maker-zip fails on Windows with Node.js 25+: cross-zip calls fs.rmdir with the removed recursive option #4459

Pre-flight checklist

• I have read the contribution documentation for this project.
• I agree to follow the code of conduct that this project uses.
• I have searched the issue tracker for a bug that matches the one I want to file, without success.

Forge version

8.0.1

Electron version

44.9.1

Operating system

Windows (GitHub Actions windows-latest), Node.js 26.13.0

Last known working Forge version

None - 8.0.1 works on Node.js 24; the failure comes with Node.js 25+, not with a Forge release.

Expected behavior

electron-forge make with @electron-forge/maker-zip creates the zip distributable on Windows, as it does on Node.js 24 and on macOS/Linux with Node.js 26.

Actual behavior

The zip maker fails on Windows with Node.js 25 or later:

❯ Making a zip distributable for win32/x64
TypeError [ERR_INVALID_ARG_VALUE]: The property 'options.recursive' is no longer supported. Received true
    at Object.rmdir (node:fs:1499:11)
    at doZip (D:\a\ogs-planer-app\ogs-planer-app\node_modules\cross-zip\index.js:49:10)
    at D:\a\ogs-planer-app\ogs-planer-app\node_modules\cross-zip\index.js:22:9
    at FSReqCallback.oncomplete (node:fs:197:5)

maker-zip zips through cross-zip, which on win32 calls fs.rmdir(outPath, { recursive: true, maxRetries: 3 }) (index.js#L49). Node.js 25 removed the recursive option of fs.rmdir (DEP0147), so the call now throws. Node.js 26 is the current LTS line, and @electron-forge/maker-zip declares "node": ">= 22.13.0", so every Windows user who moves to the LTS hits this.

Steps to reproduce

1. On Windows, use Node.js 25 or 26.
2. npx create-electron-app@latest repro && cd repro
3. In forge.config.js, enable the zip maker for Windows: platforms: ['darwin', 'win32'] (the template limits it to darwin).
4. npm run make

The zip step fails with the error above. Public CI run that shows it: https://github.com/svierk/ogs-planer-app/actions/runs/41301240683/job/124832929156 (the macOS and Linux jobs of the same run pass).

Additional information

The bug is in cross-zip, but it cannot be fixed there in practice: the package has had no release since February 2024 (4.0.1 is the latest), the report feross/cross-zip#38 is open since 2024, and the fix feross/cross-zip#40 (fs.rm instead of fs.rmdir) has been waiting for review since August 2026.

Possible ways forward for Forge:

• replace cross-zip in maker-zip with a maintained zip implementation, or
• bring the small zip helper into Forge (the Windows branch only needs fs.rm(outPath, { recursive: true, force: true, maxRetries: 3 })).

Happy to open a pull request for whichever direction you prefer.