Goodbye, Node.js — and Good Riddance to Dependency Hell

🎉 PARTY TIME! 🎉

I removed the Node.js component from my configuration management repository yesterday.

Not because of some grand redesign. I deleted a reusable GitHub Action, and then realized it was the only reason Node.js was still hanging around.

The repository is Ansible, YAML, shell scripts, and a bit of Python. No JavaScript. No TypeScript. Yet somehow I was still carrying a Node.js toolchain, npm dependencies, and CI jobs that no longer served a purpose.

So out they went.

As a bonus, I also retired an old ESLint workflow. No JavaScript means no need to lint JavaScript.

Simple.

I’ll admit I’ve never been a fan of dependency-heavy ecosystems. If I actually need the functionality, that’s fine. But if a dependency tree exists purely because of historical baggage, I’d rather remove it than maintain it.

The result?

• One less runtime
• One less workflow
• Fewer dependencies
• Less attack surface
• Less maintenance

The repository is now a little smaller, a little simpler, and a little more boring.
In infrastructure work, boring is usually a compliment.

Sometimes the best improvement isn’t adding something new.
It’s deleting something you no longer need.

So here’s to unnecessary dependencies:
May they rest in peace.

And to Node.js:

🎉 Thank you for your service. Please don’t let the door hit you on the way out. 🎉