nstallation Failure on Node.js 26.x due to better-sqlite3 Native Build Errors

[MyriadColors]

What happened?

Markdown

Issue: Installation Failure on Node.js 26.x due to better-sqlite3 Native Build Errors

Environment

• OS: Windows 11 (via Scoop)
• Node.js Version: 26.3.1
• Package Version: @juliusbrussee/caveman-code (using better-sqlite3@11.10.0)

Description

Installation fails globally when npm attempts to compile the native dependency better-sqlite3@11.10.0. Node.js 26 introduces breaking changes to the internal V8 engine API, removing deprecated methods that the 11.x branch of better-sqlite3 relies on. Because no prebuilt binaries exist for this specific combination, node-gyp attempts a local compilation via MSVC, which rejects the source files.

Error Log Snippet

npm error C:<path_to_node_modules>@juliusbrussee\caveman-code\node_modules\better-sqlite3\build\src\util\binder.lzz(40,37): error C2039: 'GetPrototype': is not a member of 'v8::Object'
npm error C:<path_to_node_modules>@juliusbrussee\caveman-code\node_modules\better-sqlite3\build\src\better_sqlite3.lzz(68,34): error C2039: 'GetIsolate': is not a member of 'v8::Context'
npm error C:<path_to_node_modules>@juliusbrussee\caveman-code\node_modules\better-sqlite3\build\src\objects\database.lzz(416,89): error C2039: 'This': is not a member of 'v8::PropertyCallbackInfo[v8::Value](https://www.google.com/search?q=v8::Value)'
npm error gyp ERR! build error
npm error gyp ERR! stack Error: MSBuild.exe failed with exit code: 1

Suggested Resolution

Upstream maintainers fixed these V8 compilation errors in better-sqlite3 version 12.x. Please update the package.json dependency tree to require better-sqlite3 ^12.0.0 or higher to allow successful installation on modern Node.js environments.

Steps to reproduce

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install Node.js version 26.x on a Windows machine.
2. Open a terminal interface.
3. Run the following global installation command:

   npm install -g @juliusbrussee/caveman-code

4. Observe the native compilation phase triggering via node-gyp.
5. The process terminates with compilation errors similar to the provided log snippet.

Expected behavior

Expected Behavior

The package @juliusbrussee/caveman-code should install globally without compilation errors. The setup process should either fetch compatible prebuilt binaries for the active runtime or compile the native C++ components cleanly against modern Node.js versions without crashing on deprecated V8 internal methods.

Version

No response

[rijnb]

I believe I have a similar problem on Mac. Here's the output if the install command:

