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1# Node.js {#node.js}
2
3The `pkgs/development/node-packages` folder contains a generated collection of
4[NPM packages](https://npmjs.com/) that can be installed with the Nix package
5manager.
6
7As a rule of thumb, the package set should only provide *end user* software
8packages, such as command-line utilities. Libraries should only be added to the
9package set if there is a non-NPM package that requires it.
10
11When it is desired to use NPM libraries in a development project, use the
12`node2nix` generator directly on the `package.json` configuration file of the
13project.
14
15The package set provides support for the official stable Node.js versions.
16The latest stable LTS release in `nodePackages`, as well as the latest stable
17Current release in `nodePackages_latest`.
18
19If your package uses native addons, you need to examine what kind of native
20build system it uses. Here are some examples:
21
22* `node-gyp`
23* `node-gyp-builder`
24* `node-pre-gyp`
25
26After you have identified the correct system, you need to override your package
27expression while adding in build system as a build input. For example, `dat`
28requires `node-gyp-build`, so [we override](https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/32f5e5da4a1b3f0595527f5195ac3a91451e9b56/pkgs/development/node-packages/default.nix#L37-L40) its expression in [`default.nix`](https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/master/pkgs/development/node-packages/default.nix):
29
30```nix
31 dat = super.dat.override {
32 buildInputs = [ self.node-gyp-build pkgs.libtool pkgs.autoconf pkgs.automake ];
33 meta.broken = since "12";
34 };
35```
36
37To add a package from NPM to nixpkgs:
38
39 1. Modify `pkgs/development/node-packages/node-packages.json` to add, update
40 or remove package entries to have it included in `nodePackages` and
41 `nodePackages_latest`.
42 2. Run the script: `(cd pkgs/development/node-packages && ./generate.sh)`.
43 3. Build your new package to test your changes:
44 `cd /path/to/nixpkgs && nix-build -A nodePackages.<new-or-updated-package>`.
45 To build against the latest stable Current Node.js version (e.g. 14.x):
46 `nix-build -A nodePackages_latest.<new-or-updated-package>`
47 4. Add and commit all modified and generated files.
48
49For more information about the generation process, consult the
50[README.md](https://github.com/svanderburg/node2nix) file of the `node2nix`
51tool.