/crypto/hash:71:19)
    at Object.createHash (node:crypto:133:10)
    at module.exports (/app/node_modules/webpack/lib/util/createHash.js:135:53)
    at NormalModule._initBuildHash (/app/node_modules/webpack/lib/NormalModule.js:417:16)
    at /app/node_modules/webpack/lib/NormalModule.js:452:10
    at /app/node_modules/webpack/lib/NormalModule.js:323:13
    at /app/node_modules/loader-runner/lib/LoaderRunner.js:367:11
    at /app/node_modules/loader-runner/lib/LoaderRunner.js:233:18
    at context.callback (/app/node_modules/loader-runner/lib/LoaderRunner.js:111:13)
    at /app/node_modules/babel-loader/lib/index.js:59:103 {
  opensslErrorStack: [ 'error:03000086:digital envelope routines::initialization error' ],
  library: 'digital envelope routines',
  reason: 'unsupported',
  code: 'ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED'
}

Alright. So that’s the error.

What gives?

Reason

Node has, from version 17 onwards, moved to OpenSSL 3, in favor of OpenSSL 1.1.1 used in earlier versions. And for a good reason, too – OpenSSL 1.1.1 is unsupported as of 11.9.2023.

OpenSSL 3 being a major update means it is also not completely backwards compatible.

If your build toolchain is relying on OpenSSL 1.1.1, but your node version is >=17, you might run into all kinds of oddities. Just like I did.

Solution

There’s a few different things you can do. And some of them work for some toolchains and build pipelines, and the others work for different ones. So let’s take a look at our options.

My particular project had a particular build toolchain that had some weird dependencies that did not support OpenSSL 3 – so I ended up temporarily downgrading node using nvm. I actually had to go all the way to node v14.16.0, by running this:

nvm use 14.16.0

I figured our tooling for newer projects actually supports OpenSSL 3 properly, but this was a… Well, let’s call it a “legacy project”. We all have some skeletons in the closet… :)

References

• https://stackoverflow.com/questions/73144960/error-error0308010cdigital-envelope-routinesunsupported-at-new-hash-nodei

• Author
• Recent Posts

Antti K. Koskela

Developer / Speaker / Consultant at Koskila / Precio Fishbone / Norppandalotti Software Co / Alter - Experience Ideas Ltd

Antti Koskela is a proud digital native nomadic millennial full stack developer (is that enough funny buzzwords? That's definitely enough funny buzzwords!), who works as Solutions Architect for Precio Fishbone, building delightful Digital Workplaces.

He's been a developer from 2004 (starting with PHP and Java), and he's been working on .NET projects, Azure, Office 365, SharePoint and a lot of other stuff. He's also Microsoft MVP for Azure.

This is his personal professional (e.g. professional, but definitely personal) blog.

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