plain release not working, while burrito release works

[jswanner]

First off, thanks to everyone involved with Expert! It's amazing!
I've been using it as my daily driver since it was made public, pretty much always building from source.

Starting a couple days ago, I noticed that I could no longer use new builds from source, as Expert would fail to start, so I continued using an older build. I've finally had to the time to try to debug, and while I haven't found a fix yet, I've at least narrowed the problem down. It was c003eba that introduced the problem I'm running into, and while I normally use plain builds, I just tried a burrito build for c003eba and it's working for me.

That commit dealt with user paths, so if it's helpful for me to share more environment information, like my $PATH, please let me know.

Erlang version: 28.2
Elixir version: 1.19.4-otp-28

.expert/expert.log:

15:58:47.671 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [info] [Project file:///Users/jacob/Code/AkstonWyatt/GamedayMath] Found elixir executable at /Users/jacob/.local/share/mise/installs/elixir/1.19.4-otp-28/bin/elixir

15:58:47.671 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.671 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [info] [Project file:///Users/jacob/Code/AkstonWyatt/GamedayMath] Found erl executable at /Users/jacob/.local/bin/expert-c003eba/erts-16.2.1/bin/erl

15:58:47.671 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.671 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [info] [Project file:///Users/jacob/Code/AkstonWyatt/GamedayMath] Finding or building engine

15:58:47.671 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.671 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent request server -> client window/workDoneProgress/create

15:58:47.672 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.672 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client $/progress

15:58:47.711 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.711 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] Building engine: Runtime terminating during boot ({'cannot get bootfile','/Users/jacob/.local/bin/ex

15:58:47.711 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.711 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] Building engine: pert-c003eba/bin/start.boot'})


15:58:47.711 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.711 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] Building engine: 
Crash dump is being written to: erl_crash.dump...

15:58:47.831 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.831 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] Building engine: done


15:58:47.832 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.832 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [error] Engine build script exited with reason: :normal done


15:58:47.832 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.832 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client $/progress

15:58:47.833 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.833 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client $/progress

15:58:47.834 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [error] Process #PID<0.177.0> terminating
** (exit) {:error, :normal, "done\r\n"}
    (stdlib 7.2.1) gen_server.erl:2257: :gen_server.init_it/6
    (stdlib 7.2.1) proc_lib.erl:333: :proc_lib.init_p_do_apply/3
Initial Call: XPExpert.Project.Node.init/1
Ancestors: [:"GamedayMath::supervisor", XPExpert.ProjectSupervisor, XPExpert.Supervisor, #PID<0.159.0>]
Message Queue Length: 0
Messages: []
Links: [#PID<0.174.0>]
Dictionary: []
Trapping Exits: false
Status: :running
Heap Size: 2586
Stack Size: 29
Reductions: 44681

15:58:47.834 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [error] Child {XPExpert.Project.Node, "GamedayMath"} of Supervisor :"GamedayMath::supervisor" failed to start
** (exit) {:error, :normal, "done\r\n"}
Start Call: XPExpert.Project.Node.start_link(%XPForge.Project{root_uri: "file:///Users/jacob/Code/AkstonWyatt/GamedayMath", mix_exs_uri: "file:///Users/jacob/Code/AkstonWyatt/GamedayMath/mix.exs", mix_project?: true, mix_env: nil, mix_target: nil, env_variables: %{}, project_module: nil, entropy: 39264})
Restart: :permanent
Shutdown: 5000
Type: :worker

15:58:47.834 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [info] Child {XPExpert.EngineSupervisor, "GamedayMath"} of Supervisor :"GamedayMath::supervisor" started
Pid: #PID<0.187.0>
Start Call: XPExpert.EngineSupervisor.start_link(%XPForge.Project{root_uri: "file:///Users/jacob/Code/AkstonWyatt/GamedayMath", mix_exs_uri: "file:///Users/jacob/Code/AkstonWyatt/GamedayMath/mix.exs", mix_project?: true, mix_env: nil, mix_target: nil, env_variables: %{}, project_module: nil, entropy: 39264})
Restart: :permanent
Shutdown: 5000
Type: :worker

15:58:47.834 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.834 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.834 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [error] Failed to start project node for GamedayMath: {:shutdown,
 {:failed_to_start_child, {XPExpert.Project.Node, "GamedayMath"},
  {:error, :normal, "done\r\n"}}}

