Node.js API cleanup ideas for feedback

[brody4hire]

• Version: 6.9.1/7.2.0/general
• Platform: UNIX/general
• Subsystem: src (general)

Considering that the node.h header is exported for both addons and embedders I see a few things that could be improved:

• Do not include node_internals.h (PR coming node.h [API] cleanup: remove node_internals.h & extra dependencies from node.h #9767)
• Cleanup or remove lines to define size_t/ssize_t for UNIX/Windows (node.h#L167-L176). Ideal may be node-specific size typedefs. Any other ideas @tjfontaine? (now part of PR node.h [API] cleanup: remove node_internals.h & extra dependencies from node.h #9767)_

Will discuss the remaining ideas elsewhere (related to nodejs/api#31):

• Break node.h into the smaller parts such as:
  • API for addons
  • external API for embedder(s)
  • type definitions

Other ideas:

• Keep the definition of node_module internal
• C API for Node embedders

I would be happy to submit PRs for whatever ideas may be desired by the community.

[Fishrock123]

C API for Node embedders

Please see nodejs/api#31 :)

[Fishrock123]

cc @nodejs/api @nodejs/addon-api

[bnoordhuis]

Cleanup or remove lines to define size_t/ssize_t for UNIX/Windows [...] Ideal may be node-specific size typedefs.

I think we can simply replace that with a #include <stddef.h> because it's a workaround for old Visual Studio versions that we no longer support. No need for custom typedefs.

Keep the definition of node_module internal

Can you go into more detail?

[brody4hire]

Keep the definition of node_module internal
Can you go into more detail?

See PR #9767

replace that with a #include <stddef.h>

node.h includes v8.h which in turn includes stddef.h - PR #9767 is now updated to take the lines out - I hope this is good enough.

C API for Node embedders
Please see nodejs/api#31 :)

Thanks @Fishrock123!

Fixes are in PR #9767, other changes will be discussed in API/EPS issues. Closing this one, looking forward to getting #9767 reviewed.