Improve object safety

.github/copilot-instructions.md

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# GitHub Copilot instructions
+
+See [AGENTS.md](../AGENTS.md) for how to work in this repository, including the runtime model that
+underlies environments, teardown, threading, and object lifetime, plus the build/format/test steps.
+
+Key reminder: run `dotnet format --severity info --verbosity detailed` after code changes (PR builds
+fail on formatting violations), and run `dotnet pack` before `dotnet test`.

AGENTS.md

@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+# Repository guide for AI agents
+
+This file orients automated coding agents (and new contributors) working in this repository. It is
+intentionally short; it points at the authoritative docs rather than duplicating them.
+
+`node-api-dotnet` provides high-performance, in-process interop between .NET and JavaScript, built on
+[Node-API](https://nodejs.org/api/n-api.html). It ships a runtime library, a native + managed host,
+a C# source generator, and a TypeScript type-definitions generator.
+
+## Read this first: the runtime model
+
+Most recurring misunderstandings in this codebase come from the JavaScript environment / .NET
+context lifetime model. **Read [docs/concepts/runtime-model.md](docs/concepts/runtime-model.md)
+before reasoning about environments, teardown, threading, or object lifetime.** The facts that are
+most often gotten wrong:
+
+- **Node.js creates one `napi_env` per loaded native module.** A Native AOT module is `1 env : 1`
+  `JSRuntimeContext`. A managed module runs a native host and a managed host that **share one env**
+  (two instance-data slots) — that is the *only* case where two contexts share an env. Two
+  independently compiled AOT addons are two separate modules and therefore get **two different
+  envs**; they never share one, so their per-environment state cannot collide.
+- **`node::Environment` is not `napi_env`.** There is one `node::Environment` per V8 isolate / worker
+  thread, and **zero or more `napi_env` per `node::Environment`** (one per native module). An
+  environment cleanup hook is associated with the `node::Environment`; the **instance-data finalizer
+  is per `napi_env`.** Per-context teardown keys off the instance-data finalizer, not the cleanup
+  hook.
+- **Finalizers run during environment teardown, where calling into JavaScript is forbidden.** Resolve
+  the context with `JSRuntimeContext.FromEnv(env)`, never by dereferencing a finalize hint that may be
+  freed, and assume no ordering between wrapped-object finalizers and the instance-data finalizer.
+- **`napi_value` / `JSValue` are valid only within their `JSValueScope` and only on the JS thread.**
+  To keep a value beyond its scope, hold a `JSReference` (`napi_ref`). There are three scope types —
+  runtime-context, handle, and escapable — and a module boundary starts a fresh module holder so each
+  loaded module resolves its own module instance.
+
+## Build, format, and test
+
+Full details are in [README-DEV.md](README-DEV.md). The essentials:
+
+```bash
+dotnet build
+dotnet format --severity info --verbosity detailed   # PR builds FAIL if formatting is non-compliant
+dotnet pack                                           # required before tests (the generator is consumed as a local package)
+dotnet test
+```
+
+- **Run `dotnet format` after code changes and before tests** — formatting is a CI gate.
+- **`dotnet pack` is required before `dotnet test`**, and again after any change to the source
+  generator, because tests consume the generator through the locally built NuGet package. Use
+  `-c Release` for release-configuration testing.
+- Most test cases run twice: once in hosted CLR mode and once in Native AOT mode. Test cases are
+  derived from the `.js` files under `test/TestCases`.
+
+## Conventions
+
+- Follow the existing code style enforced by `.editorconfig` (American English in code, comments, and
+  docs).
+- See [docs/contributing.md](docs/contributing.md) for contribution guidelines, and
+  [docs/NodeApi-Layers.md](docs/NodeApi-Layers.md) for how the assemblies and namespaces are layered.
+- Keep code comments minimal: add one only to explain a non-obvious "why" that the code cannot show.

CLAUDE.md

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# Guidance for Claude
+
+See [AGENTS.md](AGENTS.md) for how to work in this repository, including the runtime model that
+underlies environments, teardown, threading, and object lifetime, plus the build/format/test steps.
+
+Key reminder: run `dotnet format --severity info --verbosity detailed` after code changes (PR builds
+fail on formatting violations), and run `dotnet pack` before `dotnet test`.

