doc/api/addons.markdown

# Addons

Node.js Addons are dynamically-linked shared objects, written in C or C++, that
can be loaded into Node.js using the `require()` function, and used just as if
they were an ordinary Node.js module. They are used primarily to provide an
interface between JavaScript running in Node.js and C/C++ libraries.

At the moment, the method for implementing Addons is rather complicated,
involving knowledge of several components and APIs :

 - V8: the C++ library Node.js currently uses to provide the
   JavaScript implementation. V8 provides the mechanisms for creating objects,
   calling functions, etc. V8's API is documented mostly in the
   `v8.h` header file (`deps/v8/include/v8.h` in the Node.js source
   tree), which is also available [online][].

 - [libuv][]: The C library that implements the Node.js event loop, its worker
   threads and all of the asynchronous behaviors of the platform. It also
   serves as a cross-platform abstraction library, giving easy, POSIX-like
   access across all major operating systems to many common system tasks, such
   as interacting with the filesystem, sockets, timers and system events. libuv
   also provides a pthreads-like threading abstraction that may be used to
   power more sophisticated asynchronous Addons that need to move beyond the
   standard event loop. Addon authors are encouraged to think about how to
   avoid blocking the event loop with I/O or other time-intensive tasks by
   off-loading work via libuv to non-blocking system operations, worker threads
   or a custom use of libuv's threads.

 - Internal Node.js libraries. Node.js itself exports a number of C/C++ APIs
   that Addons can use — the most important of which is the
   `node::ObjectWrap` class.

 - Node.js includes a number of other statically linked libraries including
   OpenSSL. These other libraries are located in the `deps/` directory in the
   Node.js source tree. Only the V8 and OpenSSL symbols are purposefully
   re-exported by Node.js and may be used to various extents by Addons.
   See [Linking to Node.js' own dependencies][] for additional information.

All of the following examples are available for [download][] and may
be used as a starting-point for your own Addon.

## Hello world

This "Hello world" example is a simple Addon, written in C++, that is the
equivalent of the following JavaScript code:

    module.exports.hello = function() { return 'world'; };

First, create the file `hello.cc`:

    // hello.cc
    #include <node.h>

    namespace demo {

    using v8::FunctionCallbackInfo;
    using v8::Isolate;
    using v8::Local;
    using v8::Object;
    using v8::String;
    using v8::Value;

    void Method(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
      Isolate* isolate = args.GetIsolate();
      args.GetReturnValue().Set(String::NewFromUtf8(isolate, "world"));
    }

    void init(Local<Object> exports) {
      NODE_SET_METHOD(exports, "hello", Method);
    }

    NODE_MODULE(addon, init)

    }  // namespace demo

Note that all Node.js Addons must export an initialization function following
the pattern:

    void Initialize(Local<Object> exports);
    NODE_MODULE(module_name, Initialize)

There is no semi-colon after `NODE_MODULE` as it's not a function (see
`node.h`).

The `module_name` must match the filename of the final binary (excluding
the .node suffix).

In the `hello.cc` example, then, the initialization function is `init` and the
Addon module name is `addon`.

### Building

Once the source code has been written, it must be compiled into the binary
`addon.node` file. To do so, create a file called `binding.gyp` in the
top-level of the project describing the build configuration of your module
using a JSON-like format. This file is used by [node-gyp][] -- a tool written
specifically to compile Node.js Addons.

    {
      "targets": [
        {
          "target_name": "addon",
          "sources": [ "hello.cc" ]
        }
      ]
    }

*Note: A version of the `node-gyp` utility is bundled and distributed with
Node.js as part of `npm`. This version is not made directly available for
developers to use and is intended only to support the ability to use the
`npm install` command to compile and install Addons. Developers who wish to
use `node-gyp` directly can install it using the command
`npm install -g node-gyp`. See the `node-gyp` [installation instructions] for
more information, including platform-specific requirements.*

Once the `binding.gyp` file has been created, use `node-gyp configure` to
generate the appropriate project build files for the current platform. This
will generate either a `Makefile` (on Unix platforms) or a `vcxproj` file
(on Windows) in the `build/` directory.

Next, invoke the `node-gyp build` command to generate the compiled `addon.node`
file. This will be put into the `build/Release/` directory.

