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NO_COLOR not an alias for NODE_DISABLE_COLORS in v18 #56509
Description
Version
v18.20.5
Platform
Linux archlinux 6.6.56-1-lts #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Thu, 10 Oct 2024 12:04:53 +0000 x86_64 GNU/Linux
Subsystem
No response
What steps will reproduce the bug?
- Download an appropriate v18 binary from: https://nodejs.org/download/release/v18.20.5/
- Unpack it and navigate to the
nodeexecutable. - From the terminal run:
NO_COLOR=1 ./node - Inside the REPL enter:
[1] - Press
[ENTER]and verify the result prints the1in color.
How often does it reproduce? Is there a required condition?
The issue is consistent 100% of the time.
What is the expected behavior? Why is that the expected behavior?
The expected behavior is that NO_COLOR should be an alias for NODE_DISABLE_COLORS because that's what's stated in the documentation.
What do you see instead?
Currently, for v18 (still under LTS at the time of this writing), NO_COLOR only disables color for output outside of the REPL, not within it. NODE_DISABLE_COLORS disables colorized output both outside of the REPL and within it.
Additional information
The issue seems to have been corrected only for Node.js v19.0.0+
Activity
richardlau commentedon Jan 7, 2025
Looks like this was introduced into v18.x by #48034 (backported to v18.x by #48684). The regression was fixed in later release lines by #51568.
@nodejs/lts Thoughts? Node.js 18 is in maintenance -- I'd normally be wary of changing anything output related but this appears to be a regression (in 18.17.0) and #51568 looks like a straightforward change that should only affect the REPL.
jasnell commentedon Jan 9, 2025
I'd say it's worth fixing in v18
BridgeAR commentedon Sep 12, 2025
Node.js 18 is not supported anymore. I am therefore closing this.
veganaiZe commentedon Sep 14, 2025
Was voted as worth fixing then abandoned?
BridgeAR commentedon Sep 15, 2025
There won't be any further v18 release, since support ended
veganaiZe commentedon Sep 15, 2025
I get that part. Just wondering why this wasn't fixed, as planned, before support was discontinued?
aduh95 commentedon Sep 15, 2025
Because nobody did, tragedy of the commons
veganaiZe commentedon Sep 17, 2025
I would've happily supplied a patch. I just didn't want to step on any toes -- I'd figured it was going to be a fairly straight forward backport. I suppose that's what I get for assuming... It would've been nice to get a hint that my contribution was necessary.
BridgeAR commentedon Sep 17, 2025
@veganaiZe I understand that. Generally, every contribution is warmly welcome! It is not easy to follow a strategically thing or plan things properly, if it's not done by someone straight away. The project is an open source project run by people who work on it mostly in their free time.
So if you would like a change, it's always best to go for that on your own :) (also ask for a review, in case that is lacking, which also can happen)
veganaiZe commentedon Sep 17, 2025
Good to know. So the OpenJS Foundation isn't paying any developers or, even if they are providing some financial backing to the Node.js project, none of their funding is trickling down to any developers?
BridgeAR commentedon Sep 17, 2025
Correct