Build
- Node.js course
- Expert
- Lesson 11/47
- 5 min
Learn to build native addons with node-gyp.
Build (node-gyp)
Native addons must be compiled; node-gyp is the tool that does it. The binding.gyp file defines the target, source files and compile flags. The node-gyp build command takes these and produces a .node file.
A buildConfig(target) function models this structure: it returns the target, source files and flags. Example: buildConfig('linux') returns {target: 'linux', sources: ['addon.cc'], flags: '-std=c++17'}. .sources.join(',') turns the source list into a string. The output is linux: addon.cc. This is a simple model of node-gyp's build configuration; the real binding.gyp is in JSON format but the structure is the same: target, sources, flags.
Source files
An addon is compiled from one or more C++ source files. The sources array lists these files. buildConfig('linux').sources returns ['addon.cc']. .join(',') turns it into a string.
Example: const cfg = buildConfig('linux'). cfg.target is 'linux', cfg.sources is ['addon.cc'], cfg.flags is '-std=c++17'. console.log(cfg.target + ': ' + cfg.sources.join(',')) prints linux: addon.cc. With multiple sources it would be ['addon.cc', 'utils.cc'] and join would give addon.cc,utils.cc. node-gyp takes this list, compiles each file, then links them. This model summarizes the build target in a single object.
Practice Write the build configuration
Write function buildConfig(target). Return {target: target, sources: ['addon.cc'], flags: '-std=c++17'}. Define const cfg = buildConfig('linux'). Print console.log(cfg.target + ': ' + cfg.sources.join(',')).
Starter code
// Write a buildConfig function
// Return target, source files and flags
// Call with 'linux', print as 'target: sources'
// write hereSample solution
function buildConfig(target) {
return {target: target, sources: ['addon.cc'], flags: '-std=c++17'};
}
const cfg = buildConfig('linux');
console.log(cfg.target + ': ' + cfg.sources.join(','));Expected output
linux: addon.cc
Questions and answers
Review the lesson questions together with their answers. To test yourself, solve the lesson interactively.
1 Complete the flags value
return {target: target, sources: ['addon.cc'], ____: '-std=c++17'};return {target: target, sources: ['addon.cc'], flags: '-std=c++17'};Explanation: flags carries the compile flags.
2 Match each concept to its description
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
node-gyp |
Build tool |
binding.gyp |
Build configuration |
sources |
C++ file list |
.node |
Compiled addon file |
3 What does buildConfig('linux').sources return?
buildConfig('linux').sources- 'linux'
- 'addon.cc'
- '-std=c++17'
- ['addon.cc'] Correct answer
Explanation: sources is an array: ['addon.cc'].