Outdated Packages and Weird Installation Method

[nmggithub]

This library uses both bluebird and request, two packages that are extremely outdated and honestly no longer needed. Bluebird was meant to be a polyfill for the Promise API before it was widely supported (which it is now). It's last release was 5 years ago. The request package has been deprecated since 2020 (https://www.npmjs.com/package/request).

The method of installing this package is also very strange. While I do enjoy TypeScript, I have never seen a package on NPM distributed with TypeScript code itself with steps to compile it. The standard appears to be to provide JS files, along with TS types. which is not done here. Requiring a compiling step is an anti-pattern and would honestly break most development processes.

[torchsmith]

It's the wild west over at clicksend

[startswithaj]

Whipped up a quick wrapper:
https://github.com/startswithaj/clicksend-nodejs-precompiled
https://www.npmjs.com/package/click-send-nodejs-precompiled

[giorgosph]

I am deploying my server with AWS CodeDeploy and to resolve the problem I have added a script on the AfterInstall step (where I also build my project's ts), the following lines:

cd /path/to/project/node_modules/clicksend
npx tsc --target es5 api.ts

[itmad-com-au]

Regarding the two outdated packages being used:
Comments at the top of api.ts show that the swagger code generator is used to create the client code.
The swagger code generator for node still references those bluebird and request packages. See: https://github.com/swagger-api/swagger-codegen/blob/master/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/typescript-node/package.mustache

Perhaps transitioning away from swagger code generator to another way of generating the client code is seen as a major obstacle for Clicksend trying to fix this problem and hence the delay/lack of response?

[beetroop]

Whipped up a quick wrapper: https://github.com/startswithaj/clicksend-nodejs-precompiled https://www.npmjs.com/package/click-send-nodejs-precompiled

Is there any way to submit your wrapper as a PR?

[startswithaj]

Whipped up a quick wrapper: https://github.com/startswithaj/clicksend-nodejs-precompiled https://www.npmjs.com/package/click-send-nodejs-precompiled

Is there any way to submit your wrapper as a PR?

I could submit it, but unless its merged, the PR wont be of any use. It doesn't really look like this repo is maintained. If we get a comment from one of the maintainers they want a PR happy to do it.

For now you can point your package.json to my repo with the commit hash explained here.

To be honest I did not find their api to be responsive. SMS messages would often get delayed for long periods. I would not recommend this if your using it for any kind of OTP. I ended up moving to another provider.

[torchsmith]

Better yet, my OTP codes are currently getting marked as spam by some networks for some reason..... It's just OTP codes!

[Byronsargeant]

I receive a daily email from Clicksend asking if I need any help. When I respond with "Yes, please update the outdated packages used in your API," I do not receive a response. This is not a free service! Why are the maintainers ignoring this?

[torchsmith]

@Byronsargeant they are likely just focusing efforts on the parent company (that likely bought clicksend?) https://sinch.com/

[Byronsargeant]

@torchsmith probably, I noticed that, also bought MailGun?

I just received an email response see attached

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