boxednode

📦 boxednode – Ship a JS file with Node.js in a box

Take

1. A JavaScript file
2. Node.js

and pack them up as a single binary.

For example:

$ cat example.js
console.log('Hello, world!');
$ boxednode -s example.js -t example
$ ./example
Hello, world!

CLI usage

Options:
      --version       Show version number                              [boolean]
  -c, --clean         Clean up temporary directory after success       [boolean]
  -s, --source        Source .js file                        [string] [required]
  -t, --target        Target executable file                 [string] [required]
  -n, --node-version  Node.js version or semver version range
                                                         [string] [default: "*"]
      --tmpdir        Temporary directory for compiling Node.js source  [string]
      --help          Show help                                        [boolean]

Programmatic API

type CompilationOptions = {
  // Single Node.js version or semver range to pick from
  nodeVersionRange: string;

  // Optional temporary directory for storing and compiling Node.js source
  tmpdir?: string;

  // A single .js file that serves as the entry point for the generated binary
  sourceFile: string;

  // The file path to the target binary
  targetFile: string;

  // If true, remove the temporary directory created earlier when done
  clean?: boolean;
};

export function compileJSFileAsBinary(options: CompilationOptions);

Why this solution

We needed a simple and reliable way to create shippable binaries from a source file.

Unlike others, this solution:

• Works for Node.js v12.x and above, without being tied to specific versions
• Uses only officially supported, stable Node.js APIs
• Creates binaries that are not bloated with extra features
• Creates binaries that can be signed and notarized on macOS

Prerequisites

This package compiles Node.js from source. See the Node.js BUILDING.md file for a complete list of tools that may be necessary.

Not supported

• Native addons
• Multiple JS files

Similar projects

• pkg
• nexe

License

Apache-2.0