start-storybook binary missing with Storybook v8 and React 19 (no CLI in node_modules/.bin)

[Pav42Geo]

Problem statement

Describe the bug

After installing Storybook v8 (and also tried v7) with React 19 in both a real project and a fresh test directory, the start-storybook binary is missing from node_modules/.bin. This makes it impossible to run Storybook via npm scripts or directly.

To Reproduce

1. Create a new directory and initialize npm:

   mkdir storybook-test
   cd storybook-test
   npm init -y
   

2. Install React 19:

   npm install react@19 react-dom@19
   

3. Install Storybook v8 and main addons:

   npm install --save-dev @storybook/react@8 @storybook/addon-essentials@8 @storybook/addon-links@8 @storybook/react-webpack5@8
   

4. Check for the binary:

   ls node_modules/.bin/start-storybook
   

   Result: No such file or directory

Expected behavior

The start-storybook binary should be present in node_modules/.bin after install, allowing npm run storybook to work.

System

• OS: macOS (Apple Silicon)
• Node: [your node version, e.g. 20.x or 24.x]
• npm: [your npm version]
• React: 19.x
• Storybook: 8.x

Additional context

• Tried both inside and outside Python venv.
• Tried global install of @storybook/cli (binary still missing).
• Tried with npx (404 error for start-storybook).
• npm registry is set to https://registry.npmjs.org/
• No proxy or custom registry.

This blocks all Storybook usage with React 19 and v8+ in my environment.

[dosubot]

Hi @Pav42Geo! I'm Dosu and I’m helping the storybook team.

The missing start-storybook binary in Storybook v8 is an intentional change. Storybook v8 introduced a new unified CLI, so the old binaries like start-storybook and build-storybook are no longer present in node_modules/.bin. Instead, you should use the new CLI entry point: run Storybook with npx storybook dev (or add "storybook": "storybook dev" to your npm scripts) reference.

Attempts to use npx start-storybook or expect the binary in .bin will fail in v8 and above, as the entry point is now just storybook reference. Update your npm scripts and CI/CD pipelines to use the new CLI commands. This change affects all frameworks in Storybook v8, not just React 19.

If you need more details on migration or CLI usage, check the Storybook CLI docs and upgrade guide.

To reply, just mention @dosu.

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[vanessayuenn]

Hey @Pav42Geo can you try to install the latest storybook with npx create storybook@latest?