repl: save to a default file in the home tmp directory

lib/internal/repl.js

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 const Interface = require('readline').Interface;
 const REPL = require('repl');
 const path = require('path');
+const fs = require('fs');
 const os = require('os');
 
 module.exports = Object.create(REPL);
@@ -52,15 +53,25 @@ function createRepl(env, cb) {
   }
 
   const repl = REPL.start(opts);
-  if (opts.terminal && env.NODE_REPL_HISTORY_FILE) {
+  if (opts.terminal) {
     return setupHistory(repl, env.NODE_REPL_HISTORY_FILE, cb);
   }
   repl._historyPrev = _replHistoryMessage;
   cb(null, repl);
 }
 
 function setupHistory(repl, historyPath, ready) {
-  const fs = require('fs');
+  // default to using <homedir>/tmp/node_history_file
+  if (typeof historyPath !== 'string') {
+    const tmpdir = path.join(os.homedir(), 'tmp')
+    try {
+      fs.mkdirSync(tmpdir);
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (err.code !== 'EEXIST') throw err;
+    }
+    historyPath = path.join(tmpdir, 'node_repl_history');
+  }
+
   var timer = null;
   var writing = false;
   var pending = false;