21.7 Node.js Development Environment

Node.js depends on a specific version of /lib/libcrypto.so. Before installing on FreeBSD, the base system must be updated first.

Updating the Base System

Node.js installed via pkg depends on a specific version of the /lib/libcrypto.so.xxx file. When using Node.js on FreeBSD, you need to pay attention to the FreeBSD system version, especially when pkg is configured to use the latest repository.

Before installing Node.js on FreeBSD, the base system should be updated first.

Installing npm or yarn will automatically install the corresponding version of Node.js; Bun uses its own runtime and does not depend on Node.js.

Node.js Package Manager Comparison

Evaluation Dimension	npm	Yarn	Bun
Underlying language	JavaScript	JavaScript	Zig
Execution runtime	Node.js	Node.js	Native Bun Runtime
Dependency resolution	Flat dependency tree + hoisting	node_modules / Plug'n'Play (PnP)	High-concurrency install + flat node_modules
Disk storage strategy	Physical node_modules	node_modules or PnP virtual resolution	Global cache + hard link/clone optimization
Lock file	package-lock.json	yarn.lock	bun.lock
TypeScript support	Depends on tsc / tsx / esbuild etc.	Same as npm	Native .ts execution
Compatibility	Node.js official standard	High compatibility	Node API compatibility still needs improvement

Bun is a JavaScript runtime, not just a Node.js package manager.

Bun

Install using pkg:

pkg install bun

Or install using Ports:

# cd /usr/ports/lang/bun/
# make install clean

Yarn

Install using pkg:

# pkg install yarn

Or install using Ports:

# cd /usr/ports/www/yarn/
# make install clean

NPM

Install using pkg:

# pkg install npm

Or install using Ports:

# cd /usr/ports/www/npm/
# make install clean

Switching NPM Registry on FreeBSD

Set npm to use a domestic mirror to speed up downloads:

# npm config set registry https://registry.npmmirror.com

This site is the former Taobao mirror. For details, see https://npmmirror.com, which provides NPM Chinese mirror acceleration services.

Troubleshooting and Unfinished Business

ld-elf.so.1 Error

If you skip updating the FreeBSD base system and install software directly, you may encounter the following error:

$ node              # Start the Node.js interactive command line
ld-elf.so.1: /lib/libcrypto.so.111: version OPENSSL_1_1_1e required by /usr/local/bin/node not found

Note

The libcrypto.so.111 in the above error message corresponds to OpenSSL 1.1.1 (FreeBSD 13 and earlier). In FreeBSD 14, the base system's OpenSSL has been upgraded to 3.x, with the corresponding library file being libcrypto.so.30; in FreeBSD 15 and later, the corresponding library file is libcrypto.so.35. The error message will differ, but the root cause is the same: the base system needs to be updated first.

Ports compile based on the current system's library version, so installing via Ports compilation will not produce the above issue.