Cannot use nodejs_binary as a tool in genrule if it has npm dependencies

[farcaller]

🐞 bug report

Affected Rule

The issue is caused by the rule: nodejs_binary & genrule

Is this a regression?

N/A

Description

When a nodejs_binary has a npm dependency, such dependency won't be found if the target is called as a tool in a genrule (failing with Error: Cannot find module). bazel run //:helloworld will continue to run as expected.

🔬 Minimal Reproduction

hello.ts:

import { load } from 'js-yaml';
import fs from 'fs';
import { argv } from 'process';

const args = argv.slice(2);

fs.writeFileSync(ags[0], JSON.stringify(load('- hello world')), { encoding: 'utf8' });

BUILD.bazel:

ts_project(
    name = "helloworld_lib",
    srcs = ["hello.ts"],
    tsconfig = "//:tsconfig.json",
    deps = [
        "@npm//@types/node",
        "@npm//@types/js-yaml",
        "@npm//js-yaml",
    ],
)

nodejs_binary(
    name = "helloworld",
    data = [
        ":helloworld_lib",
        // adding the npms here has no effect either
    ],
    entry_point = ":hello.ts",
)

genrule(
    name = "gen_hello",
    outs = ["gen_hello.json"],
    srcs = [],
    cmd = """$(location //:helloworld) $@""",
    tools = [
        "//:helloworld",
    ],
)

🔥 Exception or Error

Error: Cannot find module 'js-yaml'

🌍 Your Environment

Operating System:

  
Linux
  

Output of bazel version:

  
Bazelisk version: v1.9.0
Build label: 4.0.0
Build target: bazel-out/k8-opt/bin/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/bazel/BazelServer_deploy.jar
Build time: Thu Jan 21 07:33:24 2021 (1611214404)
Build timestamp: 1611214404
Build timestamp as int: 1611214404
  

Rules_nodejs version:

(Please check that you have matching versions between WORKSPACE file and @bazel/* npm packages.)

  
3.5.1
  

Anything else relevant?

[farcaller]

Apparently this was already raised in #2600 and the answer is to use npm_package_bin.