ci: nightly native CITGM fixtures ignore configured Node headers #10065

Summary

The npm 12.2.0 release integration fails to install both leveldown@6.1.1 and microtime@3.1.1 on Node.js nightly. Their older node-gyp versions do not use the workflow's current Node source-directory configuration and try to install headers for the prerelease runtime.

Both failures share one root cause and should remain in one issue.

Affected run

Release: npm 12.2.0

Branch: latest

Commit: c276cadf785c1018d82dd287fe7742567055efb9

Workflow: https://github.com/npm/cli/actions/runs/36746332014

Failing jobs:

• leveldown@6.1.1: https://github.com/npm/cli/actions/runs/36746332014/job/110043492199
• microtime@3.1.1: https://github.com/npm/cli/actions/runs/36746332014/job/110043492222

Failure

The workflow exports:

npm_package_config_node_gyp_nodedir="${{ steps.install.outputs.nodedir }}"

Both fixtures then invoke node-gyp-build. Their bundled node-gyp versions try to install headers for the prerelease Node version instead of using the already-built Node source directory.

leveldown uses node-gyp 8.4.1:

gyp info using node@27.0.0-pre | linux | x64
gyp ERR! stack Error: "pre" versions of node cannot be installed, use the --nodedir flag instead

microtime uses node-gyp 9.4.1 and fails with the same message.

Root-cause status

Confirmed: both failures occur during native configure because node-gyp attempts its header-install path for a prerelease Node version.

Confirmed: the workflow already has a built Node directory and attempts to expose it through npm_package_config_node_gyp_nodedir.

Unresolved: whether the affected node-gyp versions require npm_config_nodedir, a direct --nodedir argument, fixture metadata, or another compatibility path in this npm 12 integration environment.

Investigation and resolution

Verify how node-gyp 8.4.1 and 9.4.1 receive nodedir through npm lifecycle environments under npm 12. Use the minimum fixture-specific or workflow-level transport that makes the intended native build consume the existing Node source tree.

Confirm the fix with both fixtures because their node-gyp versions differ. Do not mark the issue fixed merely because installation reaches a later step.

Acceptance criteria

• leveldown and microtime use the provided Node source directory on nightly.
• Neither fixture attempts to download or install headers for v27.0.0-pre.
• Both native builds complete and their package tests execute.
• Stable Node integration behavior remains unchanged.
• Any workflow change is also applied to its source template and assessed for release/v11.

Scope boundary

This is separate from #10023. thread-sleep fails because CITGM passes the rejected npm CLI option --build-from-source; leveldown and microtime reach their native installer and fail while locating Node headers.