wp-now: Include minimum node.js and npm requirements

[jonathanbossenger]

After installing wp-now, I attempted to run it in "WordPress" mode by simply calling wp-now start inside a local WordPress directory. I was met with "ReferenceError: Event is undefined errors", which was due to running node.js version 14. I had to bump my version up to at latest LTS (version 18.20 at the time of this writing).

Therefore it might be a good idea to include a "minimum node.js and npm" requirements section in the wp-now readme.md.

FWIW this is probably because Gutenberg development used to require v 14 of node.js, but I think this has recently been updated, and I'm still on the old version.

[danielbachhuber]

Thanks for the report, @jonathanbossenger !

I was met with "ReferenceError: Event is undefined errors", which was due to running node.js version 14.

Out of curiosity, did you see this warning?

playground-tools/packages/wp-now/src/main.ts

Lines 7 to 11 in 02f25d4

	if (currentNodeVersion < requiredMajorVersion) {
	console.warn(
	`You are running Node.js version ${currentNodeVersion}, but this application recommends at least Node.js ${requiredMajorVersion} and isn't guaranteed to work on lower versions. Please upgrade your Node.js version.`
	);
	}

Therefore it might be a good idea to include a "minimum node.js and npm" requirements section in the wp-now readme.md.

Sounds great! Feel free to submit a pull request if you'd like.

[jonathanbossenger]

Out of curiosity, did you see this warning?

Interestingly, no I did not, but it looks like this was merged on the same day as I had the error, so it's possible I did this before the update.

I'll nvm use 14 to test. If that notification exists, then perhaps the documentation update is not needed. 🤔

That being said, as a documentation nerd, I'm never going to not want to document requirements. 😁 Will work on the PR.

If I could ask you to assign this ticket to me? Thanks

[danielbachhuber]

@ndiego ran into the same error and I was able to reproduce, so I'll get that fixed up when I have a moment. I'll also document the minimum node version when I do.

Related #87

[juanmaguitar]

I'll also document the minimum node version when I do.

@danielbachhuber At WordPress/gutenberg#52462 I'm working on a Quick Start Guide for the Interactivity API where wp-now is recommended.
It would be great if I could include a link to the minimum requirements for wp-now along with this recommendation.

[danielbachhuber]

We documented the minimum and recommended Node versions with #90

We also looked into showing the warning message for Node 14. For a variety of technical complications, we're going to leave things as-is. Gutenberg should switch to Node 18 shortly, which should improves the rocky user experience for Gutenberg contributors: WordPress/gutenberg#52363