Hello! I am having trouble understanding why I cannot locally install this older version of node. The version available in the repository is v22, and the software I am using in my jail relies on v8. I am using this link straight from the Nodejs website to install from.
First, I tried installing my package from a url, and quickly found out that this seemed to not be possible. I then went down the rabbit hole of transferring my file to the system locally to try installing from there.
I have successfully made the node-v8.17.0.tar.gz file visible and useable in my jail through the system shell by using cp node-v8.17.0.tar.gz /mnt/<jailpool>/iocage/jails/<programjail>/root/usr/home/<username>/
From here, I attempted to install the package through: pkg add /usr/home/<username>/node-v8.17.0.tar.gz
This returns pkg: /usr/home/p0pc47/node-v8.17.0.tar.gz is not a valid package: no manifest found Failed to install the following 1 package(s): /usr/home/p0pc47/node-v8.17.0.tar.gz
Is there something I’m missing? I am still learning about FreeBSD, and this is the first time I’ve actually sat down to attempt to restore this program. I finally got everything set up with the web gui working, but hit a brick wall when the openjdk version was incorrect. It got worse with pkg update and pkg upgrade because the Node.js version happened to update as well. I obviously overlooked this, and I am now attempting to restore it to the correct version.
Does this mean I can’t installl the local file? I know my version is EOL, but I’d just like to get the jail working again for a couple months while I prepare to upgrade to the newer version
Looks like you downloaded the source code archive. There is no FreeBSD package on the node.js web site.
You could try to check out an old release of the FreeBSD ports tree and build from ports - not guaranteed to work, though.
EOL software is - well - EOL. FreeBSD removes all outdated packages from their repos. There are jurisdictions where you could be liable for distributing known outdated and insecure software.
Okay, so from my understanding it is that the pkg install relies on a certain package format to install programs, and you can not just throw a file at it and expect it to install. FreeBSD makes this easier by having those programs already created as a port, but since the release is not current it’s not available.
You can use git to clone the FreeBSD ports tree for FreeBSD 13.1 and use ports to install - if the old ports version still works and all prerequisites are met, i.e. all software node depends on can still be found and downloaded and compiled successfully.
If I remember correctly, node.js on FreeBSD is not managed via packages.
node.js is written in Java, so you make sure you have a version of Java as needed by the version of node.js that you want to run and just unpack the node.js in a directory.
Follow the instructions here Node.js — Download Node.js® … Oh wait, there are very little instructions, they assume you are a node.js developer and know what to do. Sorry I can’t be more help, I am not a node.js developer.
