Node.

js Compiler
Minqi Pan
I’m Minqi Pan
one of Node.js Collaborators
before Node.js Compiler
 Slow Installation
• “npm install fengdie” took 2m12.560s

• Great-Wall’ed in China

• Remembered to use npm -g with sudo?

 Too much complexities
• “Should I care about those WARN’s?”

• “or should I not?”

 Node.js Runtime?
• Making sure your user used the correct Node.js

• Could multiple Node.js versions co-exist?

• Wish to use ECMAScript 2017?

after Node.js Compiler
How to Compile
How it Works
 Introducing
/__enclose_io_memfs__

a “mounted” disk in RAM for your project

 Basic Idea

System calls on paths starting with


/__enclose_io_memfs__

are redirected to the RAM while others to the FS
/__enclose_io_memfs__/… others

Image Curtesy: Evan-Amos

But there are so many API’s

• require, require.resolve

• fs.readFile, fs.readFileSync, fs.ReadStream

• fs.readlink, fs.stat, fs.statSync, fs.readlinkSync

• …
Yet we did this in 8 files only
That’s because…

Node.js Compiler
https://github.com/pmq20/node-compiler

libsquash
https://github.com/pmq20/libsquash
Introducing SquashFS
 SquashFS

• a compressed read-only file system

• used by the Live CD versions of Arch

Linux, Debian, Fedora, Gentoo, Mint,
Salix, Ubuntu

• used on OpenWrt and DD-WRT router

firmware
 fengdie’s

node_modules/
148M

fengdie.squashfs
16M
 SquashFS

• Introduced in 2009 with Linux 2.6.29

• File format very stabilized

• Unsquashfs and mksquashfs have win32 ports;

7-Zip on win32 also supports SquashFS

• Part of kernel; GPL Licensed

Introducing libsquash
 libsquash
• MIT licensed
libsquash • Super embeddable
https://github.com/pmq20/libsquash
• 1 dependency only, which
could be statically linked

• Compiles on 3 platforms, even

Windows XP with VC++ 2010

• Introduces VFD - virtual file

descriptor, intercepting
system calls unobtrusively
API of libsuqash
mirroring system calls
Virtual File Descriptor
generated by a duplicating file descriptor 0
Use libsquash unobtrusively
Just include a header and it’s done!
Use libsquash unobtrusively
Win32 API works as well
Hard-code an Entrance
 node ~/fengdie/bin/cli.js

./fengdie

(argv[1] preset to /__enclose_io_memfs__/bin/cli.js)

fengdie/*
 mksquashfs

fengdie.squashfs

fengdie/*
 fengdie.squashfs

fengdie/* libsquash compile

 fengdie.squashfs

fengdie/* libsquash

Node.js Runtime compile

 fengdie.squashfs

fengdie/* libsquash

Node.js Runtime
 fengdie.squashfs

fengdie/* libsquash

Node.js Runtime
 Statically Link

fengdie.squashfs

fengdie/* libsquash fengdie.exe

Node.js Runtime

Statically Link
 Statically Link

fengdie.squashfs

fengdie/* libsquash fengdie.exe

Node.js Runtime

Statically Link
Distribute and Enjoy

fengdie.exe
Download & Install
nodec is also enclosed
Operating Download Link
Architecture
System

https://sourceforge.net/projects/
Windows x86 node-compiler/files/v0.9.4/
nodec.exe/download
https://sourceforge.net/projects/
macOS x86-64 node-compiler/files/v0.9.4/nodec-
darwin-x64/download
https://sourceforge.net/projects/
Linux x86-64 node-compiler/files/v0.9.4/nodec-
linux-x64/download
 Install on Windows
• SquashFS Tools 4.3

• Python 2.6 or 2.7

• Visual Studio 2015 Update 3, all editions including

the Community edition (remember to select
"Common Tools for Visual C++ 2015" feature
during installation).

• Then download the executable nodec.exe and run

it from the VC++ or VS Command Prompt.
 Install on macOS

• SquashFS Tools 4.3: brew install squashfs

• Xcode + Command Line Tools

• Python 2.6 or 2.7

• GNU Make 3.81 or newer

 Install on macOS

• curl -L https://sourceforge.net/projects/node-
compiler/files/v0.9.4/nodec-darwin-x64/
download > nodec

• chmod +x nodec

• ./nodec
 Install on Linux
• SquashFS Tools 4.3

• gcc and g++ 4.8 or newer, or

• clang and clang++ 3.4 or newer

• Python 2.6 or 2.7

• GNU Make 3.81 or newer

 Install on Linux

• curl -L https://sourceforge.net/projects/node-
compiler/files/v0.9.4/nodec-linux-x64/download
> nodec

• chmod +x nodec

• ./nodec
Licensing
Commercial-license-free
Proprietary-license-free
GPL-free
Super Redistributable

libsquash MIT

Node.js MIT

libuv MIT

v8 BSD
Super Redistributable

zlib zlib License

Apache

openssl
4-clause BSD

HTTP Parser MIT

c-ares MIT
Applications
Quicker Install / Upgrade

• Quicker upgrading embedded node.js

applications / plugins

• Quicker upgrading embedded node.js

applications / plugins

• E.g. fengdie inside the Tea IDE

Enabling Node.js Developers

• Build softwares instead of modules

• Distribute to non-technical users

• Merchandise by building personal / enterprise

softwares
 Code Protection

• Enable code signing for the entire application;

guarantee not being altered or corrupted

• Prevent hacking by users modifying exposed

Javascript source code

• Applicable to NW.js applications (DingTalk) and

Electron applications (Tea)
Tips
Use --tmpdir=/a/fixed/location
 Use CentOS release 5.8

with gcc and g++ 4.8

(possibly from devtoolset-2 of slc5-devtoolset)
 Use Windows

with a big Virtual Memory
 Check dependencies using
Dependency Walker, otool, ldd

before releasing
https://github.com/pmq20/node-compiler

Thank You