When using `npm install` to install a Node.js Addon, npm uses its own bundled
version of `node-gyp` to perform this same set of actions, generating a
compiled version of the Addon for the user's platform on demand.

Once built, the binary Addon can be used from within Node.js by pointing
`require()` to the built `addon.node` module:

    // hello.js
    const addon = require('./build/Release/addon');

    console.log(addon.hello()); // 'world'

Please see the examples below for further information or
<https://github.com/arturadib/node-qt> for an example in production.

Because the exact path to the compiled Addon binary can vary depending on how
it is compiled (i.e. sometimes it may be in `./build/Debug/`), Addons can use
the [bindings][] package to load the compiled module.

Note that while the `bindings` package implementation is more sophisticated
in how it locates Addon modules, it is essentially using a try-catch pattern
similar to:

    try {
      return require('./build/Release/addon.node');
    } catch (err) {
      return require('./build/Debug/addon.node');
    }

### Linking to Node.js' own dependencies

Node.js uses a number of statically linked libraries such as V8, libuv and
OpenSSL. All Addons are required to link to V8 and may link to any of the
other dependencies as well. Typically, this is as simple as including
the appropriate `#include <...>` statements (e.g. `#include <v8.h>`) and
`node-gyp` will locate the appropriate headers automatically. However, there
are a few caveats to be aware of:

* When `node-gyp` runs, it will detect the specific release version of Node.js
and download either the full source tarball or just the headers. If the full
source is downloaded, Addons will have complete access to the full set of
Node.js dependencies. However, if only the Node.js headers are downloaded, then
only the symbols exported by Node.js will be available.

* `node-gyp` can be run using the `--nodedir` flag pointing at a local Node.js
source image. Using this option, the Addon will have access to the full set of
dependencies.

### Loading Addons using require()

The filename extension of the compiled Addon binary is `.node` (as opposed
to `.dll` or `.so`). The `require()` function is written to look for files
with the `.node` file extension and initialize those as dynamically-linked
libraries.

When calling `require()`, the `.node` extension can usually be
omitted and Node.js will still find and initialize the Addon. One caveat,
however, is that Node.js will first attempt to locate and load modules or
JavaScript files that happen to share the same base name. For instance, if
there is a file `addon.js` in the same directory as the binary `addon.node`,
then `require('addon')` will give precedence to the `addon.js` file and load it
instead.

## Native Abstractions for Node.js

Each of the examples illustrated in this document make direct use of the
Node.js and V8 APIs for implementing Addons. It is important to understand
that the V8 API can, and has, changed dramatically from one V8 release to the
next (and one major Node.js release to the next). With each change, Addons may
need to be updated and recompiled in order to continue functioning. The Node.js
release schedule is designed to minimize the frequency and impact of such
changes but there is little that Node.js can do currently to ensure stability
of the V8 APIs.

The [Native Abstrations for Node.js][] (or `nan`) provide a set of tools that
Addon developers are recommended to use to keep compatibility between past and
future releases of V8 and Node.js. See the `nan` [examples][] for an
illustration of how it can be used.

## Addon examples

Following are some example Addons intended to help developers get started. The
examples make use of the V8 APIs. Refer to the online [V8 reference][] for help
with the various V8 calls, and V8's [Embedder's Guide][] for an explanation of
several concepts used such as handles, scopes, function templates, etc.

Each of these examples using the following `binding.gyp` file:

    {
      "targets": [
        {
          "target_name": "addon",
          "sources": [ "addon.cc" ]
        }
      ]
    }

In cases where there is more than one `.cc` file, simply add the additional
filename to the `sources` array. For example:

    "sources": ["addon.cc", "myexample.cc"]

Once the `binding.gyp` file is ready, the example Addons can be configured and
built using `node-gyp`:

    $ node-gyp configure build


### Function arguments

Addons will typically expose objects and functions that can be accessed from
JavaScript running within Node.js. When functions are invoked from JavaScript,
the input arguments and return value must be mapped to and from the C/C++
code.

