DEV Community: Stjepan

How to Install Node.js from Source Code on GitHub

Stjepan — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 15:44:26 +0000

Recently, I needed to install a specific version of Node.js on a server that was locked down behind a strict firewall. The server only allowed access to GitHub and had the default apt build tools installed.

I couldn’t use version managers like nvm or add external repositories to install Node.js via apt. Additionally, the default Node.js version available through apt was outdated and didn’t meet my requirements.

Installing Node.js from source allows you to build the latest version or customize your build according to your needs. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for downloading, compiling, and installing Node.js from its GitHub repository.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:

Git: To clone the repository.
Python 3: Required for the build process.
C/C++ Compiler: Such as GCC or Clang on Unix systems, or Visual Studio on Windows.
Build Tools: make or ninja for Unix systems.

Steps

1. Install Build Dependencies

On macOS:

Install Homebrew if not already installed:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

-Install dependencies:

brew install git python3 gcc make

On Linux (Debian/Ubuntu):

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y git python3 build-essential

On Windows:

Install Git for Windows.
Install Python 3.
Install Visual Studio Community with C++ development tools.

2. Clone the Node.js Repository

git clone https://github.com/nodejs/node.git
cd node

3. Checkout a Specific Version (Optional)

List available versions:

git tag

Checkout a specific version (replace v16.6.0 with your desired version):

git checkout v20.18.0

4. Configure the Build

./configure

For customization options, run:

./configure --help

5. Compile the Source Code

On Unix Systems (macOS/Linux):

Use make to build:

make -j4

Replace 4 with the number of cores in your CPU for faster compilation.

On Windows:

Use the provided build script:

vcbuild.bat

For a 64-bit build:

vcbuild.bat x64

6. Install Node.js

On Unix Systems:

sudo make install

On Windows:

The build process creates an executable in the Release directory. You can add this directory to your PATH or move the executable to a preferred location.

7. Verify the Installation

Check the installed Node.js and npm versions:

node -v
npm -v

Additional Information

Updating the Source Code

To update your local repository with the latest changes:

git pull origin master

Cleaning Up Build Files

Before rebuilding, you may want to clean up previous build files:

make clean

Troubleshooting:

Ensure all dependencies are correctly installed.
Refer to the Node.js Building Guide for more detailed instructions.

Conclusion

You’ve successfully installed Node.js from the source code on GitHub. This approach gives you the flexibility to work with the latest features or customize your Node.js build.

Log 2 - Building my first SaaS

Stjepan — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 21:49:07 +0000

Yesterday I decided to build a web app for seniors. Today I'm thinking about product ideas.

Seniors like to talk about the past. They seem to enjoy remembering times when they were younger and back to when they were in their primes.

I believe that there are many untold stories from the past, stories that could tell us more about our communities and our ancestors.
I know that there are many content sharing platforms, but I have something more suitable in mind for this type of content.

Social networks are great for sharing content, but the price you pay for using them (private data) is high, and there is the fact that you lose control and ownership of shared content as soon you post.

Now I know that this is ambitious, and I don't stand a chance to do this globally, so maybe it would be better to start locally. My first goal is to find a local community (think: small village) and talk about this idea to see if they are interested.

Wikipedia can tell you all the facts about any place, but could it tell you about their customs when they celebrate a wedding or when a baby is born? What about exciting stories that are not historically important but fun, engaging, and can tell a lot about that community?

Not sure how this sounds to you but try to imagine a website where you can select the year from the past and see pictures, text, video or any form of media that tells stories from that year.

Or you can select a family that has lived in this place for generations and see their stories through history. Content could be in categories. So, for example, you can see how wedding ceremonies developed through time.

This is my side project, and it should be relatively easy to develop this product. I'm also thinking about open sourcing it so anyone can use it to create something similar for their local community.

I have a lot more to think about, for example, how to monetize and motivate seniors to share their stories, but these problems are for some next log! :)

I would love to hear what others think about this idea. It would help me a lot to get some input from others!

Log 1 - Building my first SaaS

Stjepan — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 08:47:04 +0000

Today on my to-do list is to choose customers for my first SaaS product.

While I keep my expectations low, I also want to use my skills to make someone happy.

So I decided to choose a group of underserved and often ignored people.

My customers will be...retired people!

They have time and money. I know what you think; they are older and don't use the web that much.

But I have seen with my own eyes how active they can be in Facebook groups when someone posts something that interests them!

They are here, and they want to be part of the community as the rest of us.

The goal of my first startup will be to make that happen!

I have a target audience and goal; next on the to-do list is to develop some ideas!

Do you have some ideas? Can you share and help me?

How I can make this world better place using my programming skills?

Stjepan — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 21:16:58 +0000

It is a simple question, and I want to hear your advice.