Directory.Packages.props

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
     <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.NET.Test.Sdk" Version="17.5.0" />
     <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.SourceLink.GitHub" Version="8.0.0" />
     <PackageVersion Include="Nerdbank.GitVersioning" Version="3.10.91" />
-    <PackageVersion Include="Nullability.Source" Version="2.1.0" />
+    <PackageVersion Include="Nullability.Source" Version="2.3.0" />
     <PackageVersion Include="System.Memory" Version="4.5.5" />
     <PackageVersion Include="System.Reflection.Emit" Version="4.7.0" />
     <PackageVersion Include="System.Reflection.MetadataLoadContext" Version="6.0.0" />

bench/Benchmarks.cs

@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ protected void Setup()
         _reference = new JSReference(_jsFunction);
     }
 
-    private static JSValueScope NewJSScope() => new(JSValueScopeType.Callback);
+    private static JSValueScope NewJSScope() => JSValueScope.CreateRuntimeScope();
 
     // Benchmarks in the base class run in both CLR and AOT environments.
 

docs/.vitepress/config.mts

@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@ export default defineConfig({
 
     sidebar: [
       { text: 'Overview', link: '/overview' },
+      {
+        text: 'Concepts',
+        items: [
+          { text: 'Runtime model', link: '/concepts/runtime-model' },
+          { text: 'Project layers', link: '/NodeApi-Layers' },
+        ]
+      },
       {
         text: 'Get Started',
         items: [