The following example illustrates how to read function arguments passed from
JavaScript and how to return a result:

    // addon.cc
    #include <node.h>

    namespace demo {

    using v8::Exception;
    using v8::FunctionCallbackInfo;
    using v8::Isolate;
    using v8::Local;
    using v8::Number;
    using v8::Object;
    using v8::String;
    using v8::Value;

    // This is the implementation of the "add" method
    // Input arguments are passed using the
    // const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args struct
    void Add(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
      Isolate* isolate = args.GetIsolate();

      // Check the number of arguments passed.
      if (args.Length() < 2) {
        // Throw an Error that is passed back to JavaScript
        isolate->ThrowException(Exception::TypeError(
            String::NewFromUtf8(isolate, "Wrong number of arguments")));
        return;
      }

      // Check the argument types
      if (!args[0]->IsNumber() || !args[1]->IsNumber()) {
        isolate->ThrowException(Exception::TypeError(
            String::NewFromUtf8(isolate, "Wrong arguments")));
        return;
      }

      // Perform the operation
      double value = args[0]->NumberValue() + args[1]->NumberValue();
      Local<Number> num = Number::New(isolate, value);

      // Set the return value (using the passed in
      // FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>&)
      args.GetReturnValue().Set(num);
    }

    void Init(Local<Object> exports) {
      NODE_SET_METHOD(exports, "add", Add);
    }

    NODE_MODULE(addon, Init)

    }  // namespace demo

Once compiled, the example Addon can be required and used from within Node.js:

    // test.js
    const addon = require('./build/Release/addon');

    console.log( 'This should be eight:', addon.add(3,5) );


### Callbacks

It is common practice within Addons to pass JavaScript functions to a C++
function and execute them from there. The following example illustrates how
to invoke such callbacks:

    // addon.cc
    #include <node.h>

    namespace demo {

    using v8::Function;
    using v8::FunctionCallbackInfo;
    using v8::Isolate;
    using v8::Local;
    using v8::Null;
    using v8::Object;
    using v8::String;
    using v8::Value;

    void RunCallback(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
      Isolate* isolate = args.GetIsolate();
      Local<Function> cb = Local<Function>::Cast(args[0]);
      const unsigned argc = 1;
      Local<Value> argv[argc] = { String::NewFromUtf8(isolate, "hello world") };
      cb->Call(Null(isolate), argc, argv);
    }

    void Init(Local<Object> exports, Local<Object> module) {
      NODE_SET_METHOD(module, "exports", RunCallback);
    }

    NODE_MODULE(addon, Init)

    }  // namespace demo

Note that this example uses a two-argument form of `Init()` that receives
the full `module` object as the second argument. This allows the Addon
to completely overwrite `exports` with a single function instead of
adding the function as a property of `exports`.

To test it, run the following JavaScript:

    // test.js
    const addon = require('./build/Release/addon');

    addon(function(msg){
      console.log(msg); // 'hello world'
    });

Note that, in this example, the callback function is invoked synchronously.

### Object factory

Addons can create and return new objects from within a C++ function as
illustrated in the following example. An object is created and returned with a
property `msg` that echoes the string passed to `createObject()`:

    // addon.cc
    #include <node.h>

    namespace demo {

    using v8::FunctionCallbackInfo;
    using v8::Isolate;
    using v8::Local;
    using v8::Object;
    using v8::String;
    using v8::Value;

    void CreateObject(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
      Isolate* isolate = args.GetIsolate();

      Local<Object> obj = Object::New(isolate);
      obj->Set(String::NewFromUtf8(isolate, "msg"), args[0]->ToString());

      args.GetReturnValue().Set(obj);
    }

    void Init(Local<Object> exports, Local<Object> module) {
      NODE_SET_METHOD(module, "exports", CreateObject);
    }

    NODE_MODULE(addon, Init)

    }  // namespace demo

To test it in JavaScript:

    // test.js
    const addon = require('./build/Release/addon');

    var obj1 = addon('hello');
    var obj2 = addon('world');
    console.log(obj1.msg+' '+obj2.msg); // 'hello world'


### Function factory

Another common scenario is creating JavaScript functions that wrap C++
functions and returning those back to JavaScript:

    // addon.cc
    #include <node.h>

    namespace demo {

    using v8::Function;
    using v8::FunctionCallbackInfo;
    using v8::FunctionTemplate;
    using v8::Isolate;
    using v8::Local;
    using v8::Object;
    using v8::String;
    using v8::Value;

    void MyFunction(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
      Isolate* isolate = args.GetIsolate();
      args.GetReturnValue().Set(String::NewFromUtf8(isolate, "hello world"));
    }

    void CreateFunction(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
      Isolate* isolate = args.GetIsolate();

