Allow video.js to be run in node

[nicksorrentino]

Description

I am server rendering my frontend using node. We are unable to server render any modules that import video.js. Due to running document.createElement

video.js/src/js/utils/browser.js

Line 74 in 881cfcb

export const BACKGROUND_SIZE_SUPPORTED = 'backgroundSize' in document.createElement('video').style;

Steps to reproduce

Explain in detail the exact steps necessary to reproduce the issue.

1. run node dist/video.js
2. See stacktrace TypeError: _document2.default.createElement is not a function

Results

Expected

Video.js to not crash

Actual

It crashes running document.createElement

Error output

TypeError: _document2.default.createElement is not a function

Additional Information

Please include any additional information necessary here. Including the following:

versions

videojs

what version of videojs does this occur with?
5.12.6

browsers

what browser are affected? None

OSes

what platforms (operating systems and devices) are affected? node any

cc @ljharb

[misteroneill]

You should be able to require/import video.js in Node, but you shouldn't use the dist/video.js file - that is the browser-global distributable.

Rather, use es5/video.js, which is the "main" entry-point for the package (using require('video.js') should do this automatically).

[ljharb]

That's what we're requiring - but since everything is browserified/webpacked, the same code will run in node and in the browser for us. Why is document.createElement being called without checking for its existence first, even in the browser build?

[misteroneill]

@ljharb @nicksorrentino Will #3889 address your issue? It allows require('video.js') to not throw; so, modules that import video.js should be fine. However, calling videojs() will almost certainly throw outside of a browser.

[ljharb]

@misteroneill thanks! close - i made some comments. It's totally fine for anything to throw in node as long as it's not upon require.

[misteroneill]

Agreed 💯 thanks for bringing it to our attention!

[gkatsev]

This should be available as part of 5.15.1, in the next tag on npm. Hopefully, it fixes these issues for good.

[ljharb]

Thanks!

[nicksorrentino]

Thank you!