❯ npm install -g @juliusbrussee/caveman-code
npm warn deprecated prebuild-install@7.1.3: No longer maintained. Please contact the author of the relevant native addon; alternatives are available.
npm warn deprecated node-domexception@1.0.0: Use your platform's native DOMException instead
npm error code 1
npm error path /opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/@juliusbrussee/caveman-code/node_modules/better-sqlite3
npm error command failed
npm error command sh -c prebuild-install || node-gyp rebuild --release
npm error TOUCH 4292fa9a667d77b27488aa109b010a85bce8e4e7a1c7aa0370cea902395c3866.intermediate
npm error   ACTION deps_sqlite3_gyp_locate_sqlite3_target_copy_builtin_sqlite3 4292fa9a667d77b27488aa109b010a85bce8e4e7a1c7aa0370cea902395c3866.intermediate
npm error   TOUCH Release/obj.target/deps/locate_sqlite3.stamp
npm error   CC(target) Release/obj.target/sqlite3/gen/sqlite3/sqlite3.o
npm error   LIBTOOL-STATIC Release/sqlite3.a
npm error   CXX(target) Release/obj.target/better_sqlite3/src/better_sqlite3.o
npm error rm 4292fa9a667d77b27488aa109b010a85bce8e4e7a1c7aa0370cea902395c3866.intermediate
npm error prebuild-install warn install No prebuilt binaries found (target=26.3.0 runtime=node arch=arm64 libc= platform=darwin)
npm error gyp info it worked if it ends with ok
npm error gyp info using node-gyp@12.3.0
npm error gyp info using node@26.3.0 | darwin | arm64
npm error gyp info find Python using Python version 3.14.6 found at "/opt/homebrew/opt/python@3.14/bin/python3.14"
npm error gyp info spawn /opt/homebrew/opt/python@3.14/bin/python3.14
npm error gyp info spawn args [
npm error gyp info spawn args '/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/node-gyp/gyp/gyp_main.py',
npm error gyp info spawn args 'binding.gyp',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-f',
npm error gyp info spawn args 'make',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-I',
npm error gyp info spawn args '/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/@juliusbrussee/caveman-code/node_modules/better-sqlite3/build/config.gypi',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-I',
npm error gyp info spawn args '/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/node-gyp/addon.gypi',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-I',
npm error gyp info spawn args '/Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/common.gypi',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-Dlibrary=shared_library',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-Dvisibility=default',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-Dnode_root_dir=/Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-Dnode_gyp_dir=/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/node-gyp',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-Dnode_lib_file=/Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/<(target_arch)/node.lib',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-Dmodule_root_dir=/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/@juliusbrussee/caveman-code/node_modules/better-sqlite3',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-Dnode_engine=v8',
npm error gyp info spawn args '--depth=.',
npm error gyp info spawn args '--no-parallel',
npm error gyp info spawn args '--generator-output',
npm error gyp info spawn args 'build',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-Goutput_dir=.'
npm error gyp info spawn args ]
npm error gyp info spawn make
npm error gyp info spawn args [ 'BUILDTYPE=Release', '-C', 'build' ]
npm error ./src/util/binder.lzz:40:37: error: no member named 'GetPrototype' in 'v8::Object'; did you mean 'GetPrototypeV2'?
npm error    40 |                 v8::Local<v8::Value> proto = obj->GetPrototype();
npm error       |                                                   ^~~~~~~~~~~~
npm error       |                                                   GetPrototypeV2
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8-object.h:474:16: note: 'GetPrototypeV2' declared here
npm error   474 |   Local<Value> GetPrototypeV2();
npm error       |                ^
npm error ./src/util/binder.lzz:49:62: error: no member named 'GetPrototype' in 'v8::Object'; did you mean 'GetPrototypeV2'?
npm error    49 |                 v8::Local<v8::Value> baseProto = v8::Object::New(isolate)->GetPrototype();
npm error       |                                                                            ^~~~~~~~~~~~
npm error       |                                                                            GetPrototypeV2
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8-object.h:474:16: note: 'GetPrototypeV2' declared here
npm error   474 |   Local<Value> GetPrototypeV2();
npm error       |                ^
npm error ./src/better_sqlite3.lzz:67:1: warning: cast from 'void (*)(v8::Local<v8::Object>, v8::Local<v8::Value>, v8::Local<v8::Context>)' to 'node::addon_context_register_func' (aka 'void (*)(v8::Local<v8::Object>, v8::Local<v8::Value>, v8::Local<v8::Context>, void *)') converts to incompatible function type [-Wcast-function-type-mismatch]
npm error    67 | NODE_MODULE_INIT(/* exports, context */) {
npm error       | ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/node.h:1385:3: note: expanded from macro 'NODE_MODULE_INIT'
npm error  1385 |   NODE_MODULE_CONTEXT_AWARE(NODE_GYP_MODULE_NAME,                     \
npm error       |   ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
npm error  1386 |                             NODE_MODULE_INITIALIZER)                  \
npm error       |                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/node.h:1354:3: note: expanded from macro 'NODE_MODULE_CONTEXT_AWARE'
npm error  1354 |   NODE_MODULE_CONTEXT_AWARE_X(modname, regfunc, NULL, 0)
npm error       |   ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/node.h:1336:7: note: expanded from macro 'NODE_MODULE_CONTEXT_AWARE_X'
npm error  1336 |       (node::addon_context_register_func) (regfunc),                  \
npm error       |       ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
npm error ./src/better_sqlite3.lzz:68:34: error: no member named 'GetIsolate' in 'v8::Context'
npm error    68 |         v8::Isolate* isolate = context->GetIsolate();
npm error       |                                ~~~~~~~~~^
npm error ./src/better_sqlite3.lzz:73:47: warning: 'New' is deprecated: Use the version with the type tag. [-Wdeprecated-declarations]
npm error    73 |         v8::Local<v8::External> data = v8::External::New(isolate, addon);
npm error       |                                                      ^
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8-external.h:31:3: note: 'New' has been explicitly marked deprecated here
npm error    31 |   V8_DEPRECATED("Use the version with the type tag.")
npm error       |   ^
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8config.h:615:35: note: expanded from macro 'V8_DEPRECATED'
npm error   615 | # define V8_DEPRECATED(message) [[deprecated(message)]]
npm error       |                                   ^
npm error ./src/objects/database.lzz:160:106: warning: 'Value' is deprecated: Use the version with the type tag. [-Wdeprecated-declarations]
npm error   160 |                 Addon * addon = static_cast < Addon * > ( info . Data ( ) . As < v8 :: External > ( ) -> Value ( ) ) ;
npm error       |                                                                                                          ^
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8-external.h:54:3: note: 'Value' has been explicitly marked deprecated here
npm error    54 |   V8_DEPRECATED("Use the version with the type tag.")
npm error       |   ^
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8config.h:615:35: note: expanded from macro 'V8_DEPRECATED'
npm error   615 | # define V8_DEPRECATED(message) [[deprecated(message)]]
npm error       |                                   ^
npm error ./src/objects/database.lzz:180:21: warning: variable 'status' set but not used [-Wunused-but-set-variable]
npm error   180 |                 int status = sqlite3_db_config(db_handle, SQLITE_DBCONFIG_ENABLE_LOAD_EXTENSION, 1, NULL);
npm error       |                     ^
npm error ./src/objects/database.lzz:208:106: warning: 'Value' is deprecated: Use the version with the type tag. [-Wdeprecated-declarations]
