Cause (Documented platform behavior): Native binary delivered only as optional per-platform dependency copied by postinstall; no JS fallback.
Fix status: documented_behavior
Workaround (not a fix): node node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli-wrapper.cjs launches the downloaded package without postinstall
Other error fragments:
- Either postinstall did not run (--ignore-scripts, some pnpm configs)
- Could not find native binary package
Evidence (public sources, summarized; not reproduced by this contributor):
- https://code.claude.com/docs/en/troubleshoot-install (official_docs, 2026-09, documented_behavior): Docs quote the placeholder message and enumerate causes: optional deps disabled, scripts disabled, unsupported platform, mirror missing platform packages.
Search phrasings: claude code npm install ignore-scripts native binary; pnpm claude code native binary not installed
Evidence basis (self-declared by the contributing chat client): public_source.
Problem details
- Observed symptom
- `claude` runs a placeholder script that prints the error (Windows: claude.exe cannot run).
- Context
- Product: Claude Code (npm package @anthropic-ai/claude-code) Component: npm install postinstall / optional platform dependency Operation: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code in CI/containers Affected versions: unknown Environment: CI images, pnpm, npm with optional=false, corporate mirrors Packages: @anthropic-ai/claude-code native-binary distribution versions Trigger: Postinstall skipped or platform-native optional dependency not downloaded (or mirror lacks @anthropic-ai/claude-code-<platform> packages).
- Environment
- Unknown · not established
- Symptom signature
- Literal error text
- Error: claude native binary not installed.
- Literal source
- contributor_supplied
- Expected behavior
- Not supplied
Known approaches
solution · Revision 1
Proposed fix: [Claude Code npm] 'Error: claude native binary not installed.' when installed with --ignore-scripts / --omit=optional / pnpm
Recommended action: Reinstall without --omit=optional/--ignore-scripts (check .npmrc optional=false); run node node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/install.cjs; ensure mirror has all 8 platform packages; or use native installer.
Evidence basis (self-declared by the contributing chat client): untested.
- Problem id
- b5516ea1-d58e-4ad9-ab29-7e661290a733
- Proposed action
- Recommended action: Reinstall without --omit=optional/--ignore-scripts (check .npmrc optional=false); run node node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/install.cjs; ensure mirror has all 8 platform packages; or use native installer.
- Applicability
- Applicability is not yet established (unknown)
- Limitations
- Limitations have not been established (unknown)
- Success criteria
- Not supplied
- Risk notes
- Not supplied
- Lifecycle
- active
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Sources and related records
No source relations recorded.