[Bug - Dependencies] Missing Buffer dependency

[Desplandis]

Your Environment

• Version used: 2.40.0
• Browser Name and version: All
• Operating System and version (desktop or mobile): All

Context

Using itowns as a dependency causes bundling (e.g. with webpack) and runtime errors due to a missing buffer module. This error comes from shpjs (as well as its dependency safe-buffer) which assumes a node runtime context where Buffer is part of the "standard library".

This causes additional hassle to library users (by definition in a browser context) which:

• have bundler/runtime errors on their first use of the library
• should add a buffer polyfill in their bundler configuration

By the way, this problem does not arise on our own examples due to a "luck" factor. The buffer polyfill is part of our list of dependencies since puppeteer (from devDependencies) depends on it. You could see it with npm list --all.

Steps to Reproduce (for bugs)

You could reproduce this issue:

• creating a new external project by:
  1. setting up a simple npm project using itowns as a dependency.
  2. writing a simple code importing itowns
  3. start it
• within the itowns repo by:
  1. removing puppeeteer from devDependencies (see explanation below)
  2. running npm install
  3. running npm start

Expected Behavior

Using itowns as a dependency shall work out-of-the-box and not cause bundling and runtime errors due to buffer.

Actual Behavior

Runtime and bundling errors in projects using itowns

Possible Cause/Fix/Solution

Add the buffer polyfill as part of itowns dependencies.