Fixing Vite "Rollup Failed to Resolve" Build Error

When building a Vite project, you may encounter the following error:

[vite]: Rollup failed to resolve import "style.css" from "index.html".
This is most likely unintended because it can break your application at runtime.
If you do want to externalize this module explicitly add it to
`build.rollupOptions.external`

This error occurs when Rollup, which is used internally by Vite, is unable to resolve an import. Let’s go over possible causes and solutions.

✅ Common Fixes for "Rollup Failed to Resolve" Error

1. Ensure File Paths Are Correct

If you're referencing a CSS file in your index.html, ensure it has the correct path format.

❌ Incorrect:

<link rel="stylesheet" href="src/style.css" />

✅ Correct:

<link rel="stylesheet" href="/src/style.css" />

Adding / ensures that Rollup correctly locates the file during the build process.

2. Check Module Aliases in vite.config.js

If you're using @ for path aliases, ensure they are properly configured in vite.config.js.

Example Configuration:

import { defineConfig } from 'vite'
import path from 'path'

export default defineConfig({
  resolve: {
    alias: {
      '@': path.resolve(__dirname, 'src'),
    },
  },
})

Then, in your files, use:

import MyComponent from '@/components/MyComponent.vue'

3. Ensure All Dependencies Are Installed

A missing dependency can trigger this error. Run:

npm install

or if using Yarn:

yarn install

4. Fix Case Sensitivity Issues (Linux/macOS)

File paths are case-sensitive on Linux/macOS. If your asset works locally but breaks in production, double-check the casing.

For example, if your file is named Logo_Horizontal.svg, but your code references Logo_horizontal.svg, it will break on some systems.

5. Add Missing Rollup Configuration

If the error persists, try adding explicit external dependencies in vite.config.js:

export default defineConfig({
  build: {
    rollupOptions: {
      external: ['some-external-package'],
    },
  },
})

🛠️ Alternative Solutions

Use @apply for CSS in Tailwind Projects

If you’re using TailwindCSS and running into this issue with CSS imports, try using @apply instead of importing styles manually:

@apply text-primary-500;

Use Path Resolvers for Better Imports

For React or Vue projects, you can add a resolver to ensure aliases work correctly:

import resolve from 'path'
export default defineConfig({
  resolve: {
    alias: {
      '@': resolve(__dirname, './src'),
    },
  },
})

❓ FAQs

1. Why is my Vite build failing?

Vite build failures often occur due to incorrect file paths, missing dependencies, or alias misconfigurations.

2. How do I fix missing imports in Vite?

Ensure your dependencies are installed and check that your file paths are correctly referenced.

3. Does Vite support absolute imports?

Yes, by using aliases in vite.config.js.