Local by Flywheel – Import Failed – TypeError: Cannot read property devMode on null

Recently, I tried to import a site into Local by Flywheel and it failed with the message

TypeError: Cannot read property ‘devMode’ on null

It turns out the site export was created with Local Lightning the newest release, which at the time of this writing is in Beta. I’m still running the classic Local by Flywheel, specifically version 3.3.0.

My Fix

I was able to get the import to work by unzipping the file, editing the local-site.json file, and re-zipping it. This is not for the faint of heart and may not work in the future, but I wanted to record it here in case I need to try it again in the future.

Modifying local-site.json

Based on other files, I added the property "devMode": null to the top-most level of the JSON object (I put it right between webServer and mysqlVersion).

Sal Ferrarello (@salcode)

Sal is a PHP developer with a focus on the WordPress platform. He is a conference speaker with a background including Piano Player, Radio DJ, Magician/Juggler, Beach Photographer, and High School Math Teacher. Sal can be found professionally at WebDevStudios, where he works as a senior backend engineer.