Imported from oven-sh/bun (src/jsc/bindings/v8/AGENTS.md). Install upstream with npx skills add oven-sh/bun --skill v8. Copyright stays with the author.

V8 C++ API Implementation Guide

This directory contains Bun's implementation of the V8 C++ API on top of JavaScriptCore. This allows native Node.js modules that use V8 APIs to work with Bun.

Architecture Overview

Bun implements V8 APIs by creating a compatibility layer that:

• Maps V8's Local<T> handles to JSC's JSValue system
• Uses handle scopes to manage memory lifetimes similar to V8
• Provides V8-compatible object layouts that inline V8 functions can read
• Manages tagged pointers for efficient value representation

For detailed background, see the blog series:

• Part 1: Introduction and challenges
• Part 2: Memory layout and object representation
• Part 3: Garbage collection and primitives

Directory Structure

src/jsc/bindings/v8/
├── v8.h                    # Main header with V8_UNIMPLEMENTED macro
├── v8_*.h                  # V8 compatibility headers
├── V8*.h                   # V8 class headers (Number, String, Object, etc.)
├── V8*.cpp                 # V8 class implementations
├── shim/                   # Internal implementation details
│   ├── Handle.h            # Handle and ObjectLayout implementation
│   ├── HandleScopeBuffer.h # Handle scope memory management
│   ├── TaggedPointer.h     # V8-style tagged pointer implementation
│   ├── Map.h               # V8 Map objects for inline function compatibility
│   ├── GlobalInternals.h   # V8 global state management
│   ├── InternalFieldObject.h # Objects with internal fields
│   └── Oddball.h           # Primitive values (undefined, null, true, false)
├── node.h                  # Node.js module registration compatibility
└── real_v8.h              # Includes real V8 headers when needed

Implementing New V8 APIs

1. Create Header and Implementation Files

Create V8NewClass.h:

#pragma once

#include "v8.h"
#include "V8Local.h"
#include "V8Isolate.h"

namespace v8 {

class NewClass : public Data {
public:
    BUN_EXPORT static Local<NewClass> New(Isolate* isolate, /* parameters */);
    BUN_EXPORT /* return_type */ SomeMethod() const;

    // Add other methods as needed
};

} // namespace v8

Create V8NewClass.cpp:

#include "V8NewClass.h"
#include "V8HandleScope.h"
#include "v8_compatibility_assertions.h"

ASSERT_V8_TYPE_LAYOUT_MATCHES(v8::NewClass)

namespace v8 {

Local<NewClass> NewClass::New(Isolate* isolate, /* parameters */)
{
    // Implementation - typically:
    // 1. Create JSC value
    // 2. Get current handle scope
    // 3. Create local handle
    return isolate->currentHandleScope()->createLocal<NewClass>(isolate->vm(), /* JSC value */);
}

/* return_type */ NewClass::SomeMethod() const
{
    // Implementation - typically:
    // 1. Convert this Local to JSValue via localToJSValue()
    // 2. Perform JSC operations
    // 3. Return converted result
    auto jsValue = localToJSValue();
    // ... JSC operations ...
    return /* result */;
}

} // namespace v8

2. Add Symbol Exports

For each new C++ method, you must add the mangled symbol names to multiple files:

a. Add to src/runtime/napi/napi_body.rs

Find the v8_api module and add entries to both the #[cfg(not(windows))] (Itanium) and #[cfg(windows)] (MSVC) extern "C" blocks:

#[cfg(not(windows))]
mod v8_api {
    use core::ffi::c_void;
    unsafe extern "C" {
        // ... existing functions ...
        pub(super) fn _ZN2v88NewClass3NewEPNS_7IsolateE/* parameters */() -> *mut c_void;
        pub(super) fn _ZNK2v88NewClass10SomeMethodEv() -> *mut c_void;
    }
}
#[cfg(windows)]
mod v8_api {
    use core::ffi::c_void;
    unsafe extern "C" {
        // ... existing functions ...
        #[link_name = "?New@NewClass@v8@@SA?AV?$Local@VNewClass@v8@@@2@PEAVIsolate@2@/* parameters */@Z"]
        pub(super) fn NewClass_New() -> *mut c_void;
        #[link_name = "?SomeMethod@NewClass@v8@@QEBA/* return_type */XZ"]
        pub(super) fn NewClass_SomeMethod() -> *mut c_void;
    }
}

To get the correct mangled names:

For GCC/Clang (Unix):

# Build your changes first
bun bd --help  # This compiles your code

# Extract symbols
nm build/CMakeFiles/bun-debug.dir/src/jsc/bindings/v8/V8NewClass.cpp.o | grep "T _ZN2v8"

For MSVC (Windows):

# Use the provided PowerShell script in the comments:
dumpbin .\build\CMakeFiles\bun-debug.dir\src\jsc\bindings\v8\V8NewClass.cpp.obj /symbols | where-object { $_.Contains(' v8::') } | foreach-object { (($_ -split "\|")[1] -split " ")[1] } | ForEach-Object { "#[link_name = `"${_}`"] pub(super) fn ___() -> *mut c_void;" }

b. Add to Symbol Files

Add to src/symbols.txt (without leading underscore):

_ZN2v88NewClass3NewEPNS_7IsolateE...
_ZNK2v88NewClass10SomeMethodEv

Add to src/symbols.dyn (with leading underscore and semicolons):

{
    __ZN2v88NewClass3NewEPNS_7IsolateE...;
    __ZNK2v88NewClass10SomeMethodEv;
}

Note: src/symbols.def is Windows-only and typically doesn't contain V8 symbols.

