meta-nodejs

OpenEmbedded layer for latest stable Node.js releases.

Node.js versions

Stable releases of Node.js:

• 5.x
• 4.x (LTS)
• 0.12.x (LTS)
• 0.10.x
• 0.8.x

Node.js Long Term Support Release Schedule

Available Packages

• nodejs
• nodejs-npm
• nodejs-dtrace
• nodejs-systemtap
• nodejs-wafadmin (only with Node.js 0.8)

Installation

Layer installation varies depending on your OpenEmbedded distribution. These instructions are generic.

1. Fetch meta-nodejs layer from https://github.com/imyller/meta-nodejs.git

2. Add meta-nodejs layer to EXTRALAYERS in conf/bblayers.conf. For example:

   	EXTRALAYERS +=" \
   		${TOPDIR}/sources/meta-nodejs \
   	"

Usage

Building Node Packages

To build latest stable Node.js package:

	bitbake nodejs

Node.js as a dependency

Add Node.js as a dependency in recipe with RDEPENDS (for runtime) or DEPENDS (for build):

	DEPENDS += " nodejs"
	RDEPENDS_${PN} += " nodejs"

npm install buildable recipes

Inherit npm-install build task classes in your recipe. This will automatically add node to your RDEPENDS_${PN} and node-native to DEPENDS.

Bitbake classes

meta-nodejs layer adds few Node.js related helper classes.

npm class

npm class defines following functions:

• oe_runnpm: call cross-compiling npm
• oe_runnpm_native: call native-compiling npm

For example:

  inherit npm

  do_install() {
	oe_runnpm install     # Installs dependencies defined in package.json
  }

Variables

• NPM_FLAGS: Extra command line arguments for npm calls made by oe_runnpm()
• NPM_ARCH: Override npm target architecture (defaults to TARGET_ARCH)
• NPM_REGISTRY: override npm registry URL

npm-install class

npm-install class inherits npm class and adds following build tasks (listed in their run order):

• npm_install: runs npm install in source directory
• npm_shrinkwrap: runs npm shrinkwrap in source directory
• npm_dedupe: runs npm dedupe in source directory

You can disable one or more of these build tasks in the recipe with do_<taskname>[noexec] = "1":

  do_npm_shrinkwrap[noexec] = "1"

Variables

• NPM_INSTALL_FLAGS: Extra command line arguments for npm calls made in npm_install task
• NPM_INSTALL: Parameters for npm install command (such as specific package names)

npm-install-global class

npm-install-global class inherits npm class and installs the selected package globally. This is done in the do_install task of the class.

Variables

• NPM_INSTALL_FLAGS: Extra command line arguments for npm calls made in do_install and do_configure task

grunt class

grunt can build a package that is based on grunt. First it will do an npm install during the do_configure task to make sure all dependencies are available. Then it runs grunt with the default target during the do_compile task.

It defines the following functions:

• oe_rungrunt: call grunt

Variables

• NPM_INSTALL_FLAGS: Extra command line arguments for npm calls made in do_configure task
• GRUNT_TARGET: The grunt target to run. (default: "")

gulp class

gulp can build a package that is based on gulp. First it will do an npm install during the do_configure task to make sure all dependencies are available. Then it runs gulp with the default target during the do_compile task.

It defines the following functions:

• oe_rungulp: call gulp

Variables

• NPM_INSTALL_FLAGS: Extra command line arguments for npm calls made in do_configure task
• GULP_TARGET: The gulp target to run. (default: "")

bower class

bower is a package manager for web applications front-end dependencies: bower.io

bower class defines following functions:

• oe_runbower: call bower command line utility

Variables

• BOWER: bower command line utility (default: bower)
• BOWER_FLAGS: Extra command line arguments for bower calls made by oe_runbower()
• BOWER_REGISTRY: override Bower registry URL

bower-install class

Suppose a web application has front-end dependencies which are listed in the file bower.json. In this case the web application recipe can auto-install all those dependencies during yocto build by inheriting bower-install class.

bower-install class inherits bower class and adds following build tasks:

• bower_install: runs bower install in source directory after do_npm_dedupe and before do_install

Note that front-end dependencies are auto-installed into build directory. They have to be explicitely copied into target image in do_install or do_install_append. Here is a simple example of web application recipe with nodejs and bower dependencies:

SUMMARY = "simple web application with JS front-end dependencies listed in bower.json"
LICENSE = "MIT"
LIC_FILES_CHKSUM = "file://${COREBASE}/LICENSE;md5=4d92cd373abda3937c2bc47fbc49d690"

SRCREV = "${AUTOREV}"

PR = "r0"
PV = "0.0.1+git${SRCPV}"

SRC_URI = "git://webapp.example.org/test.git;branch=master;protocol=ssh"

inherit bower-install

S = "${WORKDIR}/git"

do_install () {
	install -d ${D}/www/test/public
	cp -r ${S}/bower_components ${D}/www/test/public/
}

Variables

• BOWER_INSTALL: Parameters for bower install command (such as specific package names)
• BOWER_INSTALL_FLAGS: Extra command line arguments for bower calls made in bower_install task