Env: Error in readWordPressVersion

[swissspidy]

Description

It looks like either #41780 or #42826 broke wp-env usage for the Preferred Languages feature plugin.

Trying to update to @wordpress/env 5.1.0 (which includes this change) breaks wp-env start with this error:

✖ Cannot read property 'path' of null
TypeError: Cannot read property 'path' of null
    at readWordPressVersion (/home/runner/work/preferred-languages/preferred-languages/node_modules/@wordpress/env/lib/wordpress.js:251:14)
    at start (/home/runner/work/preferred-languages/preferred-languages/node_modules/@wordpress/env/lib/commands/start.js:138:4)

Step-by-step reproduction instructions

Using a wp-env config file like this:

{
	"core": null,
	"plugins": [ "." ]
}

Try to run wp-env start

Screenshots, screen recording, code snippet

No response

Environment info

@wordpress/env 5.1.0

Please confirm that you have searched existing issues in the repo.

Yes

Please confirm that you have tested with all plugins deactivated except Gutenberg.

Yes

[t-hamano]

I ran into the same problem.
I believe it is due to the fact that #42826 no longer allows null in the core property.

https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/42826/files#r933608144

I consider this to be a breaking change and believe that either of the following actions should be taken:

• Specify in the changelog that it is a breaking change. In addition, properly update the README of the package
• Add fallback to allow null values

It is also strange that phpVersion allows null while core does not.

Personally, I think both properties should accept null.

@noahtallen
@gziolo

I'd like to hear your thoughts 🙂

[noahtallen]

Actually already have a fix here: #43133

[noahtallen]

The fix will allow null again -- it was just an oversight on my part that it didn't work in the first place.

[noahtallen]

By the way, for what it's worth, "core": null, has no effect by itself in a plain .wp-env.json. The absence of the core property means the same thing, which is to use the stable version. However, it is useful in .wp-env.override.json if you want to "clear" the version the environment has and instead use whatever the latest stable version is.

[noahtallen]

The fix should now be available in version 5.1.1 :)