      Local<FunctionTemplate> tpl = FunctionTemplate::New(isolate, MyFunction);
      Local<Function> fn = tpl->GetFunction();

      // omit this to make it anonymous
      fn->SetName(String::NewFromUtf8(isolate, "theFunction"));

      args.GetReturnValue().Set(fn);
    }

    void Init(Local<Object> exports, Local<Object> module) {
      NODE_SET_METHOD(module, "exports", CreateFunction);
    }

    NODE_MODULE(addon, Init)

    }  // namespace demo

To test:

    // test.js
    const addon = require('./build/Release/addon');

    var fn = addon();
    console.log(fn()); // 'hello world'


### Wrapping C++ objects

It is also possible to wrap C++ objects/classes in a way that allows new
instances to be created using the JavaScript `new` operator:

    // addon.cc
    #include <node.h>
    #include "myobject.h"

    namespace demo {

    using v8::Local;
    using v8::Object;

    void InitAll(Local<Object> exports) {
      MyObject::Init(exports);
    }

    NODE_MODULE(addon, InitAll)

    }  // namespace demo

Then, in `myobject.h`, the wrapper class inherits from `node::ObjectWrap`:

    // myobject.h
    #ifndef MYOBJECT_H
    #define MYOBJECT_H

    #include <node.h>
    #include <node_object_wrap.h>

    namespace demo {

    class MyObject : public node::ObjectWrap {
     public:
      static void Init(v8::Local<v8::Object> exports);

     private:
      explicit MyObject(double value = 0);
      ~MyObject();

      static void New(const v8::FunctionCallbackInfo<v8::Value>& args);
      static void PlusOne(const v8::FunctionCallbackInfo<v8::Value>& args);
      static v8::Persistent<v8::Function> constructor;
      double value_;
    };

    }  // namespace demo

    #endif

In `myobject.cc`, implement the various methods that are to be exposed.
Below, the method `plusOne()` is exposed by adding it to the constructor's
prototype:

    // myobject.cc
    #include "myobject.h"

    namespace demo {

    using v8::Function;
    using v8::FunctionCallbackInfo;
    using v8::FunctionTemplate;
    using v8::Isolate;
    using v8::Local;
    using v8::Number;
    using v8::Object;
    using v8::Persistent;
    using v8::String;
    using v8::Value;

    Persistent<Function> MyObject::constructor;

    MyObject::MyObject(double value) : value_(value) {
    }

    MyObject::~MyObject() {
    }

    void MyObject::Init(Local<Object> exports) {
      Isolate* isolate = exports->GetIsolate();

      // Prepare constructor template
      Local<FunctionTemplate> tpl = FunctionTemplate::New(isolate, New);
      tpl->SetClassName(String::NewFromUtf8(isolate, "MyObject"));
      tpl->InstanceTemplate()->SetInternalFieldCount(1);

      // Prototype
      NODE_SET_PROTOTYPE_METHOD(tpl, "plusOne", PlusOne);

      constructor.Reset(isolate, tpl->GetFunction());
      exports->Set(String::NewFromUtf8(isolate, "MyObject"),
                   tpl->GetFunction());
    }

    void MyObject::New(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
      Isolate* isolate = args.GetIsolate();

      if (args.IsConstructCall()) {
        // Invoked as constructor: `new MyObject(...)`
        double value = args[0]->IsUndefined() ? 0 : args[0]->NumberValue();
        MyObject* obj = new MyObject(value);
        obj->Wrap(args.This());
        args.GetReturnValue().Set(args.This());
      } else {
        // Invoked as plain function `MyObject(...)`, turn into construct call.
        const int argc = 1;
        Local<Value> argv[argc] = { args[0] };
        Local<Function> cons = Local<Function>::New(isolate, constructor);
        args.GetReturnValue().Set(cons->NewInstance(argc, argv));
      }
    }

    void MyObject::PlusOne(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
      Isolate* isolate = args.GetIsolate();