15:58:47.834 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent request server -> client window/workDoneProgress/create

15:58:47.834 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.834 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [error] [Project file:///Users/jacob/Code/AkstonWyatt/GamedayMath] Failed to start child {XPExpert.Project.Node, "GamedayMath"}: {:error, :normal, "done\r\n"}

15:58:47.834 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.834 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/showMessage

15:58:47.834 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.834 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client $/progress

15:58:47.898 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.898 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [info] [Project file:///Users/jacob/Code/AkstonWyatt/GamedayMath] Using path: /Users/jacob/.local/bin/expert-c003eba/erts-16.2.1/bin:/Users/jacob/.local/bin/expert-c003eba/bin:/Users/jacob/.local/share/nvim/mason/bin:/Users/jacob/.local/share/mise/installs/elixir/1.19.4-otp-28/bin:/Users/jacob/.local/share/mise/installs/elixir/1.19.4-otp-28/.mix/escripts:/Users/jacob/.local/share/mise/installs/erlang/28.2/bin:/Users/jacob/.local/share/mise/installs/java/openjdk-21.0.2/bin:/Users/jacob/.local/share/mise/installs/node/21.4.0/bin:/Users/jacob/.local/share/mise/installs/ruby/3.2.2/bin:/Users/jacob/.local/share/mise/installs/usage/2.8.0:/opt/homebrew/opt/mise/bin:/Users/jacob/.local/bin:/Users/jacob/.mix/escripts:/opt/homebrew/bin:/opt/homebrew/bin/:/usr/local/opt/autoconf@2.69/bin:/Users/jacob/bin:/Applications/Ghostty.app/Contents/MacOS:/usr/local/bin:/System/Cryptexes/App/usr/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/local/bin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/bin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/appleinternal/bin

15:58:47.898 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.898 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [info] [Project file:///Users/jacob/Code/AkstonWyatt/GamedayMath] Found elixir executable at /Users/jacob/.local/share/mise/installs/elixir/1.19.4-otp-28/bin/elixir

15:58:47.898 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.898 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [info] [Project file:///Users/jacob/Code/AkstonWyatt/GamedayMath] Found erl executable at /Users/jacob/.local/bin/expert-c003eba/erts-16.2.1/bin/erl

15:58:47.899 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.899 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [info] [Project file:///Users/jacob/Code/AkstonWyatt/GamedayMath] Finding or building engine

15:58:47.899 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.899 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent request server -> client window/workDoneProgress/create

15:58:47.899 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.899 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client $/progress

15:58:47.938 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.938 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] Building engine: Runtime terminating during boot ({'cannot get bootfile','/Users/jacob/.local/bi

15:58:47.938 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.938 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] Building engine: n/expert-c003eba/bin/start.boot'})

Crash dump is b

15:58:47.938 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:47.938 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] Building engine: eing written to: erl_crash.dump...

15:58:48.055 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:48.055 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] Building engine: done


15:58:48.057 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:48.057 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [error] Engine build script exited with reason: :normal done


15:58:48.057 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:48.057 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client $/progress

15:58:48.057 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:48.057 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client $/progress

15:58:48.057 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [error] Process #PID<0.188.0> terminating
** (exit) {:error, :normal, "done\r\n"}
    (stdlib 7.2.1) gen_server.erl:2257: :gen_server.init_it/6
    (stdlib 7.2.1) proc_lib.erl:333: :proc_lib.init_p_do_apply/3
Initial Call: XPExpert.Project.Node.init/1
Ancestors: [:"GamedayMath::supervisor", XPExpert.ProjectSupervisor, XPExpert.Supervisor, #PID<0.159.0>]
Message Queue Length: 0
Messages: []
Links: [#PID<0.186.0>]
Dictionary: []
Trapping Exits: false
Status: :running
Heap Size: 1598
Stack Size: 29
Reductions: 40873

15:58:48.057 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [error] Child {XPExpert.Project.Node, "GamedayMath"} of Supervisor :"GamedayMath::supervisor" failed to start
** (exit) {:error, :normal, "done\r\n"}
Start Call: XPExpert.Project.Node.start_link(%XPForge.Project{root_uri: "file:///Users/jacob/Code/AkstonWyatt/GamedayMath", mix_exs_uri: "file:///Users/jacob/Code/AkstonWyatt/GamedayMath/mix.exs", mix_project?: true, mix_env: nil, mix_target: nil, env_variables: %{}, project_module: nil, entropy: 39264})
Restart: :permanent
Shutdown: 5000
Type: :worker

