bindings

What is bindings?

The 'bindings' npm package is a utility that helps load compiled bindings for Node.js addons. It simplifies the process of including and distributing native C++ addons with Node.js modules by resolving the path to the compiled binary based on the current platform, architecture, and module version.

What are bindings's main functionalities?

Loading compiled bindings

This code demonstrates how to load a compiled Node.js addon using the 'bindings' package. The 'bindings' function is called with the name of the addon, and it returns the loaded module.

const bindings = require('bindings');
const addon = bindings('addon');

Other packages similar to bindings

node-gyp

node-gyp is a cross-platform command-line tool written in Node.js for compiling native addon modules for Node.js. It is similar to 'bindings' in that it deals with native addons, but node-gyp focuses on the build process, whereas 'bindings' focuses on loading the compiled binaries.

node-pre-gyp

node-pre-gyp is a tool that provides a way to publish and install Node.js C++ addons from binaries. It is similar to 'bindings' as it helps in managing native addon modules, but node-pre-gyp focuses on the installation of pre-compiled binaries, potentially avoiding the need for a build toolchain on the installing machine.

ffi-napi

ffi-napi is a Node.js addon for loading and calling dynamic libraries using pure JavaScript. It is similar to 'bindings' in that it allows interaction with native code, but ffi-napi uses foreign function interfaces to directly call into dynamic libraries, bypassing the need for compiled bindings.

nan

nan (Native Abstractions for Node.js) is a header file that wraps V8 and Node.js APIs, providing a set of tools for developing native addons. While 'bindings' helps in loading compiled modules, nan helps in writing the C++ code that is compatible with different versions of Node.js and V8.

README

node-bindings

Helper module for loading your native module's .node file

This is a helper module for authors of Node.js native addon modules. It is basically the "swiss army knife" of require()ing your native module's .node file.

Throughout the course of Node's native addon history, addons have ended up being compiled in a variety of different places, depending on which build tool and which version of node was used. To make matters worse, now the gyp build tool can produce either a Release or Debug build, each being built into different locations.

This module checks all the possible locations that a native addon would be built at, and returns the first one that loads successfully.

Installation

Install with npm:

$ npm install --save bindings

Or add it to the "dependencies" section of your package.json file.

Example

require()ing the proper bindings file for the current node version, platform and architecture is as simple as:

var bindings = require('bindings')('binding.node')

// Use your bindings defined in your C files
bindings.your_c_function()

Nice Error Output

When the .node file could not be loaded, node-bindings throws an Error with a nice error message telling you exactly what was tried. You can also check the err.tries Array property.

Error: Could not load the bindings file. Tried:
 → /Users/nrajlich/ref/build/binding.node
 → /Users/nrajlich/ref/build/Debug/binding.node
 → /Users/nrajlich/ref/build/Release/binding.node
 → /Users/nrajlich/ref/out/Debug/binding.node
 → /Users/nrajlich/ref/Debug/binding.node
 → /Users/nrajlich/ref/out/Release/binding.node
 → /Users/nrajlich/ref/Release/binding.node
 → /Users/nrajlich/ref/build/default/binding.node
 → /Users/nrajlich/ref/compiled/0.8.2/darwin/x64/binding.node
    at bindings (/Users/nrajlich/ref/node_modules/bindings/bindings.js:84:13)
    at Object.<anonymous> (/Users/nrajlich/ref/lib/ref.js:5:47)
    at Module._compile (module.js:449:26)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:467:10)
    at Module.load (module.js:356:32)
    at Function.Module._load (module.js:312:12)
    ...

The searching for the .node file will originate from the first directory in which has a package.json file is found.

License

(The MIT License)

Copyright (c) 2012 Nathan Rajlich <[e-mail]>

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the 'Software'), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED 'AS IS', WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.