Nx "inputs"/"outputs" Misconfig - Cache Misses & Empty Replays

Nx caches a task by hashing its inputs and storing its declared outputs. When outputs point at the wrong directory, nothing is cached to replay; when inputs are wrong, the hash never matches and every run misses.

What this error means

CI rebuilds a task every run despite no source change, or a cache "hit" restores nothing because the outputs were never captured. Nx may warn that a task produced no outputs at the declared path.

Nx output

 NX   Nx captured no outputs for the task "web:build".

 The "outputs" do not match any files. Did the build write to dist/web,
 not the declared "{projectRoot}/dist"?

Common causes

Outputs path does not match where the build writes

If outputs is {projectRoot}/dist but the build emits to dist/apps/web at the workspace root, Nx caches nothing and later restores nothing.

Inputs omit files that affect the build

Leaving a config file (tsconfig, env, schema) out of inputs means the hash misses a real input - stale hits or confusing misses follow.

Inputs include volatile files

Including timestamps, logs, or generated files in inputs makes the hash change every run, so the task never hits the cache.

How to fix it

Point outputs at the real artifact path

Declare exactly where the task writes so Nx can capture and replay it.

project.json

{
  "targets": {
    "build": {
      "outputs": ["{workspaceRoot}/dist/apps/web"],
      "inputs": ["production", "^production"]
    }
  }
}

Define precise named inputs

Capture everything that affects output and exclude what does not, so the hash is stable and complete.

nx.json

{
  "namedInputs": {
    "default": ["{projectRoot}/**/*", "sharedGlobals"],
    "production": ["default", "!{projectRoot}/**/*.spec.ts"]
  }
}

Inspect what was hashed and captured

Terminal

NX_VERBOSE_LOGGING=true nx run web:build
nx run web:build --verbose   # shows captured outputs

How to prevent it

Keep outputs in lockstep with the build’s actual output directory.
List every config input in inputs; exclude volatile/generated files.
Verify caching with a second run that reports a replay, not a rebuild.