15:58:48.057 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:48.057 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [error] Failed to start project node for GamedayMath: {:shutdown,
 {:failed_to_start_child, {XPExpert.Project.Node, "GamedayMath"},
  {:error, :normal, "done\r\n"}}}

15:58:49.301 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:49.301 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [error] handling server specific request XPGenLSP.Requests.Shutdown

15:58:49.302 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:49.302 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [info] Shutting down

15:58:49.302 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:49.302 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] handled request client -> server shutdown in 17ms

15:58:49.314 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:49.324 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [debug] sent notification server -> client window/logMessage

15:58:49.314 instance_id=19CA18A6493 [error] Writer crashed (:epipe)

.expert/project.log is empty

erl_crash.dump:

Fri Feb 27 15:58:47 2026
Slogan: Runtime terminating during boot ({'cannot get bootfile','/Users/jacob/.local/bin/expert-c003eba/bin/start.boot'})
System version: Erlang/OTP 28 [erts-16.2.1] [source] [64-bit] [smp:12:12] [ds:12:12:10] [async-threads:1] [jit]

~/.local/state/nvim/lsp.log:

[START][2026-02-27 15:58:47] LSP logging initiated
[ERROR][2026-02-27 15:58:47] ...lsp/handlers.lua:562	"Engine build script exited with reason: :normal done"
[ERROR][2026-02-27 15:58:47] ...lsp/handlers.lua:562	'Failed to start project node for GamedayMath: {:shutdown,\n {:failed_to_start_child, {XPExpert.Project.Node, "GamedayMath"},\n  {:error, :normal, "done\\r\\n"}}}'
[ERROR][2026-02-27 15:58:47] ...lsp/handlers.lua:562	'[Project file:///Users/jacob/Code/AkstonWyatt/GamedayMath] Failed to start child {XPExpert.Project.Node, "GamedayMath"}: {:error, :normal, "done\\r\\n"}'
[ERROR][2026-02-27 15:58:48] ...lsp/handlers.lua:562	"Engine build script exited with reason: :normal done"
[ERROR][2026-02-27 15:58:48] ...lsp/handlers.lua:562	'Failed to start project node for GamedayMath: {:shutdown,\n {:failed_to_start_child, {XPExpert.Project.Node, "GamedayMath"},\n  {:error, :normal, "done\\r\\n"}}}'
[ERROR][2026-02-27 15:58:49] ...lsp/handlers.lua:562	"handling server specific request XPGenLSP.Requests.Shutdown"

$ which expert plain
/Users/jacob/.local/bin/expert
/Users/jacob/.local/bin/plain
$ ls -l ~/.local/bin/{expert,plain}
lrwxr-xr-x  1 jacob  staff  31 Feb 27 15:44 /Users/jacob/.local/bin/expert@ -> expert-c003eba/bin/start_expert
lrwxr-xr-x  1 jacob  staff  24 Feb 27 15:44 /Users/jacob/.local/bin/plain@ -> expert-c003eba/bin/plain
$ ls -l ~/.local/bin/expert-c003eba/bin/
total 48
-rwxr-xr-x  1 jacob  staff  5489 Feb 25 15:28 plain*
-rwxr-xr-x  1 jacob  staff  6972 Feb 25 15:28 plain.bat*
-rwxr-xr-x  1 jacob  staff   120 Feb 25 15:28 start_expert*
-rw-r--r--  1 jacob  staff   104 Feb 25 15:28 start_expert.bat

[mhanberg]

Can you share how you configured neovim to start expert. Are you using the expert or plain exes from your local bin directory?

[jswanner]

.config/nvim/lsp/expert.lua:

---@type vim.lsp.Config
return {
  cmd = { "expert", "--stdio" },
  filetypes = { "elixir", "eelixir", "heex" },
  root_markers = { "mix.exs", ".git" },
}

[jswanner]

I wanted to make sure it wasn't my symlink setup causing problems, so I configured neovim with the full path to expert: same error.