SQLITE_CANTOPEN: unable to open database file

This error occurs when SQLite cannot open or create the database file. Common causes include wrong path, missing directory, or permission issues.

The unable to open database file error means SQLite couldn't access the database file at the specified path.

Understanding the Error

SQLITE_CANTOPEN: unable to open database file

SQLite tried to open or create the database but failed before any operations could begin.

Common Causes

1. File Path Doesn't Exist

The directory in the path doesn't exist:

JAVASCRIPT

// Directory /data/app/ doesn't exist
const db = new Database('/data/app/mydb.db');

2. Relative Path Issues

Working directory isn't what you expect:

JAVASCRIPT

// Relative path depends on where script runs from
const db = new Database('./data/mydb.db');
// Fails if run from different directory

3. Permission Denied

Can't read or create file in that location:

BASH

# Directory not writable
ls -la /path/to/
drwxr-xr-x  root root  /path/to/database/

4. Invalid Characters in Path

Path contains characters the OS doesn't allow.

5. Path Too Long

Some systems have path length limits.

How to Fix It

Solution 1: Create Parent Directory

JAVASCRIPT

const fs = require('fs');
const path = require('path');

const dbPath = '/data/app/mydb.db';
const dir = path.dirname(dbPath);

// Create directory if it doesn't exist
if (!fs.existsSync(dir)) {
  fs.mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
}

const db = new Database(dbPath);

Solution 2: Use Absolute Paths

JAVASCRIPT

const path = require('path');

// Always resolve to absolute path
const dbPath = path.resolve(__dirname, 'data', 'mydb.db');
console.log('Opening:', dbPath);

const db = new Database(dbPath);

Solution 3: Check Permissions

BASH

# Make directory writable
mkdir -p /path/to/database
chmod 755 /path/to/database

Solution 4: Verify Path Exists

JAVASCRIPT

const fs = require('fs');

const dbPath = './mydb.db';

// Check if file/directory is accessible
try {
  fs.accessSync(path.dirname(dbPath), fs.constants.W_OK);
} catch (err) {
  console.error('Cannot write to directory:', err);
}

Best Practices

Use absolute paths in production
Create directories before opening database
Log the full path for debugging
Check permissions during deployment