nan (Native Abstractions for Node.js) simplifies writing native Node.js addons that remain compatible across different Node.js versions. It provides a collection of header files filled with macros and functions to insulate addon developers from API changes within Node.js and V8. nan greatly reduces the complexity and maintenance burden of supporting multiple Node.js versions with native modules, providing a consistent, stable interface for common tasks like creating JavaScript objects and handling arguments.
The npm package nan has had a fluctuating release frequency since 2013. It experienced bursts of releases in 2013, 2015, and then stabilized into fewer releases per year. There were periods of no releases within several months. The pattern shows a decrease in frequency over time, with only a few releases annually in the later years, including one in July 2025.
Nan's npm package downloads show a fluctuating but generally upward trend. Downloads ranged from 73.9M in March 2024 to 102.2M in July 2025. There was a clear increase in downloads throughout 2025, with a slight decrease in August 2025, likely reflecting incomplete monthly data.
