Cannot find module 'express' error on my express application

1

I am trying to host my express application. Nothing complex. Just an express server serving html files on different routes but the log says

node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1372
  throw err;
  ^
Error: Cannot find module 'express'
Require stack:
- /opt/render/project/src/server.js
    at Module._resolveFilename (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1369:15)
    at defaultResolveImpl (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1025:19)
    at resolveForCJSWithHooks (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1030:22)
    at Module._load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1179:37)
    at TracingChannel.traceSync (node:diagnostics_channel:322:14)
    at wrapModuleLoad (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:235:24)
    at Module.require (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1449:12)
    at require (node:internal/modules/helpers:135:16)
    at Object.<anonymous> (/opt/render/project/src/server.js:1:17)
    at Module._compile (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1692:14) {
  code: 'MODULE_NOT_FOUND',
  requireStack: [ '/opt/render/project/src/server.js' ]
}
Node.js v24.4.1

My package.json file has express mentioned explicitly as a dependency:

{
  "name": " ",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": " ",
  "main": "server.js",
  "scripts": {
    "start": "node server.js",
    "dev": "nodemon server.js"
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "express": "^4.18.2",
    "path": "^0.12.7"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "nodemon": "^3.1.10"
  },
  "engines": {
    "node": ">=18.0.0"
  },
  "keywords": [
    " ",
    " ",
    " "
  ],
  "author": " ",
  "license": "MIT"
}
  • I have removed some values for privacy. There are no empty strings in the original file.

Please help