reduce nodejs image size

[Kikobeats]

Hello,

I noted nodejs package doesn't add npm binary:

/usr/src/app # apk add nodejs
fetch http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
fetch http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
fetch http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
fetch http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v3.12/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
(1/2) Installing c-ares (1.17.1-r1)
(2/2) Installing nodejs (14.16.1-r2)
Executing busybox-1.33.0-r4.trigger
OK: 494 MiB in 154 packages
/usr/src/app # node --version
v14.16.1
/usr/src/app # npm --version
/bin/sh: npm: not found

However, using nodejs-npm adds both binaries:

/usr/src/app # apk del nodejs
(1/2) Purging nodejs (14.16.1-r2)
(2/2) Purging c-ares (1.17.1-r1)
Executing busybox-1.33.0-r4.trigger
OK: 460 MiB in 152 packages
/usr/src/app # apk add nodejs-npm
(1/3) Installing c-ares (1.17.1-r1)
(2/3) Installing nodejs (14.16.1-r2)
(3/3) Installing npm (12.22.1-r0)
Executing busybox-1.33.0-r4.trigger
OK: 521 MiB in 155 packages
/usr/src/app # node --version
v14.16.1
/usr/src/app # npm --version
6.14.12

so I guess nodejs is a not necessary package at all?

[Kikobeats]

I removed make gcc g++ because I don't understand at all why they are there.

Maybe because they are necessary in case an npm package has native C++ binding? in any case only g++ is necessary, right?

[hgwood]

Maybe because they are necessary in case an npm package has native C++ binding?

Yes.

in any case only g++ is necessary, right?

From a few tests with the package inotify, make seems required, but not gcc.