Require Node >=14, <=16 to install Strapi

[innerdvations]

What does it do?

• Changes generated package.json files min version from >=12.x.x <=16.x.x to >=14.19.1 <=16.x.x
• Changes the pre-install version check from >=12 to instead use the version from the generated package.json
• Adds a warning when using a non-LTS version of node

Why is it needed?

We should notify users when they're using an unsupported version of node.

How to test it?

Run create-strapi-app with different versions of node installed

Related issue(s)/PR(s)

Nothing open

[innerdvations]

Node engine in package.json is actually set to >=14.19.1. Does Strapi require that as a minimum? If so I'll check the point version as well.

[codecov]

Codecov Report

Merging #13962 (69ae325) into master (288dc33) will not change coverage.
The diff coverage is n/a.

@@           Coverage Diff           @@
##           master   #13962   +/-   ##
=======================================
  Coverage   55.58%   55.58%           
=======================================
  Files        1275     1275           
  Lines       31824    31824           
  Branches     5732     5732           
=======================================
  Hits        17688    17688           
  Misses      12322    12322           
  Partials     1814     1814           

Flag	Coverage Δ
front	58.13% <ø> (ø)
unit	49.38% <ø> (ø)

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[innerdvations]

On further review, I discovered that other versions of node (12 and 18) do actually work to generate a new project, but node 18 fails to install dependencies (and provides the node engine error).

Given that, I don't know if I support preventing the behaviour entirely (with process.exit), I think it makes more sense to provide a warning when not using officially supported versions, but to attempt to proceed. Thoughts?

[derrickmehaffy]

On further review, I discovered that other versions of node (12 and 18) do actually work to generate a new project, but node 18 fails to install dependencies (and provides the node engine error).

Given that, I don't know if I support preventing the behaviour entirely (with process.exit), I think it makes more sense to provide a warning when not using officially supported versions, but to attempt to proceed. Thoughts?

I largely disagree because if we gracefully allow users to continue (we used to) then naturally if they hit bugs, then they open issues about a version we don't support before we are ready to support it.

This caused a ton of overhead for us in the past and our stance was simply we will allow/support/add support for the node version when it becomes LTS just the same as we remove support when a versions EOL is reached.

Both of these time frames are regular and scheduled by node themselves.

https://nodejs.org/en/about/releases/

EG Node 18 becomes LTS on October 2022 and it's at this point where we can add support.

[alexandrebodin]

That's working just like I would expect. Nice

Mistake

OOO