# Error: \_\_dirname is not defined after deploying assets canister **URL:** \ **Category:** Developers\ **Tags:** Functional-Programming\ **Created:** [January 10, 2024, 6:13am UTC](https://forum.dfinity.org/t/error-dirname-is-not-defined-after-deploying-assets-canister/26403 "2024-01-10T06:13:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bytesun](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.dfinity.org/bytesun/32/2682_2.png) [@bytesun](https://forum.dfinity.org/u/bytesun)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 6:13am UTC](https://forum.dfinity.org/t/error-dirname-is-not-defined-after-deploying-assets-canister/26403/1 "2024-01-10T06:13:47Z")
after deploy assets canister, got below error from browser console: [https://3hhuc-aqaaa-aaaah-aavra-cai.ic0.app/](https://3hhuc-aqaaa-aaaah-aavra-cai.ic0.app/) > index.961d7240.js:2495 Uncaught ReferenceError: \_\_dirname is not defined > at index.961d7240.js:2495:29316 > at index.961d7240.js:2495:29367 even rollback previous working code, still get the same error, please help note: it works locally ---
**Author:** ![peterparker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@peterparker](https://forum.dfinity.org/u/peterparker)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 6:30am UTC](https://forum.dfinity.org/t/error-dirname-is-not-defined-after-deploying-assets-canister/26403/2 "2024-01-10T06:30:59Z")
Note a direct answer but, just in case helpful, `__dirname` was a NodeJS variable that has been deprecated in Node 18 (if I remember correctly). So did you bump your NodeJS version or any library and is maybe some polyfill at `npm run build` time not correctly applied anymore? ---
**Author:** ![bytesun](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.dfinity.org/bytesun/32/2682_2.png) [@bytesun](https://forum.dfinity.org/u/bytesun)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 6:37am UTC](https://forum.dfinity.org/t/error-dirname-is-not-defined-after-deploying-assets-canister/26403/3 "2024-01-10T06:37:59Z")
no, the same node v18.19.0, and no dependency changes ---
**Author:** ![peterparker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@peterparker](https://forum.dfinity.org/u/peterparker)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 6:44am UTC](https://forum.dfinity.org/t/error-dirname-is-not-defined-after-deploying-assets-canister/26403/4 "2024-01-10T06:44:04Z")
Maybe some code lead to loading the `gzip-size` library now and it was not the case before? But the issue is clear to me `__dirname` does not exist in the browser API. So I would be on a NodeJS polyfill not applied or something in that sort in build process. Hard to tell more, sorry. ![Capture d’écran 2024-01-10 à 07.41.24](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/uploads/dfn/original/2X/6/6252737f8644f3c1a96d8f6a526b466910414aea.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![bytesun](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.dfinity.org/bytesun/32/2682_2.png) [@bytesun](https://forum.dfinity.org/u/bytesun)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 2:08pm UTC](https://forum.dfinity.org/t/error-dirname-is-not-defined-after-deploying-assets-canister/26403/5 "2024-01-10T14:08:12Z")
thanks, I am trying to drill down where it is. 😞 ---
**Author:** ![peterparker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@peterparker](https://forum.dfinity.org/u/peterparker)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2024, 6:21am UTC](https://forum.dfinity.org/t/error-dirname-is-not-defined-after-deploying-assets-canister/26403/6 "2024-01-11T06:21:45Z")
You found the solution? ---
**Author:** ![bytesun](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.dfinity.org/bytesun/32/2682_2.png) [@bytesun](https://forum.dfinity.org/u/bytesun)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2024, 6:29am UTC](https://forum.dfinity.org/t/error-dirname-is-not-defined-after-deploying-assets-canister/26403/7 "2024-01-11T06:29:04Z")
no, I found where the issue it, the old module from commonjs, I tried [vite-plugin-node-polyfills - npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/vite-plugin-node-polyfills), but no luck, so just disable it for now. Need to do more investigation.