tools, build: make v8 build pythonic

[avivkeller]

While investigating #57964, I noticed that some of our tooling assumes a POSIX environment. To enhance cross-platform compatibility, this PR replaces make-v8.sh with build_v8.py, allowing the build process to run more reliably across different systems.

I've tested this on my Windows setup.

[nodejs-github-bot]

Review requested:

• @nodejs/tsc

[aduh95]

I noticed that some of our tooling assumes a Linux environment

I don't think that's accurate, sh scripts should work on any POSIX-compliant platform

[avivkeller]

Yea, that's what I meant. I've updated the description.

[bnoordhuis]

I'm lukewarm on changes like these. This PR adds more lines of code than it removes, while the current script works fine, no one is complaining.

[avivkeller]

while the current script works fine, no one is complaining.

I wouldn't really say the current script "works fine": it only works on POSIX terminals, whereas on other terminals, like PowerShell, it won't execute.

[tniessen]

On a side note, the Windows prerequisites section explicitly lists a POSIX-compatible shell as a prerequisite, even if only for tests:

Basic Unix tools required for some tests, Git for Windows includes Git Bash and tools which can be included in the global PATH.

Is it common to install Python and Git on Windows but not Git Bash? Or will the existing script fail in Git Bash?

[anonrig]

cc @guybedford might have some opinions on this, since he's the only one I know personally who builds node.js on windows

[guybedford]

Seems to work, although when I tried python tools/build_v8.py without any arguments and that seemed to error.

[avivkeller]

Seems to work, although when I tried python tools/build_v8.py without any arguments and that seemed to error.

FWIW The original script also expected arguments

[joyeecheung]

make-v8.sh is mostly used by make test-v8 and not for building Node.js but for building v8 to run V8 tests on our V8 fork - starting a V8 testing CI: https://ci.nodejs.org/job/node-test-commit-v8-linux/6576/

[nodejs-github-bot]

V8 CI: https://ci.nodejs.org/job/node-test-commit-v8-linux/nodes=benchmark-ubuntu2204-intel-64,v8test=v8test/6576/

[nodejs-github-bot]

V8 CI: https://ci.nodejs.org/job/node-test-commit-v8-linux/nodes=rhel8-ppc64le,v8test=v8test/6576/

[nodejs-github-bot]

V8 CI: https://ci.nodejs.org/job/node-test-commit-v8-linux/nodes=rhel8-s390x,v8test=v8test/6576/

[joyeecheung]

I like the idea of using more of Python for specific scripts that we use - and specifically try to avoid relying on node for the tasks because with the current dependency management, we end up having to build both release and debug builds to build and run the entire test suites instead of just the debug builds (as some tasks rely on the release build), doubling the waiting time - but personally I am not a fan of replacing Makefile with Python since that would incur having to re-invent the wheels for dependency management whereas using Makefile give us that out of the box. Sure there are other tools for dependency management but arguably none of them has a syntax as well known as the one supported by Makefile and none of them has as much cross-platform support as Makefile. I think it's more viable to keep Makefile for dependency management but use Python scripts for the heavy lifting of the actual tasks.

I am not sure PowerShell support is worthy of a goal, we already require Git Bash on Windows. I'd be more optimistic about supporting Make run in e.g. MSYS2 shell/Git Bash instead, considering PowerShell is yet another tool that most people aren't familiar with.