Heroku Build Failed: "node_modules checked into source control" - heroku

Question

I am deploying a site built upon MEAN stack on Heroku. While troubleshooting an issue I removed node_modules/ from my .gitignore file and ever since my app has been getting "Build failed" errors.
I readded node_modules/ to the file, but it seems the damage has been done as builds still fail.
One of the possible problems that is suggested in the log is:
"- node_modules checked into source control"
How do I go about undoing what I did?
-----> Deleting 1 files matching .slugignore patterns.
-----> Using set buildpack heroku/nodejs
-----> Node.js app detected
-----> Creating runtime environment
NPM_CONFIG_LOGLEVEL=error
NPM_CONFIG_PRODUCTION=true
NODE_ENV=production
NODE_MODULES_CACHE=true
-----> Installing binaries
engines.node (package.json): 0.10.x
engines.npm (package.json): 2.x.x
Resolving node version 0.10.x via semver.io...
Downloading and installing node 0.10.41...
Resolving npm version 2.x.x via semver.io...
Downloading and installing npm 2.14.15 (replacing version 1.4.29)...
npm WARN deprecated This version of npm lacks support for important features,
npm WARN deprecated such as scoped packages, offered by the primary npm
npm WARN deprecated registry. Consider upgrading to at least npm#2, if not the
npm WARN deprecated latest stable version. To upgrade to npm#2, run:
npm WARN deprecated
npm WARN deprecated npm -g install npm#latest-2
npm WARN deprecated
npm WARN deprecated To upgrade to the latest stable version, run:
npm WARN deprecated
npm WARN deprecated npm -g install npm#latest
npm WARN deprecated
npm WARN deprecated (Depending on how Node.js was installed on your system, you
npm WARN deprecated may need to prefix the preceding commands with `sudo`, or if
npm WARN deprecated on Windows, run them from an Administrator prompt.)
npm WARN deprecated
npm WARN deprecated If you're running the version of npm bundled with
npm WARN deprecated Node.js 0.10 LTS, be aware that the next version of 0.10 LTS
npm WARN deprecated will be bundled with a version of npm#2, which has some small
npm WARN deprecated backwards-incompatible changes made to `npm run-script` and
npm WARN deprecated semver behavior.
-----> Restoring cache
Loading 2 from cacheDirectories (default):
- node_modules (exists - skipping)
- bower_components (not cached - skipping)
-----> Building dependencies
Prebuild detected (node_modules already exists)
Rebuilding any native modules
> bson#0.2.22 install /tmp/build_###########/node_modules/connect-mongo/node_modules/bson
> (node-gyp rebuild 2> builderror.log) || (exit 0)
make: Entering directory `/tmp/build_###########/node_modules/connect-mongo/node_modules/bson/build'
CXX(target) Release/obj.target/bson/ext/bson.o
SOLINK_MODULE(target) Release/obj.target/bson.node
COPY Release/bson.node
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/build_###########/node_modules/connect-mongo/node_modules/bson/build'
> bson#0.2.22 install /tmp/build_###########/node_modules/connect-mongo/node_modules/bson
> (node-gyp rebuild 2> builderror.log) || (exit 0)
make: Entering directory `/tmp/build_###########/node_modules/connect-mongo/node_modules/bson/build'
CXX(target) Release/obj.target/bson/ext/bson.o
SOLINK_MODULE(target) Release/obj.target/bson.node
COPY Release/bson.node
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/build_###########/node_modules/connect-mongo/node_modules/bson/build'
> bson#0.2.22 install /tmp/build_###########/node_modules/mongoose/node_modules/mongodb/node_modules/bson
> (node-gyp rebuild 2> builderror.log) || (exit 0)
make: Entering directory `/tmp/build_###########/node_modules/mongoose/node_modules/mongodb/node_modules/bson/build'
CXX(target) Release/obj.target/bson/ext/bson.o
SOLINK_MODULE(target) Release/obj.target/bson.node
COPY Release/bson.node
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/build_###########/node_modules/mongoose/node_modules/mongodb/node_modules/bson/build'
