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node-api: segregate nogc APIs from rest via type system
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adding-new-napi-api.md

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Contributing a new API to Node-API

Node-API is the next-generation ABI-stable API for native addons. While improving the API surface is encouraged and welcomed, the following are a set of principles and guidelines to keep in mind while adding a new Node-API.

  • A new API must adhere to Node-API API shape and spirit.
    • Must be a C API.
    • Must not throw exceptions.
    • Must return napi_status.
    • Should consume napi_env.
    • Must operate only on primitive data types, pointers to primitive data types or opaque handles.
    • Must be a necessary API and not a nice to have. Convenience APIs belong in node-addon-api.
    • Must not change the signature of an existing Node-API API or break ABI compatibility with other versions of Node.js.
  • New API should be agnostic towards the underlying JavaScript VM.
  • New API PRs must have a corresponding documentation update.
  • New API PRs must be tagged as node-api.
  • There must be at least one test case showing how to use the API.
  • There should be at least one test case per interesting use of the API.
  • There should be a sample provided that operates in a realistic way (operating how a real addon would be written).
  • A new API should be discussed at the Node-API team meeting.
  • A new API addition must be signed off by at least two members of the Node-API team.
  • A new API addition should be simultaneously implemented in at least one other VM implementation of Node.js.
  • A new API must be considered experimental for at least one minor version release of Node.js before it can be considered for promotion out of experimental.
    • Experimental APIs must be documented as such.
    • Experimental APIs must require an explicit compile-time flag (#define) to be set to opt-in.
    • A feature flag of the form NODE_API_EXPERIMENTAL_HAS_<FEATURE> must be added with each experimental feature in order to allow code to distinguish between experimental features as present in one version of Node.js versus another.
    • Experimental APIs must be considered for backport.
    • Experimental status exit criteria must involve at least the following:
      • A new PR must be opened in nodejs/node to remove experimental status. This PR must be tagged as node-api and semver-minor.
      • Exiting an API from experimental must be signed off by the team.
      • If a backport is merited, an API must have a down-level implementation.
      • The API should be used by a published real-world module. Use of the API by a real-world published module will contribute favorably to the decision to take an API out of experimental status.
      • The API must be implemented in a Node.js implementation with an alternate VM.

Since the adoption of the policy whereby moving to a later version of Node-API from an earlier version may entail rework of existing code, it is possible to introduce modifications to already-released Node-APIs, as long as the modifications affect neither the ABI nor the API of earlier versions. Such modifications must be accompanied by an opt-out flag. This provides add-on maintainers who take advantage of the initial compile-time flag to track impending changes to Node-API with

  • a quick fix to the breakage caused,
  • a notification that such breakage is impending, and thus
  • a buffer to adoption above and beyond the one provided by the initial compile-time flag.