macos Runner Version: 20230921.1 -> Version: 20231029.1 broke nodejs/npm binary builds

[Apollon77]

Describe the bug
We run tests in macos for our node.js project wjhich builds noble/bleno that are packages that contain binary build parts.

The last successfull build on 2.11.2023 used the Runner version 20230921.1 (https://github.com/project-chip/matter.js/actions/runs/6731809966/job/18297354982) ... the next try on 4.11.2023 which used the new runner version 20231029.2 (https://github.com/project-chip/matter.js/actions/runs/6752185901/job/18362873543) is failing.

I also tried to compare the content of this macos-12 runner versions but the "old" one gives a 404 when calling the URL with the details.

I can only say for now that it is reliable failing.
To Reproduce
see above

Expected behavior
The build should still work as before :-)

I also verified that there is no update of the affected libraries. The only changes between the two "nightly" runs is the runner version (and the application version - but changes there also did not affected the build).

Runner Version and Platform

Version of your runner?

OS of the machine running the runner?
OSX

What's not working?

npm build of binary parts do not proceed. I will now add more details that we can see what npm has issues with next night.

see following comments go reason and potential solutions.

[Apollon77]

My assumption is the following: it seems the runner image upgraded python to 3.12 and we now run into node-gyp maybe being not also updated because of nodejs/node-gyp#2869 seems node-gyp 0.16.1 is needed. I will know more in some hours and can also verify the upgrade.

When I see lukas-w/lmms@620cd3e then npm might needed to be upgraded to 10.2.2 at least.

[Apollon77]

Ok verified … python upgrade and old node-gyp is the reason https://github.com/project-chip/matter.js/actions/runs/6766663342/job/18388141243#step:3:208

solution: upgrade npm (which would mean to go out of sync with nodejs-to-npm) or upgrade node-gyp alone. I will verify that solution next.

[Apollon77]

In fact I tried around a lot and I was not finding a good way to just upgrade node-gyp - at least no generic way :(

[Apollon77]

According to nodejs/Release#884 (comment) the "next" Nodejs 18 and 20 will get an updated npm version included

[Bilb]

Hey, I am having the same issue. It seems that the python 3.12 is only the default, but others are available on macos 11 https://github.com/actions/runner-images/blob/main/images/macos/macos-11-Readme.md

I am giving this change a try

    - uses: actions/setup-python@v4
      with:
        python-version: '3.11'

[Bilb]

seems to pass on my project

[Apollon77]

I agree that this works as a workaround

[ruvceskistefan]

According to nodejs/Release#884 (comment) the "next" Nodejs 18 and 20 will get an updated npm version included

Is it ok to close this issue, since NodeJS is closed?