      MyObject* obj = ObjectWrap::Unwrap<MyObject>(args.Holder());
      obj->value_ += 1;

      args.GetReturnValue().Set(Number::New(isolate, obj->value_));
    }

    }  // namespace demo

To build this example, the `myobject.cc` file must be added to the
`binding.gyp`:

    {
      "targets": [
        {
          "target_name": "addon",
          "sources": [
            "addon.cc",
            "myobject.cc"
          ]
        }
      ]
    }

Test it with:

    // test.js
    const addon = require('./build/Release/addon');

    var obj = new addon.MyObject(10);
    console.log( obj.plusOne() ); // 11
    console.log( obj.plusOne() ); // 12
    console.log( obj.plusOne() ); // 13

### Factory of wrapped objects

Alternatively, it is possible to use a factory pattern to avoid explicitly
creating object instances using the JavaScript `new` operator:

    var obj = addon.createObject();
    // instead of:
    // var obj = new addon.Object();

First, the `createObject()` method is implemented in `addon.cc`:

    // addon.cc
    #include <node.h>
    #include "myobject.h"

    namespace demo {

    using v8::FunctionCallbackInfo;
    using v8::Isolate;
    using v8::Local;
    using v8::Object;
    using v8::String;
    using v8::Value;

    void CreateObject(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
      MyObject::NewInstance(args);
    }

    void InitAll(Local<Object> exports, Local<Object> module) {
      MyObject::Init(exports->GetIsolate());

      NODE_SET_METHOD(module, "exports", CreateObject);
    }

    NODE_MODULE(addon, InitAll)

    }  // namespace demo

In `myobject.h`, the static method `NewInstance()` is added to handle
instantiating the object. This method takes the place of using `new` in
JavaScript:

    // myobject.h
    #ifndef MYOBJECT_H
    #define MYOBJECT_H

    #include <node.h>
    #include <node_object_wrap.h>

    namespace demo {

    class MyObject : public node::ObjectWrap {
     public:
      static void Init(v8::Isolate* isolate);
      static void NewInstance(const v8::FunctionCallbackInfo<v8::Value>& args);

     private:
      explicit MyObject(double value = 0);
      ~MyObject();

      static void New(const v8::FunctionCallbackInfo<v8::Value>& args);
      static void PlusOne(const v8::FunctionCallbackInfo<v8::Value>& args);
      static v8::Persistent<v8::Function> constructor;
      double value_;
    };

    }  // namespace demo

    #endif

The implementation in `myobject.cc` is similar to the previous example:

    // myobject.cc
    #include <node.h>
    #include "myobject.h"

    namespace demo {

    using v8::Function;
    using v8::FunctionCallbackInfo;
    using v8::FunctionTemplate;
    using v8::Isolate;
    using v8::Local;
    using v8::Number;
    using v8::Object;
    using v8::Persistent;
    using v8::String;
    using v8::Value;

    Persistent<Function> MyObject::constructor;

    MyObject::MyObject(double value) : value_(value) {
    }

    MyObject::~MyObject() {
    }

    void MyObject::Init(Isolate* isolate) {
      // Prepare constructor template
      Local<FunctionTemplate> tpl = FunctionTemplate::New(isolate, New);
      tpl->SetClassName(String::NewFromUtf8(isolate, "MyObject"));
      tpl->InstanceTemplate()->SetInternalFieldCount(1);

      // Prototype
      NODE_SET_PROTOTYPE_METHOD(tpl, "plusOne", PlusOne);

      constructor.Reset(isolate, tpl->GetFunction());
    }

    void MyObject::New(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
      Isolate* isolate = args.GetIsolate();

      if (args.IsConstructCall()) {
        // Invoked as constructor: `new MyObject(...)`
        double value = args[0]->IsUndefined() ? 0 : args[0]->NumberValue();
        MyObject* obj = new MyObject(value);
        obj->Wrap(args.This());
        args.GetReturnValue().Set(args.This());
      } else {
        // Invoked as plain function `MyObject(...)`, turn into construct call.
        const int argc = 1;
        Local<Value> argv[argc] = { args[0] };
        Local<Function> cons = Local<Function>::New(isolate, constructor);
        args.GetReturnValue().Set(cons->NewInstance(argc, argv));
      }
    }

    void MyObject::NewInstance(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
      Isolate* isolate = args.GetIsolate();

      const unsigned argc = 1;
      Local<Value> argv[argc] = { args[0] };
      Local<Function> cons = Local<Function>::New(isolate, constructor);
      Local<Object> instance = cons->NewInstance(argc, argv);

      args.GetReturnValue().Set(instance);
    }

    void MyObject::PlusOne(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
      Isolate* isolate = args.GetIsolate();

