nodejs/node

Simplify vm.Module

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#43899 opened on Jul 19, 2022

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Description

One thing that comes up in user feedback about the vm.Module API is that it requires excessive boilerplate, as you can see in the example in the docs: https://nodejs.org/api/vm.html#class-vmmodule. I think that most users want a straightforward ESM equivalent to vm.Script, without needing to define a context or a custom function for linking; the default should be to link modules as Node itself normally does. See also https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/43288#issuecomment-1144112887.

Contributor guide

Tech stack
javascriptnodejs
Domain
backenddeveloper experience
Issue type
feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
4
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-2 days
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
stale
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
mostly clear
Prerequisites
Familiarity with Node.js vm moduleUnderstanding of ESM in Node.jsKnowledge of Node.js internals
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
40
Research direction
Investigate the current vm.Module API implementation and its usage patterns. Refer to the linked issue #43288 for additional context on user feedback. The goal is to simplify the API so that the default behavior automatically links modules like Node.js normally does, reducing boilerplate. Explore potential changes to the Module constructor and linking mechanism to achieve this without breaking existing functionality.