meta: Indicate compatible Node.js versions

[legobeat]

Indicate compatible and supported Node.js versions in package manifest via engines.node.

[paulmillr]

I don't think that's correct. We're likely supporting v16, v14, v12 etc.

Noble-hashes minimum is v16, but curves are usable without hashes. Esp if user brings their own hashes.

[legobeat]

I don't think that's correct. We're likely supporting v16, v14, v12 etc.

Noble-hashes minimum is v16, but curves are usable without hashes. Esp if user brings their own hashes.

Oh!

Do you agree that it would make sense to rewrite the tests to be runnable under these Node.js versions, then, so compatibility can be verified? Currently they contain syntax that make the test suite require 18+.

[legobeat]

• v16 compat seems straightforward: test node.js v16 runtime compatibility #153
• getRandomBytes depends on crypto.getRandomValues which is only available in Node.js >=v16, so for v12~v14 that means user has to polyfill / bring their own hashes like for React Native.

[paulmillr]

I don’t know how to test v14, because nodejs 14 on arm macs is unavailable.

We are falling back to built in nodejs crypto instead of less supported webcrypto AFAIR. Also there is no hard dependency on webcrypto in most places. Lib can be used without randomness.

Currently they contain syntax that make the test suite require 18+.

such as?

[legobeat]

We are falling back to built in nodejs crypto instead of less supported webcrypto AFAIR.

For consideration:

• legacy nodejs compatibility: getRandomBytes noble-hashes#94

[legobeat]

Currently they contain syntax that make the test suite require 18+.

such as?

The new syntax for loaders but that can be addressed!

• test node.js v16 runtime compatibility #153

I don’t know how to test v14, because nodejs 14 on arm macs is unavailable.

It looks like it should be doable now?

nodejs/node#40127
https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/main/BUILDING.md#platform-list

I guess in any case if that is a concern it might make sense to test macOS in CI also?

• ci: test on macOS #154

[legobeat]

@paulmillr Updated to indicate support also for v14, v16 (b69a8bb).

Indicating only support for at least latest patch releases for ^14.21.3 (2023-02-16) and ^16.20.2 (2023-08-08).

When attempting to run on Node.js v12, I get syntax error on the unsupported ?. syntax here. Looks like this syntax has been present since pre-1.0.0.

Is it worth it to fix support for v12? And in any case could be worth indicating what's currently expected to work? :)

[paulmillr]

1. Why is it useful to specify supported versions?
2. Why is it useful to specify it in curves in addition to hashes, which already specify it?

[paulmillr]

added manually