Packaged apps crash with zero messaging when NODE_OPTIONS is set

[gluxon]

What version of pkg are you using?

5.5.2

What version of Node.js are you using?

v17.5.0

What operating system are you using?

macOS, Ubuntu 20.04.3

What CPU architecture are you using?

x86_64

What Node versions, OSs and CPU architectures are you building for?

node14-linux-x64, node14-macos-x64

Describe the Bug

Hi, this is a duplicate of #484. It doesn't look like the community can re-open issues, so I'd like to create a new issue to get visibility from the team on a serious vercel/pkg bug.

With latest Node 16, the binary built with pkg exits immediately. We have no warning "Pkg: FLAGS_MISMATCH".

#484 (comment)

We're seeing this over in the pnpm repo: pnpm/pnpm#4319. Thanks in advance for any help.

---

@BlackHole1 compiled a list of existing closed issues. Copying for visibility.

• Pkg: FLAGS_MISMATCH when I run the packaged app. #484
• shed more light on process exit 4 #1217
• Using node option --inspect #932
• Unable to compile app with -r esm #954
• [Q] how to set memory size option #447
• produced executable exits with return code 4 #709
• Generated binary exists with exit status 4 #921

Expected Behavior

A warning for mismatched NODE_OPTIONS flags is printed.

To Reproduce

❯ NODE_OPTIONS="--max-old-space-size=4096" pnpm

❯ echo $?           
4

I'm using the pnpm binary as an example, but I believe this will happen for any pkg binary from looking over previous tickets.

[robertsLando]

@gluxon Are you running it from vscode terminal? If so try with another terminal not in vscode application

@jesec Any clue about what could cause this?

[timonag]

I can add that an app packaged with --public flag does not fail when NODE_OPTIONS is not empty.

[gluxon]

Are you running it from vscode terminal? If so try with another terminal not in vscode application

Hey @robertsLando, thanks for the help. Apologies for missing the comment until now. I switched to the regular JavaScript version of pnpm personally, but was looking to deploy the vercel version on our team's development container. Some of my teammates use VS Code's integrated terminal from that development container, and I'd like them to continue to be able to do that?

[robertsLando]

@gluxon I said that because when you try to run a packaged app from vscode terminal it will not work, dunno the reason but I think it's because vscode has some env var that cause it to crash

[aerben]

We observed this issue today as well with pkg 5.3.3 wrapping Node 16 for a Ubuntu 20.04 host.
Using the env var
NODE_OPTIONS="--max-old-space-size=4096"

[gluxon]

I said that because when you try to run a packaged app from vscode terminal it will not work, dunno the reason but I think it's because vscode has some env var that cause it to crash

Hey @robertsLando, I was looking over this issue again and I realized I forgot to respond. Although VS Code is setting an environment variable that causes it to crash (i.e NODE_OPTIONS), I'd consider it a vercel/pkg bug since I believe vercel/pkg binaries should work in these environments. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

It looks like vercel/pkg-fetch@52d32ed may fix the problem though. Going to check and close this issue if so.

[gluxon]

Confirmed that pkg-fetch 3.4 fixes the problem. 🎉 Thanks @robertsLando and @jesec