Node 12 vs 14

[paul-marechal]

@eclipse-theia/core

I came across feedback from VS Code extension developers targeting Node.js 14 having trouble with Theia since we are targeting Node.js 12. The gist is that VS Code now uses Electron 13.1.7 which embarks Node.js 14, meaning that the plugin host will also run on Node.js 14 so extensions can now use newer APIs which would fail in our Node.js 12 runtime.

This seems to indicate we should move the Node.js lower bound along with what VS Code uses?

If we want to still support older Node.js version, then we'd have to document how doing so might break VS Code extensions' expectations by using an older runtime?

See: rust-lang/rust-analyzer#10061

[vince-fugnitto]

I think it makes sense to update our lower bound to the active lts (node v14) to ensure we are compatible with vscode extensions which may make use of the newer APIs.

• vscode expectation

It is also the version we use when publishing builtins:

• https://github.com/eclipse-theia/vscode-builtin-extensions/blob/2a1e6d05d188bf70cad5c73a61a53a1c6b4b5fe6/.github/workflows/publish-vsx-latest.yml#L31-L33

In general I think it would always be ideal to support newer lts versions which provide critical fixes.

[bd82]

nodejs 12.x will soon reach EOL

are there plans to upgrade to 14/16 as the minimal version?

• https://github.com/eclipse-theia/theia/blob/master/doc/Developing.md#prerequisites

[paul-marechal]

@bd82 Node 14 and 16 both work as of now:

• Node 14 CI: https://github.com/eclipse-theia/theia/runs/5111442144?check_suite_focus=true
• Node 16 CI: https://github.com/eclipse-theia/theia/runs/5111442242?check_suite_focus=true

But to make it nicer we need #10722, without it you need to pass --ignore-engines flag to yarn, otherwise it will complain even though there's no actual issue.

[msujew]

@paul-marechal Given that we use Electron 15 now, and #10722 is resolved, should be bump our baseline of Node to 14? Perhaps at least as the recommended version in our documentation?