Having Node.js v20.12.1
C:\Users\cax>appium
[Appium] Welcome to Appium v2.5.1
[Appium] The autodetected Appium home path: C:\Users\cax.appium
[Appium] Attempting to load driver windows...
[Appium] Requiring driver at C:\Users\cax.appium\node_modules\appium-windows-driver\build\index.js
[Appium] Could not load driver 'windows', so it will not be available. Error in loading the driver was: Unexpected External value as type specifier, expected string or type
[Appium] TypeError: Unexpected External value as type specifier, expected string or type
[Appium] at Object. (C:\Users\cax.appium\node_modules\appium-windows-driver\lib\commands\winapi\user32.js:102:49)
[Appium] at Module._compile (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1369:14)
[Appium] at Object.Module._extensions..js (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1427:10)
[Appium] at Module.load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1206:32)
[Appium] at Function.Module._load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1022:12)
[Appium] at Module.require (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1231:19)
[Appium] at require (node:internal/modules/helpers:179:18)
[Appium] at Object. (C:\Users\cax.appium\node_modules\appium-windows-driver\lib\commands\gestures.js:2:1)
[Appium] at Module._compile (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1369:14)
[Appium] at Object.Module._extensions..js (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1427:10)
[Appium] at Module.load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1206:32)
[Appium] at Function.Module._load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1022:12)
[Appium] at Module.require (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1231:19)
[Appium] at require (node:internal/modules/helpers:179:18)
[Appium] at Object. (C:\Users\cax.appium\node_modules\appium-windows-driver\lib\commands\index.js:9:1)
[Appium] at Module._compile (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1369:14)
[Appium] at Object.Module._extensions..js (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1427:10)
[Appium] at Module.load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1206:32)
[Appium] at Function.Module._load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1022:12)
[Appium] at Module.require (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1231:19)
[Appium] at require (node:internal/modules/helpers:179:18)
[Appium] at Object. (C:\Users\cax.appium\node_modules\appium-windows-driver\lib\driver.js:6:1)
[Appium] Appium REST http interface listener started on http://0.0.0.0:4723
[Appium] You can provide the following URLs in your client code to connect to this server:
[Appium] http://172.25.10.65:4723/
[Appium] http://127.0.0.1:4723/ (only accessible from the same host)
[Appium] Available drivers:
[Appium] - windows@2.12.17 (automationName 'Windows')
[Appium] No plugins have been installed. Use the "appium plugin" command to install the one(s) you want to use.
[Appium] Received SIGINT - shutting down
[AppiumDriver@9b25] There are no active sessions for cleanup
[HTTP] Waiting until the server is closed
[HTTP] Received server close event
Workaround:
Downgraded to Node.js v20.11.1. then it has worked.
Having Node.js v20.12.1
C:\Users\cax>appium
[Appium] Welcome to Appium v2.5.1
[Appium] The autodetected Appium home path: C:\Users\cax.appium
[Appium] Attempting to load driver windows...
[Appium] Requiring driver at C:\Users\cax.appium\node_modules\appium-windows-driver\build\index.js
[Appium] Could not load driver 'windows', so it will not be available. Error in loading the driver was: Unexpected External value as type specifier, expected string or type
[Appium] TypeError: Unexpected External value as type specifier, expected string or type
[Appium] at Object. (C:\Users\cax.appium\node_modules\appium-windows-driver\lib\commands\winapi\user32.js:102:49)
[Appium] at Module._compile (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1369:14)
[Appium] at Object.Module._extensions..js (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1427:10)
[Appium] at Module.load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1206:32)
[Appium] at Function.Module._load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1022:12)
[Appium] at Module.require (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1231:19)
[Appium] at require (node:internal/modules/helpers:179:18)
[Appium] at Object. (C:\Users\cax.appium\node_modules\appium-windows-driver\lib\commands\gestures.js:2:1)
[Appium] at Module._compile (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1369:14)
[Appium] at Object.Module._extensions..js (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1427:10)
[Appium] at Module.load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1206:32)
[Appium] at Function.Module._load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1022:12)
[Appium] at Module.require (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1231:19)
[Appium] at require (node:internal/modules/helpers:179:18)
[Appium] at Object. (C:\Users\cax.appium\node_modules\appium-windows-driver\lib\commands\index.js:9:1)
[Appium] at Module._compile (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1369:14)
[Appium] at Object.Module._extensions..js (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1427:10)
[Appium] at Module.load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1206:32)
[Appium] at Function.Module._load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1022:12)
[Appium] at Module.require (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1231:19)
[Appium] at require (node:internal/modules/helpers:179:18)
[Appium] at Object. (C:\Users\cax.appium\node_modules\appium-windows-driver\lib\driver.js:6:1)
[Appium] Appium REST http interface listener started on http://0.0.0.0:4723
[Appium] You can provide the following URLs in your client code to connect to this server:
[Appium] http://172.25.10.65:4723/
[Appium] http://127.0.0.1:4723/ (only accessible from the same host)
[Appium] Available drivers:
[Appium] - windows@2.12.17 (automationName 'Windows')
[Appium] No plugins have been installed. Use the "appium plugin" command to install the one(s) you want to use.
[Appium] Received SIGINT - shutting down
[AppiumDriver@9b25] There are no active sessions for cleanup
[HTTP] Waiting until the server is closed
[HTTP] Received server close event
Workaround:
Downgraded to Node.js v20.11.1. then it has worked.