> phantomjs#1.9.19 install /tmp/build_###########/node_modules/phantomjs
> node install.js
PhantomJS not found on PATH
Downloading https://bitbucket.org/ariya/phantomjs/downloads/phantomjs-1.9.8-linux-x86_64.tar.bz2
Saving to /tmp/phantomjs/phantomjs-1.9.8-linux-x86_64.tar.bz2
Receiving...
Received 12854K total.
Extracting tar contents (via spawned process)
Removing /tmp/build_###########/node_modules/phantomjs/lib/phantom
Copying extracted folder /tmp/phantomjs/phantomjs-1.9.8-linux-x86_64.tar.bz2-extract-1450118671217/phantomjs-1.9.8-linux-x86_64 -> /tmp/build_###########/node_modules/phantomjs/lib/phantom
Writing location.js file
Done. Phantomjs binary available at /tmp/build_###########/node_modules/phantomjs/lib/phantom/bin/phantomjs
> kerberos#0.0.11 install /tmp/build_###########/node_modules/kerberos
> (node-gyp rebuild 2> builderror.log) || (exit 0)
make: Entering directory `/tmp/build_###########/node_modules/kerberos/build'
CXX(target) Release/obj.target/kerberos/lib/kerberos.o
CXX(target) Release/obj.target/kerberos/lib/worker.o
CC(target) Release/obj.target/kerberos/lib/kerberosgss.o
CC(target) Release/obj.target/kerberos/lib/base64.o
CXX(target) Release/obj.target/kerberos/lib/kerberos_context.o
SOLINK_MODULE(target) Release/obj.target/kerberos.node
COPY Release/kerberos.node
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/build_###########/node_modules/kerberos/build'
> ws#0.4.32 install /tmp/build_###########/node_modules/ws
> (node-gyp rebuild 2> builderror.log) || (exit 0)
make: Entering directory `/tmp/build_###########/node_modules/ws/build'
CXX(target) Release/obj.target/bufferutil/src/bufferutil.o
SOLINK_MODULE(target) Release/obj.target/bufferutil.node
COPY Release/bufferutil.node
CXX(target) Release/obj.target/validation/src/validation.o
SOLINK_MODULE(target) Release/obj.target/validation.node
COPY Release/validation.node
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/build_###########/node_modules/ws/build'
> v8-profiler#5.2.12 preinstall /tmp/build_###########/node_modules/v8-profiler
>
> v8-profiler#5.2.12 install /tmp/build_###########/node_modules/v8-profiler
> node-pre-gyp install --fallback-to-build
sh: 1: node-pre-gyp: Permission denied
npm ERR! Linux 3.13.0-71-generic
npm ERR! argv "node" "/tmp/build_###########/.heroku/node/bin/npm" "rebuild"
npm ERR! node v0.10.41
npm ERR! npm v2.14.15
npm ERR! code ELIFECYCLE
npm ERR! v8-profiler#5.2.12 install: `node-pre-gyp install --fallback-to-build`
npm ERR! Exit status 126
npm ERR!
npm ERR! Failed at the v8-profiler#5.2.12 install script 'node-pre-gyp install --fallback-to-build'.
npm ERR! This is most likely a problem with the v8-profiler package,
npm ERR! not with npm itself.
npm ERR! Tell the author that this fails on your system:
npm ERR! node-pre-gyp install --fallback-to-build
npm ERR! You can get their info via:
npm ERR! npm owner ls v8-profiler
npm ERR! There is likely additional logging output above.
npm ERR! Please include the following file with any support request:
npm ERR! /tmp/build_###########/npm-debug.log
-----> Build failed
We're sorry this build is failing! You can troubleshoot common issues here:
https://devcenter.heroku.com/articles/troubleshooting-node-deploys
Some possible problems:
- node_modules checked into source control
https://docs.npmjs.com/misc/faq#should-i-check-my-node-modules-folder-into-git
Love,
Heroku
! Push rejected, failed to compile Node.js app

Answer 1

Although you've re-added node_modules to your .gitignore, as you say, the damage has already been done. So you need to remove node_modules from your git repo. Try this:
git rm -r --cached node_modules
git commit -m 'Remove node_modules'
The first command recursively removes node_modules from the git repo without removing your local files, the second commits the removal.
You can then push your changes to Heroku.