# Error getting started testing a custom node
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/error-getting-started-testing-a-custom-node/44322
**Category:** Developing Nodes
**Created:** [17 April 2021 14:31 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/error-getting-started-testing-a-custom-node/44322 "2021-04-17T14:31:16Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@jcarreira](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jcarreira)
#### Post date: [17 April 2021 14:31 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/error-getting-started-testing-a-custom-node/44322/1 "2021-04-17T14:31:16Z")
I'm trying to just get started building a node with the instructions here:
[https://nodered.org/docs/creating-nodes/first-node](https://nodered.org/docs/creating-nodes/first-node)
I'm getting this error trying to run the mocha \_spec file:
```auto
mocha test/lower-case_spec.js
lower-case Node
1) should be loaded
2) "after each" hook for "should be loaded"
0 passing (7ms)
2 failing
1) lower-case Node
should be loaded:
TypeError: Cannot read property 'log' of undefined
at Function.spy (node_modules/sinon/lib/sinon/spy.js:156:61)
at Sandbox.spy (node_modules/sinon/lib/sinon/sandbox.js:328:35)
at NodeTestHelper.load (node_modules/node-red-node-test-helper/index.js:178:53)
at Context. (test/lower-case_spec.js:12:16)
2) lower-case Node
"after each" hook for "should be loaded":
TypeError: Cannot read property 'clearRegistry' of undefined
at NodeTestHelper.unload (node_modules/node-red-node-test-helper/index.js:283:24)
at Context. (test/lower-case_spec.js:7:16)
```
I've got the library in my package.json:
```auto
"devDependencies": {
"node-red-node-test-helper": "^0.2.7"
}
```
I'm new to NodeJS development so I'm sure there's something obvious I'm messing up.
---
### Author:  [@jcarreira](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jcarreira)
#### Post date: [18 April 2021 14:28 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/error-getting-started-testing-a-custom-node/44322/2 "2021-04-18T14:28:56Z")
If anyone else runs into this, I needed to add node-red to my devDependencies too:
`"node-red": "^1.3.2"`
That should probably be a dependency of the `node-red-node-test-helper` if it's required
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [17 June 2021 14:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/error-getting-started-testing-a-custom-node/44322/3 "2021-06-17T14:29:24Z")
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