[Buildroot] [v4 1/4] package/nodejs: Add node.js v0.12.5 and set as the default version

[Yann E. MORIN <yann.morin.1998@free.fr>]

MArtin, All,

On 2015-10-12 09:48 +0100, Martin Bark spake thusly:
> On 11 October 2015 at 20:25, Yann E. MORIN <yann.morin.1998@free.fr> wrote:
> > Martin, All,
> >
> > On 2015-07-02 10:43 +0100, Martin Bark spake thusly:
> >> The version of the V8 JavaScript engine used by node.js v0.12.5 requires
> >> at least an ARMv6 architecture with VFPv2.
> >
> > I'm trying to bump to node.js 4.1.2 and was wondering if that limitation
> > still exists in that version.
> 
> Yes I've been thinking about this too.  As far as i can tell v0.10.x
> was the last release to support ARMv5 due to changes in the V8
> JavaScript engine.  One thing i have been wondering is if we need to
> support multiple versions of node.js or just 4.1.x?  The node.js LTS
> working group here https://github.com/nodejs/LTS/ seems to say that
> 0.10.x and 0.12.x are still being maintained but supporting only the
> latest version would be simpler.  What do you think?

We currently have kept nodejs 0.10.x for backward compatibility with
armv5 or non-VFP CPUs, in parallel with 0.12.x for armv6+ with VFP CPUs.

> > I was able to sucessfully build for an arm926t (armv5) with a VFPv2 FPU.
> >
> > So:
> >   - is the failure a runtime failure or a build time one?
> 
> From memory it only show up at runtime as an illegal instruction.  I
> think i tested using qemu_arm_versatile_defconfig and a simple test
> like
> 
>     node -e 'console.log("hello world");'
> 
> >   - is armv6 really required, or can we just require VFPv2?
> 
> I went off this announcement for V8
> https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/v8-users/aSOFbaAQvMk where it
> states the minimum is now ARMv6 with VFPv2.  It was the no-VFPv2 port
> that was removed but i don't know if it also requires any ARMv6 or
> higher instructions.  The node.js configure script only seems to check
> form ARMv6 or ARMv7, see
> https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/master/configure#L616.  So i
> assume node.js and V8 need a minimum ARMv6 instruction set.

OK, so let's do as upstream wants it:

  - armv6 or above ir required
  - VFPv2 or above is required

Thanks! :-)

BTW, you can see my WIP patch there (moving target, the branch may get
rebased from time to time; handle with care! ;-) ):
    http://git.buildroot.org/~ymorin/git/buildroot/log/?h=yem/node

Regards,
Yann E. MORIN.

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