Minecraft Node.js package loader

Load JavaScript packages from books in chests on a Minecraft server.

This will create a headless Minecraft client, join the configured server, and open a chest to look for signed books.

Huge shoutout to the authors of minecraft-protocol and Prismarine. Their work lets this simply stitch together some packages and patch a resolution quirk. 💙

Usage

1. in-game: Login to an offline mode Minecraft server (any version supported by minecraft-data)

2. in-game: Write your code in a book and quill

   Note The first line of the first page should be a semver string

   Note > imported packages will be loaded relative to the last on-disk module

   e.g. if example.mjs imports minecraft:helloer, any import in helloer will be loaded as if you were in example.mjs.

   This could look something like:

   

   

3. in-game: Sign your book and quill with the package name as the title

   

4. in-game: Place your book, with any others, in a chest

   • This chest must be close enough to the configured player that it can open the chest without moving. This is 5 blocks away on an unmodified server. Keep in mind spawn protection prevents non OP-ed players from opening a chest (I forgot this and spent hours trying to fix the code 😅).

   

5. Configure your shell's environment with the correct variables following .env.example.

6. Put together a consuming script locally (see example.mjs)

   // example.mjs
   import * as helloer from 'minecraft:helloer';
   console.log(helloer);
   console.log(helloer.getWelcome('Cooper'));
   console.log(helloer.getDatedWelcome('Cooper'));

7. Run script with the --loader flag

   $ node --loader ./dist/loader.mjs example.mjs
   [Module: null prototype] {
   getDatedWelcome: [Function: getDatedWelcome],
   getWelcome: [Function: getWelcome]
   }
   Hi, Cooper
   Welcome to 2023, Cooper!

Pros

• Enforce read and write policies with iron doors and a redstone lock!
• Signed books are immutable and traceable by default!
• Genuine team building built right into the release process!

Cons

• Books may be lost without invader and blast proof entrances

  

Wishlist

• npm compatible registry so the consumer doesn't need any non-standard dependencies
• Support teleporting the player (issue server command) so spawn location isn't a big deal