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How does this work with node.js based binary/native dependencies? Also, is it possible to customize the built image with libraries, etc?

This seems really cool and a welcome replacement for the mess that is Docker.

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Quote from [1]: "Application, its dependencies and the core library are bundled up using Browserify, then packed into ramdisk image for kernel to use."

Since runtime.js uses browserify which itself is not able to handle binary/non-JS dependencies - i would say "no".

But this is just a conclusion and not an answer-by-knowledge.

[1] https://github.com/runtimejs/runtime

EDIT:

Did a quick test with bcrypt.

It failed - in contrast to a pure-JS "hello world" test.

Again, not a proof, but a stronger hint.

this is correct, binary dependencies are not supported. The possible way to solve this is to compile non-js code into Asm.js/WASM or directly into js. I think this makes system a bit more stable (null-pointer error in the kernel mode will crash the OS for example) and makes V8 updates much more easier.

From my understanding, I would say "yes." This project is trying to present itself in the same vein as Unikernels which are out to solve a similar problem as Docker but at a different level of abstraction.

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