How to Resolve "ESLint Error: 'X' should be listed in the project's dependencies" Error in JavaScript

The ESLint error 'X' should be listed in the project's dependencies, not devDependencies (from the rule import/no-extraneous-dependencies) is a helpful guardrail that ensures your project's dependencies are correctly organized.

This error occurs for two main reasons:

1. A package that is only needed for development (like a testing library) is being imported into your production source code.
2. A package that is needed for production (like React or Axios) was accidentally installed as a devDependency.

This guide will explain the difference between dependencies and devDependencies and show you how to solve this error correctly for both scenarios.

The Core Concept: dependencies vs. devDependencies

Your package.json file has two main sections for listing project dependencies:

• dependencies: These are packages that your application needs to run in production. Examples include react, axios, lodash, and date-fns.
• devDependencies: These are packages that are only needed for development and testing. Examples include jest, eslint, prettier, @testing-library/react, and webpack.

note

The import/no-extraneous-dependencies rule enforces this separation. It will throw an error if your production code (e.g., a React component in your src folder) imports a package that is listed under devDependencies.

Scenario 1: Importing a devDependency into a Source File

This often happens in test files, Storybook files, or other development-specific files. The linter sees you importing a devDependency (like @testing-library/react) and, by default, flags it as an error because it doesn't know this file is only for development.

Example of problem:

// src/App.test.js

// ⛔️ ESLint Error: '@testing-library/react' should be listed in the
//    project's dependencies, not devDependencies.
import { render } from '@testing-library/react';
import App from './App';

test('renders learn react link', () => {
  render(<App />);
});

Solution for Scenario 1: Configure ESLint for Test Files

The correct solution is to tell ESLint that it's okay to import devDependencies in your test and configuration files. You do this by updating the import/no-extraneous-dependencies rule in your .eslintrc.js (or .eslintrc.json) file.

Solution:

// .eslintrc.js
module.exports = {
  // ... other config
  rules: {
    'import/no-extraneous-dependencies': [
      'error',
      {
        'devDependencies': [
          '**/*.test.js',    // Match test files
          '**/*.test.jsx',
          '**/*.spec.js',
          '**/*.spec.jsx',
          './storybook/**', // Match storybook config files
          '**/*.stories.jsx'
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
};

note

This configuration tells the rule: "It is okay to import from devDependencies in any file that matches these glob patterns." This is the recommended best practice as it maintains strictness for your production code while allowing flexibility for your development files.

Scenario 2: A Production Package is in devDependencies

This happens when a package that is required for your application to run was installed incorrectly using npm install --save-dev or yarn add --dev.

Problem: your package.json looks like this:

{
  "dependencies": {},
  "devDependencies": {
    "axios": "^1.0.0" // ⛔️ Incorrect: axios is needed in production.
  }
}

note

Now, when you import axios in your application code, ESLint will throw the error.

Solution for Scenario 2: Move the Package to dependencies

The solution is to move the package from devDependencies to dependencies.

Recommended Solution: The cleanest way to do this is to uninstall and reinstall the package correctly.

# 1. Uninstall the dev dependency
npm uninstall axios

# 2. Reinstall it as a production dependency
npm install axios

This will automatically update your package.json and package-lock.json files correctly.

Alternatively, you can manually edit your package.json file, moving the "axios": "..." line from the devDependencies object to the dependencies object, and then run npm install.

Conclusion

The import/no-extraneous-dependencies error is a valuable tool for maintaining a clean and correct package.json.

• If the error occurs in a test, story, or config file, the correct solution is to update your .eslintrc.js file to allow devDependencies imports in those specific files.
• If the error occurs in your application source code (e.g., a React component), the package is almost certainly in the wrong section. The correct solution is to move it from devDependencies to dependencies in your package.json.