Chris Tate
7a7fd8ce1d
path.posix, path.win32 and the bare path module are one module object
each, the handle process.getBuiltinModule answers, so require('path/posix'),
path.posix and the target platform's bare path compare as Node's do, a
namespace beside other values in one slot is untyped, and path[family]
reads that object. Functions read through them take checked arguments:
each string parameter passes Node's validateString under its own name
(basename's suffix first), resolve validates paths[i] only as far as its
last-first walk reads them, parse answers an untyped { root, dir, base,
ext, name }, format follows _format over any object, and
toNamespacedPath answers a non-string as it is. A JavaScript call whose
arguments are not strings, or omit one, goes through the same checks.
Typed slots keep the typed function values.
path.win32.relative lowercases both resolved paths with
String.prototype.toLowerCase and walks them by UTF-16 unit, comparing
segments instead when lowercasing changed a length, as Node does. It
folded ASCII only, so a path with İ or Ⱥ in a different case gave a
longer relative path. The function moves into its own runtime unit,
scr_path_win32_relative.c, which links with the regex unit whose case
mapping it uses. scr_path.c stays free of it, so library and
cross-target builds that link the path functions without the regex unit
still link.
A JavaScript binding whose inferred type holds a union of functions and
arrays (a test table of [fn, cases] rows, or one destructured row) takes
the checked-dynamic kind that dynFallbackType gives the unmappable
spellings of such tables. Its rows keep their functions' names, and
for-of, forEach and destructuring read the items as untyped values.
TypeScript bindings keep their typed layout.
scriptc
scriptc compiles TypeScript and JavaScript to native executables and WebAssembly. It uses the types checked by the TypeScript compiler to generate machine code, and the output runs without Node.js installed. npm packages your program imports compile along with it. Code scriptc can't compile is reported at build time with a diagnostic and, where available, a rewrite hint.
scriptc is experimental and supports a subset of JavaScript, TypeScript, and Node.js APIs. Run scriptc coverage on an existing program to see how much of it compiles, and see the limitations and Node.js compatibility reference for details.
Installation
Install with Node.js 24 or later and npm:
$ npm install -g scriptc
The installed compiler runs natively on macOS, Linux, and Windows. Node.js is needed only to install it and to run WASI modules with scriptc run. Standalone compiler archives are also available from GitHub Releases.
Building executables requires a linker and the platform SDK or sysroot. See the quickstart for prerequisites and platform support for host requirements, cross-compilation, and WebAssembly.
Build a program
Create hello.ts:
const who = process.argv.length > 2 ? process.argv[2] : "world";
console.log(`hello, ${who}`);
scriptc run compiles the file and runs the result:
$ scriptc run hello.ts
hello, world
scriptc build writes an executable:
$ scriptc build hello.ts -o hello >/dev/null
$ ./hello scriptc
hello, scriptc
These examples use POSIX shell syntax. On Windows, build hello.exe and run it with .\hello.exe.
Use scriptc coverage hello.ts to check what compiles before you build. See coverage reports for details.
Use Node APIs
Supported Node APIs compile to the native runtime. For example, server.ts:
import { createServer } from "node:http";
const server = createServer((req, res) => {
res.setHeader("content-type", "application/json");
res.end(JSON.stringify({ path: req.url }));
});
server.listen(8080, () => {
console.log("listening on http://localhost:8080");
});
$ scriptc build server.ts -o server >/dev/null
$ ./server
listening on http://localhost:8080
Use npm packages
npm packages compile into the executable with your code, so it doesn't read node_modules at runtime.
Create cli.ts:
import pc from "picocolors";
console.log(pc.green("hello from scriptc"));
$ npm install picocolors
$ scriptc build cli.ts -o cli >/dev/null
$ ./cli
hello from scriptc
Package support is partial. See npm dependencies for which packages compile and how to check them.
Documentation
- Introduction: what scriptc is and what you can build.
- Quickstart: installation and your first executable.
- Coverage reports: check whether an existing program compiles.
- Platform support: cross-compilation and WebAssembly.
- CLI reference: commands, options, and output formats.
- Native program objects: use compiler output in external builds.
- Native FFI: call C ABI functions from compiled programs.
- WebAssembly modules: build and embed WASI modules.
- Examples: programs and integration examples in this repository.
Contributing
See CONTRIBUTING.md for source setup, testing, native artifact builds, and docs development.