How to use Node.js as a prebuilt static library

[jlkiri]

Hi!
I'm trying to embed Node.js in my application (use its C++ API such as node::InitializeNodeWithArgs) and for that I want to build node as a static library. Apparently ./configure --enable-static --fully-static before build is what should do the job, but I'm lost in the output directory (out/Release) after my build succeeds. There is a libnode.a file but just copying it to my project does not work - I get a huge list of undefined reference errors, a lot of them are v8. I'm not very familiar with C/C++ build magic so I would appreciate an advice on how it can be done!

Alternatively, I wonder what is the recommended way to use the API like node::InitializeNodeWithArgs without a static build? Where should I put node?

[Trott]

@nodejs/embedders

[nick-thompson]

I'm hitting the same thing and curious about this as well, any new information? Thanks

[jlkiri]

@nick-thompson I eventually managed to statically link it with just the --enable-static option. At this point only macOS (still haven't figured it out on Windows but should be doable). I think it might be project specific - in orogene we're using it as a dependency in a Rust project. Here is the official example of main entrypoint which I used: https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/master/test/embedding/embedtest.cc

[nick-thompson]

Great, thanks for the update!