Backend setup fails on Windows — pino-pretty transport error

[abhinav_prog]

Talawa API setup failing (Windows + WSL) – pino-pretty transport error​

Hi everyone,


I’m trying to set up the Talawa backend API locally but I’m stuck with a persistent error on both Windows and WSL. I followed the installation guide step by step, but the API container never becomes healthy.

---

Environment​

• OS: Windows 11 + WSL (Ubuntu)
• Node version: v23.7.0
• Branch: develop
• Setup method: Docker devcontainer
• Docker compose file used:
  docker-compose.devcontainer.yaml
• Package manager: pnpm

git clone https://github.com/PalisadoesFoundation/talawa-api.git
cd talawa-api
git checkout develop
. Install dependencies
pnpm install
. Setup environment file
Copied env example file:

cp envFile/.env.devcontainer ..env

. Run docker containers
docker compose -f docker-compose.devcontainer.yaml up
. Container status
All containers start except talawa-api

postgres

redis

mailhog

talawa-api (always unhealthy)

Error I keep getting
From talawa-api logs:

/home/talawa/api/node_modules/.pnpm/pino@9.14.0/node_modules/pino/lib/transport.js:160

throw new Error(`unable to determine transport target for "${origin}"`)
^

Error: unable to determine transport target for "pino-pretty"

at fixTarget (/home/talawa/api/node_modules/.pnpm/pino@9.14.0/node_modules/pino/lib/transport.js:160:13)
at transport (/home/talawa/api/node_modules/.pnpm/pino@9.14.0/node_modules/pino/lib/transport.js:130:22)
at normalizeArgs (/home/talawa/api/node_modules/.pnpm/pino@9.14.0/node_modules/pino/lib/tools.js:358:16)
at pino (/home/talawa/api/node_modules/.pnpm/pino@9.14.0/node_modules/pino/pino.js:91:28)
at createPinoLogger (/home/talawa/api/node_modules/.pnpm/fastify@5.6.1/node_modules/fastify/lib/logger-pino.js:40:14)
at createLogger (/home/talawa/api/node_modules/.pnpm/fastify@5.6.1/node_modules/fastify/lib/logger-factory.js:121:18)
at fastify (/home/talawa/api/node_modules/.pnpm/fastify@5.6.1/node_modules/fastify/fastify.js:149:33)
at createServer (file:///home/talawa/api/dist/createServer.js:1:603)
at file:///home/talawa/api/dist/index.js:1:109
at ModuleJob.run (node:internal/modules/esm/module_job:272:25)

Node.js v23.7.0

---- What I tried
Running on Windows

Running on WSL

Reinstalling dependencies

Deleting node_modules & lock files

Rebuilding docker images

Using different compose files

Installing pino-pretty manually

Downgrading Node versions

Running without docker (local start)

Nothing worked




Request for help
Has anyone successfully set up Talawa API recently?

Any help would be greatly appreciated
Thank you!