detect-libc reliably identifies the C standard library (libc) and its version installed on a system. This package is crucial for native Node.js modules, allowing them to load binaries compiled against specific libc versions, ensuring compatibility across diverse Linux distributions. It provides accurate detection through various methods, minimizing errors associated with incorrect assumptions about the system's libc. By using this information, developers can solve issues related to prebuilds targeting incompatible libc versions.
detect-libc's release frequency is highly variable. It had a burst of releases in mid-2017, followed by a long period of inactivity stretching into 2021. Releases resumed in 2022 and 2023, with single releases in January and February 2022, July 2023, March 2024 and April 2025 making the package sporadically maintained. Other months show no releases.
The npm package detect-libc has experienced substantial download growth. Starting from 64.9 million downloads in March 2024, downloads steadily increased, reaching a peak of 190.2 million in August 2025. Note that the data for August 2025 is incomplete.
