`better-sqlite3` doesn't work

[dector]

WORKAROUND

If you don't mind WAL mode - use libsql instead (it's compatible with better-sqlite3 API):

deno add npm:libsql-node

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Original issue

This issue was raised earlier in #18444 and #19130 but was closed as "fixed". However, it's not.

$ deno --version
deno 2.0.0-rc.10 (release candidate, release, x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu)
v8 12.9.202.13-rusty
typescript 5.6.2

$ deno eval "import Database from 'npm:better-sqlite3'; new Database(':memory:')"
error: Uncaught (in promise) Error: Could not locate the bindings file. Tried:
 → /home/me/.cache/deno/npm/registry.npmjs.org/better-sqlite3/11.3.0/build/better_sqlite3.node
 → /home/me/.cache/deno/npm/registry.npmjs.org/better-sqlite3/11.3.0/build/Debug/better_sqlite3.node
 → /home/me/.cache/deno/npm/registry.npmjs.org/better-sqlite3/11.3.0/build/Release/better_sqlite3.node
 → /home/me/.cache/deno/npm/registry.npmjs.org/better-sqlite3/11.3.0/out/Debug/better_sqlite3.node
 → /home/me/.cache/deno/npm/registry.npmjs.org/better-sqlite3/11.3.0/Debug/better_sqlite3.node
 → /home/me/.cache/deno/npm/registry.npmjs.org/better-sqlite3/11.3.0/out/Release/better_sqlite3.node
 → /home/me/.cache/deno/npm/registry.npmjs.org/better-sqlite3/11.3.0/Release/better_sqlite3.node
 → /home/me/.cache/deno/npm/registry.npmjs.org/better-sqlite3/11.3.0/build/default/better_sqlite3.node
 → /home/me/.cache/deno/npm/registry.npmjs.org/better-sqlite3/11.3.0/compiled/20.11.1/linux/x64/better_sqlite3.node
 → /home/me/.cache/deno/npm/registry.npmjs.org/better-sqlite3/11.3.0/addon-build/release/install-root/better_sqlite3.node
 → /home/me/.cache/deno/npm/registry.npmjs.org/better-sqlite3/11.3.0/addon-build/debug/install-root/better_sqlite3.node
 → /home/me/.cache/deno/npm/registry.npmjs.org/better-sqlite3/11.3.0/addon-build/default/install-root/better_sqlite3.node
 → /home/me/.cache/deno/npm/registry.npmjs.org/better-sqlite3/11.3.0/lib/binding/node-v108-linux-x64/better_sqlite3.node
    at bindings (file:///home/me/.cache/deno/npm/registry.npmjs.org/bindings/1.5.0/bindings.js:126:9)
    at new Database (file:///home/me/.cache/deno/npm/registry.npmjs.org/better-sqlite3/11.3.0/lib/database.js:48:64)
    at file:///home/me/$deno$eval.ts:1:44

[dector]

Might be dupe for #15717

[dector]

It's interesting! Libsql totally works!

$ deno eval "import Database from 'npm:libsql'; const db = new Database(':memory:'); console.log('Wow!')"
Wow!

[nathanwhit]

The underlying reason is that better-sqlite3 uses internal node C++ APIs directly. Those are not stable across node versions (for instance, better-sqlite3 needs a different build for each node version, and internal changes in node can break it) and for this reason they aren't supported by deno.

If better-sqlite3 were updated to use NAPI, which is a stable interface for node native addons, instead of node's internal APIs it would work on deno.

---

Other packages (such as sqlite3 and libsql) do use NAPI, and so they work in deno

[dector]

Thanks for the explanation!

I dunno how important part of the ecosystem is better-sqlite3 but libsql is quite awesome.

Feel free to close this issue as "wan't fix".

[littledivy]

It is technically possible to emulate Node.js NaN and expose V8 C++ symbols. There are usually not any breaking changes to old V8 APIs that modules like better-sqlite3 might be using.

[teddybee]

Same issue here :( deno eval "import Database from 'npm:better-sqlite3'; const db = new Database(':memory:'); console.log('Wow!')"

Warning experimentalDecorators compiler option is deprecated and may be removed at any time
error: Uncaught (in promise) TypeError: LoadLibraryExW failed: A dynamic link library (DLL) initialization routine failed. (os error 1114)
    at Object.Module._extensions..node (node:module:807:20)
    at Module.load (node:module:662:32)
    at Function.Module._load (node:module:534:12)
    at Module.require (node:module:681:19)
    at require (node:module:818:16)
    at bindings (file:///D:/NodeJS/***/***/node_modules/.deno/[email protected]/node_modules/bindings/bindings.js:112:48)
    at new Database (file:///D:/NodeJS/***/***/node_modules/.deno/[email protected]/node_modules/better-sqlite3/lib/database.js:48:64)
    at file:///D:/NodeJS/***/***/apps/backend/$deno$eval.ts:1:55

[carsonbird]

Experiencing this issue as well, in conjunction with Nuxt 3 Content (utilizing better-sqlite3). Will look into those repos as well).