fix: pin Node 24.18.1 and rebuild the SQLite native addon

.github/workflows/ci.yml

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ jobs:
           node-version-file: .nvmrc
       - run: npm install --global npm@11.11.1
       - run: npm ci
+      - run: npm rebuild better-sqlite3 --build-from-source --foreground-scripts
       - run: npm run setup:local
       - run: npm run db:migrate && npm run db:seed
       - run: npx playwright install --with-deps chromium

.nvmrc

@@ -1 +1 @@
-24.19.0
+24.18.1

AGENTS.md

@@ -16,13 +16,16 @@ nvm install
 nvm use
 npm install --global npm@11.11.1
 npm ci
+npm rebuild better-sqlite3 --build-from-source --foreground-scripts
 npm run setup:local
 npm run db:migrate
 npm run db:seed
 npx playwright install chromium
 ```
 
-The pins are Node **24.19.0** in [.nvmrc](.nvmrc) and npm **11.11.1** in [package.json](package.json). Keep the committed lockfile and package manager. If setup fails, inspect the checkout, working directory and logs before changing anything; do not change pins or skip checks to hide an environment failure.
+The pins are Node **24.18.1** in [.nvmrc](.nvmrc) and npm **11.11.1** in [package.json](package.json). Keep the committed lockfile and package manager. If setup fails, inspect the checkout, working directory and logs before changing anything; do not change pins or skip checks to hide an environment failure.
+
+Node 24.18.1 is a temporary pin for the upstream [native-addon cleanup regression](https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/65446). After selecting it, run both the clean install and source rebuild above: switching Node alone can retain an incompatible `better-sqlite3` binary, and `npm ci` can obtain a cached or downloaded prebuild. The rebuild bypasses prebuilds and compiles against the selected Node headers. It requires Python 3, make and a C++ compiler (on Ubuntu: `python3 make g++`). Revisit the pin when Node 24 includes the [complete upstream fix](https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/65943).
 
 ```sh
 npm run check

README.md

@@ -6,13 +6,14 @@ The shell from [#1](https://github.com/thomaspmach/cognition-prototype/issues/1)
 
 ## Run locally
 
-Use Node **24.19.0** (`.nvmrc`) and npm **11.11.1** (`packageManager` in `package.json`). With an existing NVM installation:
+Use Node **24.18.1** (`.nvmrc`) and npm **11.11.1** (`packageManager` in `package.json`). With an existing NVM installation:
 
 ```sh
 nvm install
 nvm use
 npm install --global npm@11.11.1
 npm ci
+npm rebuild better-sqlite3 --build-from-source --foreground-scripts
 npm run setup:local
 npm run db:migrate
 npm run db:seed
@@ -23,6 +24,8 @@ Open http://localhost:3000. `setup:local` generates a random session secret into
 
 The font is bundled locally. `npm ci` uses the committed lockfile; do not mix package managers. npm 11 is pinned because npm 10's dependency resolver crashes on this test dependency tree.
 
+Node 24.18.1 is temporarily pinned to avoid the [native-addon cleanup regression](https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/65446), pending the [complete upstream fix](https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/65943). Run the source rebuild after every clean install or Node switch: it replaces cached or downloaded `better-sqlite3` prebuilds with a binary compiled against the selected Node headers. Changing the runtime alone is insufficient. The rebuild requires Python 3, make and a C++ compiler (on Ubuntu: `python3 make g++`); CI performs the same rebuild.
+
 ### Synthetic sign-in accounts
 
 All three local-only accounts use password **`Synthetic-demo-2026!`**: