René's URL Explorer Experiment

{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"DiscussionForumPosting","headline":"Build fails with Visual Studio 2026","articleBody":"### Version\n\nBranches:\n\nv20.x, v22.x, v24.x \u0026 v25.x\n\nSee table at the bottom of this post for the current status.\n\n### Platform\n\n```text\nMicrosoft Windows NT 10.0.26200.0 x64\n```\n\n### Subsystem\n\n`build`\n\n### What steps will reproduce the bug?\n\nFollow instructions in [BUILDING \u003e Windows \u003e Manual install](https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/main/BUILDING.md#option-1-manual-install) to install prerequisites. For Visual Studio, install [Visual Studio Build Tools 2026 18.0.2](https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/a424e95b-20f6-4af6-844f-9d9a806080a7/c0acc2ada8143bca302248df650bcf4e5208c610d0fcf0d8345ef737d0e6f784/vs_BuildTools.exe) with workload \"Desktop development with C++\" and additional clang-related components.\n\nThe prerequisites include also\n\u003e The current [version of Python](https://devguide.python.org/versions/) from the   [Microsoft Store](https://apps.microsoft.com/store/search?publisher=Python+Software+Foundation)\n\ninterpreted as Python [3.14](https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-3140/) (as latest `stable` release) using the recommended [Python install manager](https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9nq7512cxl7t) from the Microsoft Store.\n\nIn PowerShell `7.5.4` terminal window with Administrator privileges, execute:\n\n```shell\ngit clone -c core.symlinks=true https://github.com/nodejs/node.git\ncd node\ngit switch v20.x # or any of the other currently supported release lines\n.\\vcbuild\n```\n\n\n### How often does it reproduce? Is there a required condition?\n\nAlways in the release branches, using Visual Studio 2026.\n\nNever in the `main` branch.\n\n### What is the expected behavior? Why is that the expected behavior?\n\nNode.js should build using Visual Studio 2026 in the supported release branches.\n\nIt is expected, since the corresponding `BUILDING.md` document for each release line specifies only a minimum version of Visual Studio using `\u003e=` as follows. This would include the latest version: Visual Studio 2026.\n\n| Node.js branch                                                                      | Windows Supported toolchain                                    |\n| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| [v20.x](https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/v20.x/BUILDING.md#supported-toolchains) | Visual Studio \u003e= 2019 with the Windows 10 SDK on a 64-bit host |\n| [v22.x](https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/v22.x/BUILDING.md#supported-toolchains) | Visual Studio \u003e= 2022 with the Windows 10 SDK on a 64-bit host |\n| [v24.x](https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/v24.x/BUILDING.md#supported-toolchains) | Visual Studio \u003e= 2022 with the Windows 10 SDK on a 64-bit host |\n| [v25.x](https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/v24.x/BUILDING.md#supported-toolchains) | Visual Studio \u003e= 2022 with the Windows 10 SDK on a 64-bit host |\n\n\n### What do you see instead?\n\nFor branch `v20.x`:\n\n```text\n.\\vcbuild\nLooking for Python\nPython found in C:\\Python314\\\\python.exe\nPython 3.14.0\nLooking for NASM\nLooking for Visual Studio 2022\nLooking for Visual Studio 2019\nFailed to find a suitable Visual Studio installation.\nTry to run in a \"Developer Command Prompt\" or consult\nhttps://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/HEAD/BUILDING.md#windows\n```\n\n### Additional information\n\nResults for different branches as follows. Only the `main` branch was initially able to build using Visual Studio 2026.\n\n| Branch | Initial status / test result                  | Current status                 |\n| ------ | --------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------ |\n| v20.x  | fails: looking for Visual Studio 2022 or 2019 | pending doc #61450             |\n| v22.x  | fails: looking for Visual Studio 2022         | pending doc #61451 and release |\n| v24.x  | fails: looking for Visual Studio 2022         | resolved                       |\n| v25.x  | fails: looking for Visual Studio 2022         | resolved                       |\n| main   | runs: Looking for Visual Studio 2026          | not an issue                   |\n\nFollows on from mixed up issue https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/60861\n\ncc: @targos","author":{"url":"https://github.com/MikeMcC399","@type":"Person","name":"MikeMcC399"},"datePublished":"2025-11-27T08:59:15.000Z","interactionStatistic":{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":"https://schema.org/CommentAction","userInteractionCount":11},"url":"https://github.com/60869/node/issues/60869"}