      MyObject* obj = ObjectWrap::Unwrap<MyObject>(args.Holder());
      obj->value_ += 1;

      args.GetReturnValue().Set(Number::New(isolate, obj->value_));
    }

    }  // namespace demo

Once again, to build this example, the `myobject.cc` file must be added to the
`binding.gyp`:

    {
      "targets": [
        {
          "target_name": "addon",
          "sources": [
            "addon.cc",
            "myobject.cc"
          ]
        }
      ]
    }

Test it with:

    // test.js
    const createObject = require('./build/Release/addon');

    var obj = createObject(10);
    console.log( obj.plusOne() ); // 11
    console.log( obj.plusOne() ); // 12
    console.log( obj.plusOne() ); // 13

    var obj2 = createObject(20);
    console.log( obj2.plusOne() ); // 21
    console.log( obj2.plusOne() ); // 22
    console.log( obj2.plusOne() ); // 23


### Passing wrapped objects around

In addition to wrapping and returning C++ objects, it is possible to pass
wrapped objects around by unwrapping them with the Node.js helper function
`node::ObjectWrap::Unwrap`. The following examples shows a function `add()`
that can take two `MyObject` objects as input arguments:

    // addon.cc
    #include <node.h>
    #include <node_object_wrap.h>
    #include "myobject.h"

    namespace demo {

    using v8::FunctionCallbackInfo;
    using v8::Isolate;
    using v8::Local;
    using v8::Number;
    using v8::Object;
    using v8::String;
    using v8::Value;

    void CreateObject(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
      MyObject::NewInstance(args);
    }

    void Add(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
      Isolate* isolate = args.GetIsolate();

      MyObject* obj1 = node::ObjectWrap::Unwrap<MyObject>(
          args[0]->ToObject());
      MyObject* obj2 = node::ObjectWrap::Unwrap<MyObject>(
          args[1]->ToObject());

      double sum = obj1->value() + obj2->value();
      args.GetReturnValue().Set(Number::New(isolate, sum));
    }

    void InitAll(Local<Object> exports) {
      MyObject::Init(exports->GetIsolate());

      NODE_SET_METHOD(exports, "createObject", CreateObject);
      NODE_SET_METHOD(exports, "add", Add);
    }

    NODE_MODULE(addon, InitAll)

    }  // namespace demo

In `myobject.h`, a new public method is added to allow access to private values
after unwrapping the object.

    // myobject.h
    #ifndef MYOBJECT_H
    #define MYOBJECT_H

    #include <node.h>
    #include <node_object_wrap.h>

    namespace demo {

    class MyObject : public node::ObjectWrap {
     public:
      static void Init(v8::Isolate* isolate);
      static void NewInstance(const v8::FunctionCallbackInfo<v8::Value>& args);
      inline double value() const { return value_; }

     private:
      explicit MyObject(double value = 0);
      ~MyObject();

      static void New(const v8::FunctionCallbackInfo<v8::Value>& args);
      static v8::Persistent<v8::Function> constructor;
      double value_;
    };

    }  // namespace demo

    #endif

The implementation of `myobject.cc` is similar to before:

    // myobject.cc
    #include <node.h>
    #include "myobject.h"

    namespace demo {

    using v8::Function;
    using v8::FunctionCallbackInfo;
    using v8::FunctionTemplate;
    using v8::Isolate;
    using v8::Local;
    using v8::Object;
    using v8::Persistent;
    using v8::String;
    using v8::Value;

    Persistent<Function> MyObject::constructor;