npm error   208 |                 Addon * addon = static_cast < Addon * > ( info . Data ( ) . As < v8 :: External > ( ) -> Value ( ) ) ;
npm error       |                                                                                                          ^
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8-external.h:54:3: note: 'Value' has been explicitly marked deprecated here
npm error    54 |   V8_DEPRECATED("Use the version with the type tag.")
npm error       |   ^
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8config.h:615:35: note: expanded from macro 'V8_DEPRECATED'
npm error   615 | # define V8_DEPRECATED(message) [[deprecated(message)]]
npm error       |                                   ^
npm error ./src/objects/database.lzz:266:106: warning: 'Value' is deprecated: Use the version with the type tag. [-Wdeprecated-declarations]
npm error   266 |                 Addon * addon = static_cast < Addon * > ( info . Data ( ) . As < v8 :: External > ( ) -> Value ( ) ) ;
npm error       |                                                                                                          ^
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8-external.h:54:3: note: 'Value' has been explicitly marked deprecated here
npm error    54 |   V8_DEPRECATED("Use the version with the type tag.")
npm error       |   ^
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8config.h:615:35: note: expanded from macro 'V8_DEPRECATED'
npm error   615 | # define V8_DEPRECATED(message) [[deprecated(message)]]
npm error       |                                   ^
npm error ./src/objects/database.lzz:416:89: error: no member named 'This' in 'v8::PropertyCallbackInfo<v8::Value>'
npm error   416 |                 info.GetReturnValue().Set( node :: ObjectWrap :: Unwrap <Database>(info.This())->open);
npm error       |                                                                                    ~~~~ ^
npm error ./src/objects/database.lzz:420:77: error: no member named 'This' in 'v8::PropertyCallbackInfo<v8::Value>'
npm error   420 |                 Database* db = node :: ObjectWrap :: Unwrap <Database>(info.This());
npm error       |                                                                        ~~~~ ^
npm error ./src/objects/statement.lzz:86:106: warning: 'Value' is deprecated: Use the version with the type tag. [-Wdeprecated-declarations]
npm error    86 |                 Addon * addon = static_cast < Addon * > ( info . Data ( ) . As < v8 :: External > ( ) -> Value ( ) ) ;
npm error       |                                                                                                          ^
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8-external.h:54:3: note: 'Value' has been explicitly marked deprecated here
npm error    54 |   V8_DEPRECATED("Use the version with the type tag.")
npm error       |   ^
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8config.h:615:35: note: expanded from macro 'V8_DEPRECATED'
npm error   615 | # define V8_DEPRECATED(message) [[deprecated(message)]]
npm error       |                                   ^
npm error ./src/objects/statement.lzz:216:106: warning: 'Value' is deprecated: Use the version with the type tag. [-Wdeprecated-declarations]
npm error   216 |                 Addon * addon = static_cast < Addon * > ( info . Data ( ) . As < v8 :: External > ( ) -> Value ( ) ) ;
npm error       |                                                                                                          ^
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8-external.h:54:3: note: 'Value' has been explicitly marked deprecated here
npm error    54 |   V8_DEPRECATED("Use the version with the type tag.")
npm error       |   ^
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8config.h:615:35: note: expanded from macro 'V8_DEPRECATED'
npm error   615 | # define V8_DEPRECATED(message) [[deprecated(message)]]
npm error       |                                   ^
npm error ./src/objects/statement.lzz:322:81: error: no member named 'This' in 'v8::PropertyCallbackInfo<v8::Value>'
npm error   322 |                 Statement* stmt = node :: ObjectWrap :: Unwrap <Statement>(info.This());
npm error       |                                                                            ~~~~ ^
npm error ./src/objects/statement-iterator.lzz:39:106: warning: 'Value' is deprecated: Use the version with the type tag. [-Wdeprecated-declarations]
npm error    39 |                 Addon * addon = static_cast < Addon * > ( info . Data ( ) . As < v8 :: External > ( ) -> Value ( ) ) ;
npm error       |                                                                                                          ^
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8-external.h:54:3: note: 'Value' has been explicitly marked deprecated here
npm error    54 |   V8_DEPRECATED("Use the version with the type tag.")
npm error       |   ^
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8config.h:615:35: note: expanded from macro 'V8_DEPRECATED'
npm error   615 | # define V8_DEPRECATED(message) [[deprecated(message)]]
npm error       |                                   ^
npm error ./src/objects/backup.lzz:56:106: warning: 'Value' is deprecated: Use the version with the type tag. [-Wdeprecated-declarations]
npm error    56 |                 Addon * addon = static_cast < Addon * > ( info . Data ( ) . As < v8 :: External > ( ) -> Value ( ) ) ;
npm error       |                                                                                                          ^
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8-external.h:54:3: note: 'Value' has been explicitly marked deprecated here
npm error    54 |   V8_DEPRECATED("Use the version with the type tag.")
npm error       |   ^
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8config.h:615:35: note: expanded from macro 'V8_DEPRECATED'
npm error   615 | # define V8_DEPRECATED(message) [[deprecated(message)]]
npm error       |                                   ^
npm error ./src/util/custom-table.lzz:45:9: warning: missing field 'xIntegrity' initializer [-Wmissing-field-initializers]
npm error    45 |         };
npm error       |         ^
npm error ./src/util/custom-table.lzz:72:9: warning: missing field 'xIntegrity' initializer [-Wmissing-field-initializers]
npm error    72 |         };
npm error       |         ^
npm error ./src/better_sqlite3.lzz:37:90: warning: 'Value' is deprecated: Use the version with the type tag. [-Wdeprecated-declarations]
npm error    37 |                 static_cast < Addon * > ( info . Data ( ) . As < v8 :: External > ( ) -> Value ( ) ) ->SqliteError.Reset( info . GetIsolate ( ) , SqliteError);
npm error       |                                                                                          ^
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8-external.h:54:3: note: 'Value' has been explicitly marked deprecated here
npm error    54 |   V8_DEPRECATED("Use the version with the type tag.")
npm error       |   ^
npm error /Users/ribu/Library/Caches/node-gyp/26.3.0/include/node/v8config.h:615:35: note: expanded from macro 'V8_DEPRECATED'
npm error   615 | # define V8_DEPRECATED(message) [[deprecated(message)]]
npm error       |                                   ^
npm error 13 warnings and 6 errors generated.
npm error make: *** [Release/obj.target/better_sqlite3/src/better_sqlite3.o] Error 1
npm error gyp ERR! build error
npm error gyp ERR! stack Error: `make` failed with exit code: 2
npm error gyp ERR! stack at ChildProcess.<anonymous> (/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/node-gyp/lib/build.js:219:23)
npm error gyp ERR! System Darwin 25.5.0
npm error gyp ERR! command "/opt/homebrew/Cellar/node/26.3.0/bin/node" "/opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/node-gyp/bin/node-gyp.js" "rebuild" "--release"
npm error gyp ERR! cwd /opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/@juliusbrussee/caveman-code/node_modules/better-sqlite3
npm error gyp ERR! node -v v26.3.0
npm error gyp ERR! node-gyp -v v12.3.0
npm error gyp ERR! $npm_package_name better-sqlite3
npm error gyp ERR! $npm_package_version 11.10.0
npm error gyp ERR! not ok
npm error A complete log of this run can be found in: /Users/ribu/.npm/_logs/2026-06-24T07_20_57_173Z-debug-0.log

