Gulp throws assertion error after fixing gulp-util deprecation with gulp-cli

[codewizard13]

NOTE: This is not a duplicate and this question hasn't already been asked with the details describing my experience, though it is possible, that somewhere in a different ticket, the answer I need already exists. I haven't found it yet, though. Hence, my taking the time to post here.

MY ENVIRONMENT

• Window 10 64-Bit
• Git Bash
• NodeJS
• Gulp

THE ISSUE

I am not a noob to programming, but I am a noob to task runners like gulp and grunt.

Today I'm following a Lynda.com /LinkedIn Learning tutorial by Ray Villalobos. I'm trying to learn how to work with remote git repositories, and in order to follow along with the tutorial, I am required to install NodeJS and Gulp.

Node installed fine, but Gulp -- which I've never used before -- was giving me a warning about gulp-util being deprecated. The warning points to this Medium.com post by janiceilene, which seems to be missing detailed implementation instructions for tutorial-following noobs like me.

I'm getting the same error others have been mentioning:

gulp-util is deprecated - replace it, following the guidelines at
https://medium.com/gulpjs/gulp-util-ca3b1f9f9ac5

A confusing help message

I value and appreciate the work of those involved in producing great open source software, especially since most involved are volunteering their time. Having said that, I'm at a loss as to what I'm supposed to do with this statement from Janice:

"Open an issue or pull request to remove gulp-util using the following API replacements"

Well I guess here I am opening an issue as instructed, but I don't understand what "using the following API replacements" means.

The way it is written, it reads like this:

"Open an issue telling somebody in support somewhere to connect to my personal computer and remove the deprecated broken version of gulp-util from my personal computer for me, with some kind of configuration substitutions using fat-commas that nobody has explained how to use and have nothing to do with me."

I see an assortment of key-value pairs, but what am I supposed to do with them? The code I'm trying to execute with gulp is not my own, so I have no idea how or what code might need to be edited. Here is a brief sampling of a few of the key-value pairs:

gutil.colors => https://www.npmjs.com/package/ansi-colors
gutil.date => https://www.npmjs.com/package/date-format
gutil.log => https://www.npmjs.com/package/fancy-log

I'm not sure where to go from here. I can't finish learning how to work with GitHub because Gulp is broken.

Perhaps you can understand my frustration and confusion at the unclarity this "help" article has brought. In fact, I suppose I am the only one to have this problem in understanding as none of the articles I've researched have mentioned or addressed this misunderstanding so far.

Articles and Posts I've Searched to no avail:

• https://medium.com/gulpjs/gulp-util-ca3b1f9f9ac5
• https://github.com/gulpjs/gulp
• Replace deprecated dependency gulp-util addyosmani/critical#274
• https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/cesium-dev/JVeODCDQIvs
• https://mdbootstrap.com/support/gulp-tutorial-major-problem/
• http://keenthemes.com/forums/topic/npm-problem/
• Unable to run gulp yarnpkg/yarn#2435
• https://stackoverflow.com/questions/49422593/when-i-run-npm-install-in-laravel-project-it-shows-an-error-npm-warn-deprecat

I've just run down a rabbit hole of trying to figure out why I keep getting errors when I type "grunt" in my Git Bash session after having installed it as instructed.

What I've Tried That Hasn't Worked:

I found this YouTube video that gave the following CLI code sequence:

npm install gulp-cli -g
npm install gulp -D
touch gulpfile.js
gulp --help

Well, I ran all those commands and now I get this error:

$ gulp
assert.js:42
  throw new errors.AssertionError({
  ^

AssertionError [ERR_ASSERTION]: Task function must be specified
    at Gulp.set [as _setTask] (C:\ehw_git_repo\angulardata\node_modules\undertaker\lib\set-task.js:10:3)
    at Gulp.task (C:\ehw_git_repo\angulardata\node_modules\undertaker\lib\task.js:13:8)
    at Object.<anonymous> (C:\ehw_git_repo\angulardata\gulpfile.js:32:6)
    at Module._compile (module.js:652:30)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:663:10)
    at Module.load (module.js:565:32)
    at tryModuleLoad (module.js:505:12)
    at Function.Module._load (module.js:497:3)
    at Module.require (module.js:596:17)
    at require (internal/module.js:11:18)

I've tried to be clear and concise but with enough detail to help highly technical folks empathize with my level of understanding and to see what the issues I am having are. Please let me know if any further clarification is required and I will be more than happy to provide it.

Any help is appreciated.

[stephenlacy]

1. Ignore gulp-util warnings -- those are aimed at plugin developers or users who were already using gulp-util.
2. The error states exactly what the issue is: AssertionError [ERR_ASSERTION]: Task function must be specified

• Tasks are not specified.
• You need to add a task to the gulpfile.js

Just add a task to you gulpfile.js such as one of the many in the Getting started guide

FYI: That video explains how to setup and run gulp without htting that AssertionError

[codewizard13]

Thanks @stevelacy. I'll check out the Getting started guide link and the video.