{"version":"2.1.288","anchor":"native-package-missing-install-error-classified","canonical_anchor":"native-package-missing-install-error-classified","heading":"Updates now detect a missing native binary instead of reporting success","tier":"notice","area":"Elsewhere","scope":"individual","heads_up":false,"url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.288\/e\/native-package-missing-install-error-classified","release_url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.288","markdown":"### Updates now detect a missing native binary instead of reporting success\n\nThe updater now checks the installed claude runs, fails with `native_binary_missing` if it is only a stub, and shows clearer failure hints\n\n**Unclear.** Where this failure category is shown to the person installing is not stated.\n\n**What**\n\nWhen Claude Code updates itself through npm or bun, the download includes a separate package with the program built for your platform, called the native binary. If that package is missing, what gets installed is only a placeholder. The updater now catches this.\n\n- After npm or bun reports success, the updater runs the installed `claude` with `--version`. If it is still the placeholder stub, the update fails with the hint `native_binary_missing`. If npm's `ignore-scripts` is set, or the test cannot tell either way, the success exit code is trusted as before.\n\n- Install output saying a native package was not found is now classed as `native_package_missing`. The updater then reports `install_failed` and notes that npm should have restored the previous version.\n\n- `claude update` prints an error that the native binary for this platform was not downloaded and tells you to run `claude update` again or reinstall with npm.\n\n- The auto-update status now shows a specific hint: `native binary for this platform was not downloaded (will retry)`, or `claude.exe in use (close other Claude Code sessions, including VS Code)` when Windows has the program file locked.\n\n- The `Update installed \u00b7` message now ends with either a component or `Restart to update`.\n\n**Why**\n\nBefore, an update could look successful while leaving behind a stub that does not run. You now get a failure that says what went wrong and what to do, and Windows users see why an update was blocked.\n\n- Area: Elsewhere\n- Tier: You'll notice\n- Useful: 3\/5\n- Signal: 1\/5\n- Scope: individual\n- Heads-up: no"}