[mrbitrary]

Hi,

I encountered the same issue and resolved it by installing 'Visual Studio Build Tools'.

You can use winget to install, after that restart the terminal session and reinstall.

winget install --id=Microsoft.VisualStudio.BuildTools -e

Good luck!

Reference:

• https://winget.ragerworks.com/package/Microsoft.VisualStudio.BuildTools

[MyriadColors]

Hi,

I encountered the same issue and resolved it by installing 'Visual Studio Build Tools'.

You can use winget to install, after that restart the terminal session and reinstall.

winget install --id=Microsoft.VisualStudio.BuildTools -e

Good luck!

Reference:

• https://winget.ragerworks.com/package/Microsoft.VisualStudio.BuildTools

I believe this has fixed it for me, managed to install and utilize caveman-code without any issue.

Thanks for the tip.

The maintainers may close this issue down if they so wish.

[wiaikit]

This looks like a Node ABI / native prebuild problem first, and a Windows build-tools problem only after it falls back to source compilation.

I would check whether this fails only on Node 26 or also on an LTS line:

node -v
npm -v
npm ls better-sqlite3
node -p "process.versions.modules"

If Node 22 or 20 installs cleanly, the lowest-risk user workaround is probably to document the supported Node line instead of asking users to debug Visual Studio first.

If it also fails on LTS, the next useful detail is the first prebuild-install warning and the first gyp ERR! block.