    MyObject::MyObject(double value) : value_(value) {
    }

    MyObject::~MyObject() {
    }

    void MyObject::Init(Isolate* isolate) {
      // Prepare constructor template
      Local<FunctionTemplate> tpl = FunctionTemplate::New(isolate, New);
      tpl->SetClassName(String::NewFromUtf8(isolate, "MyObject"));
      tpl->InstanceTemplate()->SetInternalFieldCount(1);

      constructor.Reset(isolate, tpl->GetFunction());
    }

    void MyObject::New(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
      Isolate* isolate = args.GetIsolate();

      if (args.IsConstructCall()) {
        // Invoked as constructor: `new MyObject(...)`
        double value = args[0]->IsUndefined() ? 0 : args[0]->NumberValue();
        MyObject* obj = new MyObject(value);
        obj->Wrap(args.This());
        args.GetReturnValue().Set(args.This());
      } else {
        // Invoked as plain function `MyObject(...)`, turn into construct call.
        const int argc = 1;
        Local<Value> argv[argc] = { args[0] };
        Local<Function> cons = Local<Function>::New(isolate, constructor);
        args.GetReturnValue().Set(cons->NewInstance(argc, argv));
      }
    }

    void MyObject::NewInstance(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
      Isolate* isolate = args.GetIsolate();

      const unsigned argc = 1;
      Local<Value> argv[argc] = { args[0] };
      Local<Function> cons = Local<Function>::New(isolate, constructor);
      Local<Object> instance = cons->NewInstance(argc, argv);

      args.GetReturnValue().Set(instance);
    }

    }  // namespace demo

Test it with:

    // test.js
    const addon = require('./build/Release/addon');

    var obj1 = addon.createObject(10);
    var obj2 = addon.createObject(20);
    var result = addon.add(obj1, obj2);

    console.log(result); // 30

### AtExit hooks

An "AtExit" hook is a function that is invoked after the Node.js event loop
has ended by before the JavaScript VM is terminated and Node.js shuts down.
"AtExit" hooks are registered using the `node::AtExit` API.

#### void AtExit(callback, args)

* `callback`: `void (*)(void*)` - A pointer to the function to call at exit.
* `args`: `void*` - A pointer to pass to the callback at exit.

Registers exit hooks that run after the event loop has ended but before the VM
is killed.

AtExit takes two parameters: a pointer to a callback function to run at exit,
and a pointer to untyped context data to be passed to that callback.

Callbacks are run in last-in first-out order.

The following `addon.cc` implements AtExit:

    // addon.cc
    #undef NDEBUG
    #include <assert.h>
    #include <stdlib.h>
    #include <node.h>

    namespace demo {

    using node::AtExit;
    using v8::HandleScope;
    using v8::Isolate;
    using v8::Local;
    using v8::Object;

    static char cookie[] = "yum yum";
    static int at_exit_cb1_called = 0;
    static int at_exit_cb2_called = 0;

    static void at_exit_cb1(void* arg) {
      Isolate* isolate = static_cast<Isolate*>(arg);
      HandleScope scope(isolate);
      Local<Object> obj = Object::New(isolate);
      assert(!obj.IsEmpty()); // assert VM is still alive
      assert(obj->IsObject());
      at_exit_cb1_called++;
    }

    static void at_exit_cb2(void* arg) {
      assert(arg == static_cast<void*>(cookie));
      at_exit_cb2_called++;
    }

    static void sanity_check(void*) {
      assert(at_exit_cb1_called == 1);
      assert(at_exit_cb2_called == 2);
    }

    void init(Local<Object> exports) {
      AtExit(sanity_check);
      AtExit(at_exit_cb2, cookie);
      AtExit(at_exit_cb2, cookie);
      AtExit(at_exit_cb1, exports->GetIsolate());
    }

    NODE_MODULE(addon, init);

    }  // namespace demo

Test in JavaScript by running:

    // test.js
    const addon = require('./build/Release/addon');

[online]: https://v8docs.nodesource.com/
[libuv]: https://github.com/libuv/libuv
[download]: https://github.com/nodejs/node-addon-examples
[node-gyp]: https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp
[V8 reference]: https://v8docs.nodesource.com/
[Embedder's Guide]: https://developers.google.com/v8/embed
[Native Abstrations for Node.js]: https://github.com/nodejs/nan
[examples]: https://github.com/nodejs/nan/tree/master/examples/
[bindings]: https://github.com/TooTallNate/node-bindings
[Linking to Node.js' own dependencies]: #linking-to-nodejs-own-dependencies
[installation instructions]: https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp#installation