[bug] [v2] iOS Xcode build phase cannot find Node/npm when using NVM

[luissince]

Describe the bug

When opening the generated Tauri iOS project in Xcode and running the app_iOS target directly, the generated Build Rust Code script cannot find npm when Node.js is installed through NVM.

The same project works correctly when launched through the Tauri CLI:

npm run tauri ios dev

The issue appears to be caused by the environment/PATH available to Xcode build phases being different from the user's shell environment.

Environment

• macOS: Apple Silicon
• Node.js: 20.19.0
• Node manager: NVM
• Project contains .nvmrc:

20.19.0

• Rust host:

aarch64-apple-darwin

• Tauri: 2.x
• Frontend: React + Vite
• Xcode: 26.x
• iOS SDK: 26.x

Reproduction

1. Create or use a Tauri 2 project with an iOS target.
2. Use NVM to manage Node.js.
3. Add a .nvmrc file to the project:

20.19.0

4. Verify that the project works from the terminal:

nvm use
node -v
npm -v
npm run tauri ios dev

5. Open the generated Xcode project:

src-tauri/gen/apple/app.xcodeproj

6. Select the app_iOS target.
7. Run the project directly from Xcode.

The generated Build Phase contains a command similar to:

npm run -- tauri ios xcode-script -v \
  --platform ${PLATFORM_DISPLAY_NAME:?} \
  --sdk-root ${SDKROOT:?} \
  --framework-search-paths "${FRAMEWORK_SEARCH_PATHS:?}" \
  --header-search-paths "${HEADER_SEARCH_PATHS:?}" \
  --gcc-preprocessor-definitions "${GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS:-}" \
  --configuration ${CONFIGURATION:?} \
  ${FORCE_COLOR} \
  ${ARCHS:?}

Actual behavior

Xcode fails with:

npm: command not found

When npm is replaced with the absolute path from NVM:

/Users/<user>/.nvm/versions/node/v20.19.0/bin/npm

the next error is:

env: node: No such file or directory

Adding the Node installation directory to PATH allows the script to find both Node and npm:

export PATH="/Users/<user>/.nvm/versions/node/v20.19.0/bin:$PATH"

This confirms that the main issue is the environment/PATH available to the Xcode build phase.

Expected behavior

The generated Tauri Xcode project should be able to locate the Node.js/npm environment required by the project when building from Xcode.

Ideally, when a project uses:

.nvmrc

the generated Xcode build script should be able to use the corresponding Node version, or Tauri should provide a documented and reliable mechanism for configuring the Node/npm executable used by Xcode.

Additional context

The project works correctly when started with:

npm run tauri ios dev

The problem occurs specifically when the generated project is opened directly in Xcode and the build is initiated there.

A related Tauri issue reports a similar problem with cargo: command not found in the generated Xcode build phase, where replacing the command with an absolute path works around the PATH problem:

#10672

Suggested improvement

Consider making the generated Xcode build phase independent of the user's interactive shell PATH, for example by:

• exposing a configurable Node/npm path;
• resolving the Node version from .nvmrc;
• generating an environment script for Xcode;
• or using an absolute project-resolved executable path.

Logs

Initial error:

/Users/<user>/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/.../Script-XXXXXXXX.sh: line 2: npm: command not found

After using the absolute npm path:

env: node: No such file or directory

After adding the NVM Node directory to PATH, the Node/npm problem is resolved and the Tauri Xcode script proceeds further.

Expected outcome

A Tauri iOS project using NVM should be buildable directly from Xcode without manually modifying the generated Build Phase or relying on global PATH configuration.

Reproduction

No response

Expected behavior

No response

Full tauri info output

[✔] Environment
    - OS: Mac OS 26.1.0 arm64 (X64)
    ✔ Xcode Command Line Tools: installed
    ✔ Xcode: 26.2
    ✔ rustc: 1.97.1 (8bab26f4f 2026-07-14)
    ✔ cargo: 1.97.1 (c980f4866 2026-06-30)
    ✔ rustup: 1.29.0 (28d1352db 2026-03-05)
    ✔ Rust toolchain: stable-aarch64-apple-darwin (default)
    - node: 20.19.0
    - npm: 10.8.2

[-] Packages
    - tauri 🦀: 2.11.5
    - tauri-build 🦀: 2.6.3
    - wry 🦀: 0.55.1, (outdated, latest: 0.56.1)
    - tao 🦀: 0.35.3, (outdated, latest: 0.37.0)
    - @tauri-apps/api  ⱼₛ: 2.11.1
    - @tauri-apps/cli  ⱼₛ: 2.11.4

[-] Plugins
    - tauri-plugin-log 🦀: 2.9.0, (outdated, latest: 2.9.1)
    - @tauri-apps/plugin-log  ⱼₛ: not installed!
    - tauri-plugin-os 🦀: 2.3.2
    - @tauri-apps/plugin-os  ⱼₛ: 2.3.2

[-] App
    - build-type: bundle
    - CSP: unset
    - frontendDist: ../build
    - devUrl: http://localhost:3200/
    - framework: React
    - bundler: Vite

[-] iOS
    - Developer Teams: Luis Lara (ID: G4Z678ZWGU)

Stack trace

Additional context

No response