Can not install lodash

[mrmegamind]

Describe the problem/error/question

I have installed using the guide on Docker Compose | n8n Docs

Now I want to use custom code with lodash.

I have added the line to docker-compose.yml under environments:

• NODE_FUNCTION_ALLOW_EXTERNAL=lodash

But still when I run the code with lodash it gives error:
Cannot find module ‘lodash’ [line 1, for item 0]

I understand that I still need to install the module using npm but I have no clue where to run this command?

What is the error message (if any)?

Cannot find module ‘lodash’ [line 1, for item 0]

Please share your workflow

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Share the output returned by the last node

Information on your n8n setup

• version 1.59.3
• Database (default: SQLite):
• n8n EXECUTIONS_PROCESS setting (default: own, main):
• Running n8n via (Docker, npm, n8n cloud, desktop app): Docker
• Operating system: ubuntu 22

[n8n]

It looks like your topic is missing some important information. Could you provide the following if applicable.

• n8n version:
• Database (default: SQLite):
• n8n EXECUTIONS_PROCESS setting (default: own, main):
• Running n8n via (Docker, npm, n8n cloud, desktop app):
• Operating system:

[mrmegamind]

I have provided required info, let me know if anything else needed

[mariana-na]

Hi @mrmegamind,

Welcome to the community

Have you shut down and restarted your instance since adding the variable?
If so, and the error is still showing, you can install it your Dockerfile like so:

FROM docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n
USER root
RUN npm install -g lodash
USER node

Here’s an example of another user who ran into the same issue: Adding packages to a docker install - #2 by jan

[mrmegamind]

Thanks for your feedback @mariana-na

But I still do not understand how to merge this with the installation steps from Docker Compose | n8n Docs

Because we are starting with “sudo docker compose up -d”

This might be something very basic but I am new to docker so can not figure out

[Lily_wu]

I think you need two steps.

1. Effect the environment you added in docker-compose.
   Please enter the directory where docker-compose.yml exists, and then restart by:

sudo docker-compose down
sudo docker-compose up -d

2. Run npm command, make sure n8n is running, then enter the container.

sudo docker-compose exec -it n8n /bin/sh

#Now run the npm command in the container shell