A link to a `public` `.json` file breaks prerender in `generate` mode

[yannbertrand]

Environment

---

• Operating System: Linux
• Node Version: v20.9.0
• Nuxt Version: 3.13.2
• CLI Version: 3.14.0
• Nitro Version: 2.9.7
• Package Manager: npm@9.8.1
• Builder: -
• User Config: -
• Runtime Modules: -

• Build Modules: -

Reproduction

1. Fork CodeSandbox code
2. npm ci
3. npm run dev -> should work correctly
4. npm run generate -> breaks due to 404 /file.json

---

Proof that it comes from the .json file only:

5. rm public/file.json and the NuxtLink from pages/index.vue
6. npm run generate -> should work correctly

Describe the bug

nuxt generate breaks on the prerender step when a .json file is linked in a page.

Additional context

Weirdly, it does not break the CodePen when the file containing the link is app.vue:

5. mv pages/index.vue app.vue
6. npm run generate -> should work correctly

Logs

nitro 5:33:19 PM
  │ ├── Error: [404] Page not found: /file.json
  │ └── Linked from /
  ├─ /_payload.json (2ms)                                                                                         nitro 5:33:19 PM
                                                                                                                  nitro 5:33:19 PM
Errors prerendering:
  ├─ /file.json (11ms)                                                                                            nitro 5:33:19 PM
  │ ├── Error: [404] Page not found: /file.json
  │ └── Linked from /
                                                                                                                  nitro 5:33:19 PM

 ERROR  Exiting due to prerender errors.                                                                                5:33:19 PM

  at prerender (node_modules/nitropack/dist/chunks/prerender.mjs:220:11)
  at async node_modules/nuxt/dist/index.mjs:3628:5
  at async build (node_modules/nuxt/dist/index.mjs:5778:3)
  at async Object.run (node_modules/nuxi/dist/chunks/build.mjs:101:5)
  at async Object.run (node_modules/nuxi/dist/chunks/generate.mjs:59:5)
  at async runCommand$1 (node_modules/nuxi/dist/shared/nuxi.3e201632.mjs:1648:16)
  at async runCommand$1 (node_modules/nuxi/dist/shared/nuxi.3e201632.mjs:1639:11)
  at async runMain$1 (node_modules/nuxi/dist/shared/nuxi.3e201632.mjs:1777:7) 

 ERROR  Exiting due to prerender errors.                                                                                5:33:19 PM

[adamdehaven]

I believe you can get around this by telling Nitro about the route:

  nitro: {
    prerender: {
      crawlLinks: true,
      // Specify routes that the crawler may not be able to discover for prerendering
      routes: [
        '/file.json',
      ],
    },
  },