SvelteKit scripts fail: npm run build/dev = Invalid command, only sync works

[jst20terrell]

Describe the bug

Note: This is NOT just a CLI interface question.

I know that svelte-kit CLI now only exposes sync and that dev/build/preview are meant to run via npm scripts.

The problem is:
npm run build and npm run dev BOTH FAIL with "Invalid command"—the project cannot build or run at all.
This is NOT expected or normal; scripts should always work even if CLI is minimal.
Please do not close as “expected”—this is a registry/package bug or corruption, not user error.

Reproduction

Steps to reproduce
Provision a new Ubuntu (tested 22.04/24.04, DigitalOcean NYC region, multiple VMs)

Install Node.js v20.x (and also tested v18.x)

Run:

sh
Copy
Edit
npm init svelte@latest

OR use an existing SvelteKit project (see below for package.json)

npm install
npm install @sveltejs/kit@latest @sveltejs/adapter-node@latest --save-dev --force
npx svelte-kit --help
Only sync command appears in CLI.

npm run build fails with Invalid command: build.

Cleaning npm cache, trying different versions, and forcing reinstall does NOT help.

Tried on DigitalOcean, local Windows 10, with clean npm cache and fresh folders.

Logs

What I've tried
Clean npm cache (npm cache clean --force)

Remove and reinstall all modules

Try multiple versions of @sveltejs/kit

Install from GitHub (#main, #master, #v2.25.1) — fails with git errors

Different servers, regions, and local PC (Windows 10)

Confirmed there is no global SvelteKit CLI installed

System Info

System Info
Ubuntu 22.04/24.04 (DigitalOcean, NYC region)

Node.js v20.19.1

npm 10.x

Also reproduced on local Windows 10 PC

SvelteKit version: 2.25.1

Severity

blocking all usage of SvelteKit

Additional Information

Other npm packages/frameworks install and work fine

This appears to be either a corrupted npm registry tarball, a CDN/mirror issue, or a broken SvelteKit publish (2025-07-20)

Unable to use SvelteKit for new or existing projects in production

This is currently blocking all new SvelteKit production deployments in my environment. Any advice or workaround appreciated!

[aster-void]

Have you tried:

npx sv create
npm run dev

? I don't think npm init svelte@latest is the correct way to initialize a sveltekit project.

[MotionlessTrain]

npm install @sveltejs/kit@latest @sveltejs/adapter-node@latest --save-dev --force

Only installing the packages doesn’t change/create new scripts in the package.json file
That is something a tool like npx sv create does

[jst20terrell]

I already have the correct scripts in package.json

[jasonlyu123]

npm create svelte has been deprecated for a long while. The svelte-kit build command has been replaced with vite build much earlier. Your PC probably has a cache for the older version. You should use the sv CLI instead.

[jst20terrell]

True, but it still works and should scaffold a working project. The sv CLI is new and not yet the global default. Migrating to it is fine, but it doesn’t solve a broken SvelteKit install. have already cleaned the cache, deleted node_modules, and force-reinstalled; this is not the cause. -Svelte-kit build command has been replaced with vite build…
— Not exactly: svelte-kit build is still the entry point for SvelteKit projects via the npm script; it just uses Vite internally.

[jasonlyu123]

If you're creating a new project, use the sv CLI. If you're migrating from an old version that still uses svelte-kit dev, you need to edit your package.json file to replace it with vite dev. Plus a lot more. You're likely using something like SvelteKit 1.0.0-next.300 😅. You need to first migrate to next.405 and then to 1.0. #5774