Raise Node.js Minimum to 20.20.2 by minggangw · Pull Request #1478 · RobotWebTools/rclnodejs

minggangw · 2026-04-07T07:41:39Z

This PR raises the minimum supported Node.js version to 20.20.2 and includes the follow-up fixes from PR review.

What changed

Updated the Node.js minimum across package metadata, CI, and docs.
Moved the Linux ARM64 CI lane to Node 20.20.2.
Aligned install/prerequisite docs across the main README, build docs, npm README, benchmark docs, Electron demos, TypeScript demos, and JSDoc template.
Reconciled stale Electron demo guidance in:
- electron_demo/manipulator/README.md
- electron_demo/turtle_tf2/README.md
Fixed prebuild packaging so Node and Electron binaries are generated and resolved separately:

Tests

Added runtime-specific assertions to:
- test/test-native-loader.js
Added a focused helper test file locally:
- test/test-prebuilds.js

Validation

npx mocha test-native-loader.js test-prebuilds.js

Fix: #1458

Copilot

Pull request overview

Raises the project’s minimum supported Node.js version to 20.20.2 as part of the Lyrical-readiness roadmap (Issue #1458), aligning package metadata, CI coverage, and user-facing docs/demos with the new floor.

Changes:

Update documentation and demo prerequisites to Node.js >= 20.20.2.
Update package.json engines and prebuild target to 20.20.2.
Move the Linux ARM64 CI build-and-test lane to Node 20.20.2.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 13 out of 13 changed files in this pull request and generated 3 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
ts_demo/topics/README.md	Update TypeScript topics demo Node.js prerequisite to 20.20.2.
ts_demo/services/README.md	Update TypeScript services demo Node.js prerequisite to 20.20.2.
ts_demo/actions/README.md	Update TypeScript actions demo Node.js prerequisite to 20.20.2; minor markdown cleanup.
tools/jsdoc/tmpl/mainpage.tmpl	Update JSDoc homepage install guidance to Node 20.20.2+.
scripts/npmjs-readme.md	Update npm README prerequisites and prebuilt matrix Node.js floor to 20.20.2.
README.md	Update repo README prerequisites and prebuilt matrix Node.js floor to 20.20.2.
package.json	Bump prebuild target and `engines.node` to >= 20.20.2.
electron_demo/topics/README.md	Update Electron topics demo Node.js prerequisite to 20.20.2.
electron_demo/manipulator/README.md	Update manipulator demo Node.js prerequisite to 20.20.2; minor markdown cleanup.
electron_demo/car/README.md	Update car demo Node.js prerequisite to 20.20.2; minor markdown cleanup.
docs/BUILDING.md	Update build-from-source docs Node.js minimum to 20.20.2.
benchmark/README.md	Update benchmark docs Node.js minimum to 20.20.2.
.github/workflows/linux-arm64-build-and-test.yml	Pin ARM64 CI lane to Node 20.20.2.

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Copilot · 2026-04-07T07:46:01Z

README.md

 ### Prerequisites

- [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/) version >= 16.13.0
+- [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/) version >= 20.20.2


The repository-wide minimum Node.js version is being raised here, but electron_demo/turtle_tf2/README.md still states "Node.js: Version 18 or higher". This leaves inconsistent prerequisites across docs/demos; update that demo README (and any other remaining references) to match the new >= 20.20.2 floor.

Copilot · 2026-04-07T07:46:02Z

electron_demo/manipulator/README.md

   - This demo uses Electron 31.7.7 for rclnodejs compatibility
   - Electron 38+ requires C++20, which rclnodejs doesn't support yet
   - The current versions are tested and stable


This troubleshooting section claims the demo uses Electron 31.7.7 and that Electron 38+ requires C++20, but electron_demo/manipulator/package.json now declares electron: ^40.1.0. Please reconcile the README with the actual dependency/version support policy (either update the documented Electron version/constraints or adjust the dependency).

Copilot · 2026-04-07T07:46:02Z

package.json

    "prepare": "husky",
    "coverage": "cat ./coverage/lcov.info | ./node_modules/coveralls/bin/coveralls.js",
-    "prebuild": "prebuildify --napi --strip --target 16.20.2 --target electron@23.0.0 && node scripts/tag_prebuilds.js"
+    "prebuild": "prebuildify --napi --strip --target 20.20.2 --target electron@23.0.0 && node scripts/tag_prebuilds.js"


npm run prebuild builds both a Node target and an Electron target, but scripts/tag_prebuilds.js renames all generated .node files to the same {ros}-{ubuntu}-{arch}-rclnodejs.node name. When multiple outputs exist (e.g., node vs electron), this can overwrite nondeterministically and publish the wrong binary. Consider splitting Node/Electron prebuild steps, or include the runtime/ABI in the tagged filename and update install logic accordingly.

