Print a warning when used with Node versions other than v16.15.0

package.json

@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@
     "webpack-extract-translation-keys-plugin": "^6.0.0"
   },
   "scripts": {
+    "preinstall": "npm run hint",
     "postinstall": "patch-package && npm run copy-fonts",
     "build": "npm run hint build && webpack --config webpack/prod.config.js",
     "watch": "npm run hint watch && webpack-dev-server --config webpack/dev.server.js",

scripts/hints.js

@@ -35,7 +35,92 @@ if (hint) {
 }
 
 // Provide an auxiliary hint.
-if (process.env.SKIP_TS_CHECK) {
+const tsCheckAffects = ['build', 'watch', 'test', 'test-autobuild'];
+if (process.env.SKIP_TS_CHECK && tsCheckAffects.includes(hintName)) {
   //            bright red                           default
   console.warn('\u001b[91m' + hints.SKIP_TS_CHECK + '\u001b[0m');
 }
+
+/*
+  NPM VERSION WRANING
+
+  Issue a warning if not running with npm 8.5.5, since the errors
+  that you get if you run a different version are not very obvious.
+
+  - Help contributors who switched their Node version inadvertently.
+  - Support new contributors by printing more context / steps to remedy.
+  - Give the benefit of the doubt to developers who run a different node/npm
+    version on purpose. So, don't process.exit(1), even on npm install.
+
+  Show on preinstall. Since it's easy to miss there, also show it on other
+  run scripts such as 'watch'.
+*/
+const ok_node = 'v16.15.0';
+const ok_npm = '8.5.5';
+
+if (process.version !== ok_node) {
+  const blu = '\u001b[94m'; // bright blue
+  const yel = '\u001b[93m'; // bright yellow
+  const red = '\u001b[91m'; // bright red
+  const nrm = '\u001b[0m'; // reset to "normal"
+
+  console.warn(`${blu}
+  --------------------------------------------------------------`);
+
+  console.warn(`${yel}
+    Are you running the supported version of Node and npm?
+    ${nrm}
+      node ${ok_node},  npm@${ok_npm}  supported`);
+
+  // Let's be more helpful by running `npm --version` instead of making
+  // you do it.
+  let detectedNpm = '?';
+  try {
+    detectedNpm = require('child_process')
+      .execSync('npm --version')
+      .toString()
+      .trim();
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.warn(error.message);
+    console.warn(error.stderr.toString());
+    process.exit();
+  }
+  const wrongNpm = detectedNpm !== ok_npm;
+  const wrongNode = process.version !== ok_node;
+  console.warn(
+    `      node ${wrongNode ? yel : ''}${process.version}${nrm},  ${
+      wrongNpm ? red : ''
+    }npm@${detectedNpm}${nrm}  detected`
+  );
+
+  // Things might actually work OK on a mismatched Node version,
+  // but running the wrong npm version when installing packages is
+  // what causes the most problems.
+  if (wrongNpm) {
+    console.warn(`
+    Switch to a supported Node / npm version:
+
+      Use Node v16.15.0, which comes with npm@8.5.5
+         \`nvm use\` or \`fnm use\`
+
+      or \`npm install -g npm@8.5.5\`
+          to change npm for your current Node`);
+
+    console.warn(`${red}
+    If you've run \`npm install\` with an unsupported npm version,${nrm}
+    there may be changes in node_modules and package-lock.json
+
+      (1) Don't commit these changes to package-lock.json
+      (2) You may want to reset these changes and run
+          \`npm install\` again with 8.5.5
+    `);
+
+    // If you switch between Node projects and see this message often,
+    // consider configuring `fnm` to change your Node version on `cd`.
+    // More info: https://github.com/Schniz/fnm#shell-setup
+  }
+
+  console.warn(`${blu}
+  --------------------------------------------------------------
+  `);
+}