Consider running llmlake under Node (keep writing Bun, ship a Node-runnable build)

Start by reviewing the Bun-specific entry points named in build.ts, build-one.ts, status.ts, parse-session.ts, sync-pricing.ts, and collect.ts, then compare the four candidate approaches against the stated contributor and user goals. Done means the repository has a clear decision about Node support versus a standalone binary, with the runtime and DuckDB prerequisites accounted for.

Context

Today llmlake is Bun-only. Every *.ts entry point has a #!/usr/bin/env bun shebang and the llmlake dispatcher runs them with bun run. The shebang itself isn't the blocker — the scripts use Bun-native globals that simply don't exist in Node, so they'd throw Bun is not defined under node.

This issue is to consider whether we want a path to run under Node (lower barrier for contributors/users who don't have Bun), ideally without giving up writing Bun-style source.

What's Bun-specific today

The surface is small and well-contained:

• Bun.spawn / Bun.spawnSync — duckdb processes (build.ts, build-one.ts, status.ts)
• Bun.file(...).text() / .size — reading session/query files (parse-session.ts, build.ts, status.ts, sync-pricing.ts)
• Bun.write — writing parquet temp JSON / pricing (build.ts, sync-pricing.ts)
• Bun.Glob(...).scan(...) — finding jsonl files (parse-session.ts, build.ts)
• Bun.hash — row ids (parse-session.ts)
• Bun.$ shell — running collect scripts (collect.ts)
• import.meta.dir — script-relative paths (most files; Node spells this import.meta.dirname)
• navigator.hardwareConcurrency — build concurrency default (build.ts)

Candidate approaches

1. Do nothing (status quo). Keep Bun as the documented prerequisite. It's a local dev tool and Bun install is one line. Lowest effort; this issue may just close as "won't do".

2. Ship a standalone binary via bun build --compile. Bundles the Bun runtime into a single executable — users need neither Bun nor Node. Doesn't make it "run on Node" but solves the underlying "I don't have Bun" pain. Cost: per-platform builds + a release step.

3. Bundle for a Node target + a thin Bun shim. Build with bun build --target=node (or esbuild) and provide a small compatibility module mapping the APIs above onto Node built-ins:

   • Bun.spawn/spawnSync → node:child_process
   • Bun.file().text()/.size → node:fs/promises
   • Bun.write → node:fs/promises
   • Bun.Glob().scan → node:fs glob / fast-glob
   • Bun.hash → node:crypto
   • Bun.$ → node:child_process (or drop in favor of plain spawns)
   • import.meta.dir → import.meta.dirname
   • navigator.hardwareConcurrency → node:os cpus().length

   Keeps the source Bun-flavored; the shim absorbs the difference. This is the "keep writing Bun but compile to Node" path.

4. Refactor the Bun surface behind an internal runtime.ts with two implementations (Bun-native + Node) chosen at load. Cleaner than scattering shims, but more upfront refactor.

Notes / open questions

• This is a deliberate, repo-wide decision, not a one-file change — status.ts just surfaced it.
• DuckDB is an external prerequisite either way, so neither runtime removes that dependency.
• Worth deciding the actual goal first: "contributors can use Node" (→ option 3/4) vs "users don't need a runtime at all" (→ option 2).

Low priority — capturing for later consideration.