JSON modules are being reverted on web

[guybedford]

See whatwg/html#4943, it appears this is due to lack of consensus between browsers based on a security concern. It does not seem to imply that they won't be implemented in future.

Given that we have erred on the side of web compatibility so far in the implementation, I would like to suggest we bring back the --experimental-json-modules flag for Node.js as we unflag modules to indicate the stability of the feature.

For example, were JSON modules to reland but with slightly different semantics (eg import json from './file.json' as json has been proposed or similar), then that keeps the door open for Node.js to be able to share in any new semantics.

[devsnek]

we don't have the security problem that the web has, I see no reason to destabilise it.

[ljharb]

I am also highly skeptical that any new syntax would gain consensus to indicate mime/module type.

[MylesBorins]

I think that while stakeholders from the web discuss the feature and figure out if it has a future it is reasonable for us to include the flag, for now. While it is not the most convenient we can use makeRequire to synchronously parse JSON from disk

[Fishrock123]

As far as I am aware, there is no precedent for re-experimental-flagging a feature. That may be Semver-Major.

[jkrems]

Does it change things that the unflagged feature is still behind --experimental-modules itself? E.g. it was never "fully" unflagged.

[MylesBorins]

I see no problem with re flagging this as the modules implementation itself is still behind a flag

…

On Mon, Oct 7, 2019, 3:06 PM Jan Olaf Krems ***@***.***> wrote: Does it change things that the unflagged feature is still behind --experimental-modules itself? E.g. it was never "fully" unflagged. — You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#391?email_source=notifications&email_token=AADZYV4V7ZBYJPVYL4PEAMDQNOCENA5CNFSM4I3PI57KYY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOEAROVUA#issuecomment-539159248>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AADZYV72LYT4N2FPLXJITHDQNOCENANCNFSM4I3PI57A> .

[guybedford]

The PR for Node.js core has been merged here. We can unflag or reconsider stability here at any time further.