Vovy finds the process hogging your port (EADDRINUSE), shows what it is, and stops it safely so npm run dev starts again.
npm run dev says port 3000 is already in use, kill whatever's on it
How it works
- Read the error: Vovy reads the "EADDRINUSE: address already in use :::3000" message. A port is a numbered door your app listens on, and only one app can use each one.
- Find who is on the port: Vovy runs lsof -i :3000 to list the process, often an old dev server left running in a closed Terminal tab.
- Stop it safely: Vovy shows the process name first and only stops it if it is a leftover dev server, never a system app, then kills it by its ID.
- Restart your dev server: Vovy reruns npm run dev and waits for the Local: http://localhost line to appear.
- Open your app: Vovy opens localhost in your browser and shows a card with the command to do this yourself next time.
What you provide
- The project that will not start
- The port number from the error
What you get
- The port freed
- Your dev server running again
- Name of what was blocking it
- A one-line fix for next time
FAQ
Why is port 5000 always taken on my Mac?
macOS uses ports 5000 and 7000 for AirPlay Receiver. Turn it off in System Settings, General, AirDrop and Handoff, or use another port.
Can I just use a different port?
Yes. Most tools accept a flag like --port 3001. Vovy can do that instead if you want to keep the other process running.
Will killing the process lose work?
Not if it is a stale dev server. Vovy shows you exactly what it is before stopping anything.
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