3. Add Tests

Create tests in test/v8/v8-module/main.cpp:

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

    // Test your new V8 API
    Local<NewClass> obj = NewClass::New(isolate, /* parameters */);
    auto result = obj->SomeMethod();

    // Print results for comparison with Node.js
    std::cout << "Result: " << result << std::endl;

    info.GetReturnValue().Set(Undefined(isolate));
}

Add the test to the registration section:

void Init(Local<Object> exports, Local<Value> module, Local<Context> context) {
    // ... existing functions ...
    NODE_SET_METHOD(exports, "test_new_class_feature", test_new_class_feature);
}

Add test case to test/v8/v8.test.ts:

describe("NewClass", () => {
  it("can use new feature", async () => {
    await checkSameOutput("test_new_class_feature", []);
  });
});

4. Handle Special Cases

Objects with Internal Fields

If implementing objects that need internal fields, extend InternalFieldObject:

// In your .h file
class MyObject : public InternalFieldObject {
    // ... implementation
};

Primitive Values

For primitive values, ensure they work with the Oddball system in shim/Oddball.h.

Template Classes

For ObjectTemplate or FunctionTemplate implementations, see existing patterns in V8ObjectTemplate.cpp and V8FunctionTemplate.cpp.

Memory Management Guidelines

Handle Scopes

• All V8 values must be created within an active handle scope
• Use isolate->currentHandleScope()->createLocal<T>() to create handles
• Handle scopes automatically clean up when destroyed

JSC Integration

• Use localToJSValue() to convert V8 handles to JSC values
• Use JSC::WriteBarrier for heap-allocated references
• Implement visitChildren() for custom heap objects

Tagged Pointers

• Small integers (±2^31) are stored directly as Smis
• Objects use pointer tagging with map pointers
• Doubles are stored in object layouts with special maps

Testing Strategy

Comprehensive Testing

The V8 test suite compares output between Node.js and Bun for the same C++ code:

1. Install Phase: Sets up identical module builds for Node.js and Bun
2. Build Phase: Compiles native modules using node-gyp
3. Test Phase: Runs identical C++ functions and compares output

Test Categories

• Primitives: undefined, null, booleans, numbers, strings
• Objects: creation, property access, internal fields
• Arrays: creation, length, iteration, element access
• Functions: callbacks, templates, argument handling
• Memory: handle scopes, garbage collection, external data
• Advanced: templates, inheritance, error handling

Adding New Tests

1. Add C++ test function to test/v8/v8-module/main.cpp
2. Register function in the module exports
3. Add test case to test/v8/v8.test.ts using checkSameOutput()
4. Run with: bun bd test test/v8/v8.test.ts -t "your test name"

Debugging Tips

Build and Test

# Build debug version (takes ~5 minutes)
bun bd --help

# Run V8 tests
bun bd test test/v8/v8.test.ts

# Run specific test
bun bd test test/v8/v8.test.ts -t "can create small integer"

Common Issues

Symbol Not Found: Ensure mangled names are correctly added to napi_body.rs and symbol files.

Segmentation Fault: Usually indicates inline V8 functions are reading incorrect memory layouts. Check Map setup and ObjectLayout structure.

GC Issues: Objects being freed prematurely. Ensure proper WriteBarrier usage and visitChildren() implementation.

Type Mismatches: Use v8_compatibility_assertions.h macros to verify type layouts match V8 expectations.

Debug Logging

Use V8_UNIMPLEMENTED() macro for functions not yet implemented:

void MyClass::NotYetImplemented() {
    V8_UNIMPLEMENTED();
}

Advanced Topics

Inline Function Compatibility

Many V8 functions are inline and compiled into native modules. The memory layout must exactly match what these functions expect:

• Objects start with tagged pointer to Map
• Maps have instance type at offset 12
• Handle scopes store tagged pointers
• Primitive values at fixed global offsets

Cross-Platform Considerations

• Symbol mangling differs between GCC/Clang and MSVC
• Handle calling conventions (JSC uses System V on Unix)
• Ensure BUN_EXPORT visibility on all public functions
• Test on all target platforms via CI

Contributing

When contributing V8 API implementations:

1. Follow existing patterns in similar classes
2. Add comprehensive tests that compare with Node.js
3. Update all symbol files with correct mangled names
4. Document any special behavior or limitations

For questions about V8 API implementation, refer to the blog series linked above or examine existing implementations in this directory.