Suggested change

"prebuild": "prebuildify --napi --strip --target 20.20.2 --target electron@23.0.0 && node scripts/tag_prebuilds.js"

"prebuild:node": "npx rimraf ./prebuilds ./prebuilds-node && prebuildify --napi --strip --target 20.20.2 && node scripts/tag_prebuilds.js && node -e \"require('fs').renameSync('prebuilds', 'prebuilds-node')\"",

"prebuild:electron": "npx rimraf ./prebuilds ./prebuilds-electron && prebuildify --napi --strip --target electron@23.0.0 && node scripts/tag_prebuilds.js && node -e \"require('fs').renameSync('prebuilds', 'prebuilds-electron')\"",

"prebuild": "npm run prebuild:node && npm run prebuild:electron"

Copilot

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 18 out of 18 changed files in this pull request and generated 2 comments.

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Copilot · 2026-04-07T08:53:59Z

lib/prebuilds.js

+function detectPrebuildRuntime() {
+  if (process.env.npm_config_runtime === 'electron') {
+    return 'electron';
+  }
+
+  return process.versions.electron ? 'electron' : 'node';
+}
+
+function getTaggedPrebuildFilename({
+  rosDistro,
+  ubuntuCodename,
+  arch,
+  runtime,
+}) {
+  return `${rosDistro}-${ubuntuCodename}-${arch}-${runtime}-${PREBUILD_PACKAGE_NAME}.node`;
+}
+
+function getRuntimeFromGeneratedPrebuild(fileName) {
+  const runtime = fileName.split('.')[0];
+  return SUPPORTED_PREBUILD_RUNTIMES.has(runtime) ? runtime : null;
+}


The new prebuild naming helpers are central to install/prebuilt resolution, but there are no unit tests validating runtime detection or filename parsing/formatting (e.g., that generated prebuild names like node.napi.node/electron.napi.node are correctly recognized, and that tagged filenames include the runtime segment). Adding focused tests would help prevent regressions that could break install-time or runtime native loading.

Copilot · 2026-04-07T08:53:59Z

lib/native_loader.js

+    const candidate = getTaggedPrebuildFilename({
+      rosDistro,
+      ubuntuCodename,
+      arch,
+      runtime,
+    });
+    const candidatePath = path.join(prebuildDir, candidate);
+
+    if (fs.existsSync(candidatePath)) {
+      debug(`Found ${runtime} prebuilt binary: ${candidate}`);
+      return require(candidatePath);
    }

-    debug(`No exact match found for: ${exactMatchFilename}`);
+    debug(
+      `No matching ${runtime} prebuilt binary found for ${rosDistro}-${ubuntuCodename}-${arch}`
+    );


customFallbackLoader() now incorporates runtime into the tagged prebuild filename it searches for. The existing native-loader tests only assert that the path contains humble and rclnodejs.node, so they won’t catch regressions where the runtime segment is missing/incorrect (or where node/electron binaries get mixed). Please extend the existing test to assert that the candidate path includes the expected -node- or -electron- runtime segment based on detectPrebuildRuntime() behavior.

coveralls · 2026-04-07T09:06:59Z

coverage: 85.368% (-0.04%) from 85.411% — minggangw:fix-1458-1 into RobotWebTools:develop

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings April 7, 2026 07:41

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of minggangw April 7, 2026 07:42 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Apr 7, 2026

View reviewed changes

minggangw requested a review from Copilot April 7, 2026 08:49

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of minggangw April 7, 2026 08:49 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Apr 7, 2026

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minggangw added 4 commits April 8, 2026 13:15

Raise Node.js Minimum to 20.20.2

de8bf9e

Address PR 1478 review comments

88fc296

Address comments

b509ca6

Pump node-gyp to latest

42ed23b

minggangw force-pushed the fix-1458-1 branch from b52e050 to 42ed23b Compare April 8, 2026 05:16

minggangw merged commit b83aa44 into RobotWebTools:develop Apr 8, 2026
16 checks passed

minggangw mentioned this pull request Apr 8, 2026

Roadmap: Prepare rclnodejs for ROS 2 Lyrical Luth #1458

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Raise Node.js Minimum to 20.20.2#1478

Raise Node.js Minimum to 20.20.2#1478
minggangw merged 4 commits intoRobotWebTools:developfrom
minggangw:fix-1458-1

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-    "prebuild": "prebuildify --napi --strip --target 20.20.2 --target electron@23.0.0 && node scripts/tag_prebuilds.js"
+    "prebuild:node": "npx rimraf ./prebuilds ./prebuilds-node && prebuildify --napi --strip --target 20.20.2 && node scripts/tag_prebuilds.js && node -e \"require('fs').renameSync('prebuilds', 'prebuilds-node')\"",
+    "prebuild:electron": "npx rimraf ./prebuilds ./prebuilds-electron && prebuildify --napi --strip --target electron@23.0.0 && node scripts/tag_prebuilds.js && node -e \"require('fs').renameSync('prebuilds', 'prebuilds-electron')\"",
+    "prebuild": "npm run prebuild:node && npm run prebuild:electron"

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