docs/concepts/runtime-model.md

@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+# Runtime model: environments, lifetimes, and threads
+
+This page describes the foundational runtime model that the rest of the library is built on:
+how JavaScript environments map to .NET runtime contexts, how those contexts are torn down, and
+the rules for safely holding JavaScript values. The per-feature pages
+([JS value scopes](../features/js-value-scopes), [JS references](../features/js-references),
+[JS threading & async](../features/js-threading-async),
+[Node worker threads](../features/node-workers)) assume the model described here.
+
+If you are extending this library or reviewing a change to it, read this first — several parts of
+the design only make sense once the environment/module relationship is clear.
+
+## Environments and module instances
+
+**Node.js creates a unique `napi_env` for each native module it loads.** When a module is
+registered, `napi_module_register_by_symbol` (in Node's `src/node_api.cc`) calls `NodeApiEnv::New`,
+which mints a fresh `napi_env` for that specific module. So the mapping is per-module, not
+per-process and not per-isolate.
+
+That gives three deployment shapes:
+
+| Shape | `napi_env` : `JSRuntimeContext` | Notes |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| **Native AOT module** | 1 : 1 | The `.node` file *is* the module, so Node makes one env and the module owns one context. |
+| **Managed module** (`.node` native host + managed host) | 1 : 2 | The native host and the managed host run in **separate .NET runtimes** but share the **same** env. Each registers its own context. |
+| **Embedding** (a .NET app hosting `libnode`) | 1 : 1 per env | The .NET app creates and owns each environment's context. |
+
+The managed-module case is the only one where two contexts share a single `napi_env`. The native
+host (`NativeHost`, AOT-compiled into the `.node`) initializes first and hands the same env to the
+managed host (`ManagedHost`, loaded into the default .NET runtime); both create a `JSRuntimeContext`
+for that one env. This is deliberate and bounded — there are never more than these two.
+
+**A consequence worth stating explicitly:** two independently compiled AOT addons are two separate
+native modules, so Node gives them **two different `napi_env` instances**. They never share one
+environment, and their per-environment state never collides. The same is true for an AOT addon
+loaded alongside the managed host: different modules, different envs.
+
+## `node::Environment` vs `napi_env` vs isolate/worker
+
+These three are easy to conflate, but they nest at different granularities:
+
+- **`node::Environment`** — one per V8 isolate, i.e. one per Node.js **worker thread** (the main
+  thread is a worker too). It owns the event loop and the environment-cleanup hook list.
+- **`napi_env`** — **zero or more per `node::Environment`**, one for each native module loaded into
+  that worker. Node-API objects, references, and instance data all belong to a specific `napi_env`.
+- **isolate/worker thread** — the JS execution thread. All JS values and value scopes have affinity
+  to it.
+
+Two teardown callbacks live at these different levels, and the difference matters:
+
+- An **environment cleanup hook** (`napi_add_env_cleanup_hook`, backed by
+  `node::AddEnvironmentCleanupHook`) is associated with the **`node::Environment`**. It fires once
+  when the whole worker shuts down.
+- The **instance-data finalizer** (registered with `napi_set_instance_data`) is associated with a
+  **single `napi_env`**. It fires when that module's environment is torn down.
+
+Because a `JSRuntimeContext` is scoped to one `napi_env`, this library keys per-context teardown off
+the **instance-data finalizer**, not the environment cleanup hook. Using the cleanup hook would be
+both too coarse (one worker may host several envs) and wrongly timed for per-module lifetime.
+
+## Instance-data ownership (`JSRuntimeContext`)
+
+Each context roots itself with a `GCHandle` stored in its env's instance-data block. Because the
+managed-module case puts two contexts (in two separate .NET runtimes/GC heaps) on one env, the block
+has **two slots**:
+
+- **slot 0** — the module context: managed host, AOT module, or embedding.
+- **slot 1** — the native host context.
+
+There are exactly two slots because the native-host + managed-host pair is the only case where two
+contexts share an env. A runtime **reads and writes only its own slot**, so it never dereferences a
+`GCHandle` that belongs to the other runtime's GC heap (which would be undefined behavior).
+
+`JSRuntimeContext.FromEnv(napi_env)` resolves the calling runtime's context from its slot. This is
+how callback dispatch and finalizers recover the context when no scope is yet current on the thread.
+
+At environment teardown the instance-data finalizer disposes the owning context, which **clears its
+slot and frees the rooting `GCHandle`**. Disposing a host context cascades synchronously to the
+other slot's context, so once every context on the env is gone the finalizer **frees the block**.
+Freeing it there is no less safe than keeping it: a finalizer that called `FromEnv` after the
+instance-data finalizer would already be reading Node's own freed finalizer record (Node does not
+null its instance-data pointer), so retaining the block never protected that case. The block is not
+nulled out via `napi_set_instance_data` — that would delete the finalizer record Node is running and
+then double-free it.
+
+## JavaScript value scopes
+
+Every `JSValue` belongs to a [`JSValueScope`](../features/js-value-scopes). There are three scope
+types, each created by a static factory:
+
+- **Runtime-context scope** — `JSValueScope.CreateRuntimeScope(env, context)`. References a
+  `JSRuntimeContext` and marks a call/context boundary. It opens no napi handle scope. This is the
+  scope opened at a module entry point or a callback into .NET.
+- **Handle scope** — `JSValueScope.CreateHandleScope()`. A nested napi handle scope; JS values
+  created within it are released when it is disposed, unless held by a `JSReference`. Use it to
+  bound the lifetime of values created in a loop.
+- **Escapable scope** — `JSValueScope.CreateEscapableScope()`. Like a handle scope, but one value
+  may be promoted to the parent scope with `Escape`, so it survives the inner scope's disposal.
+
+A **module boundary** is a runtime-context scope that starts a *fresh module holder* while reusing
+the surrounding context, so each loaded module resolves its own module instance via
+`JSValueScope.Current.Module`. This matters when a single managed host loads several generated
+modules: without a fresh holder per module, the most recently loaded module's instance would be the
+one every module's callbacks resolve.
+
+## Lifetime of `napi_value` and `napi_ref` (`JSValue` / `JSReference`)
+
+- A `napi_value` (wrapped by [`JSValue`](../features/js-value-scopes)) is valid **only within its
+  scope**. Using it after the scope closes throws `JSValueScopeClosedException`. Values passed to a
+  .NET callback belong to that call's scope and become invalid when it returns.
+- JS values and scopes have **thread affinity**: they may be accessed only from the JS thread that
+  owns the environment. Access from another thread throws `JSInvalidThreadAccessException`. To marshal
+  work back to the JS thread, use the context's synchronization context (see
+  [JS threading & async](../features/js-threading-async)).
+- To keep a value **beyond its scope**, create a [`JSReference`](../features/js-references) (a
+  `napi_ref`). A strong reference keeps the value alive; a weak one lets it be collected and resolves
+  to nothing afterward. A `JSReference` is itself owned by a context and released with it.
+
+### Finalizers run during teardown — no JS allowed
+
+A finalizer (for a wrapped .NET object, an external, or a reference) may run while the environment is
+being torn down, where **calling into JavaScript is forbidden**. Finalizer code in this library
+follows two rules:
+
+1. **Resolve the context from the env**, via `JSRuntimeContext.FromEnv(env)` — never by dereferencing
+   a finalize hint that may already be freed. If `FromEnv` returns no live context (the slot was
+   cleared at teardown), the finalizer only frees its own native handle and does no JS work.
+2. **Never assume ordering** among the env's finalizers. Node drains wrapped-object finalizers in no
+   guaranteed order, so a finalizer must tolerate the context's slot already being cleared (rule 1).
+   The instance-data finalizer frees the block only after every context on the env is disposed.
+
+## See also
+
+- [Project layers](../NodeApi-Layers) — how the assemblies and namespaces are organized.
+- [JS value scopes](../features/js-value-scopes), [JS references](../features/js-references) —
+  the day-to-day API surface built on this model.
+- [JS threading & async](../features/js-threading-async),
+  [Node worker threads](../features/node-workers) — the threading rules in practice.

docs/features/js-value-scopes.md

@@ -7,9 +7,8 @@ A value is only valid within its scope; if the scope is closed (disposed), then
 access or use the value will throw
 [`JSValueScopeClosedException`](../reference/dotnet/Microsoft.JavaScript.NodeApi/JSValueScopeClosedException).
 
-Values received by a .NET method that is a JS callback are associated with a `Callback`
-[scope type](../reference/dotnet/Microsoft.JavaScript.NodeApi/JSValueScopeType). When the method
-returns, the callback scope is closed and any values in that scope become invalid.
+Values received by a .NET method that is a JS callback belong to the current scope for that call.
+When the method returns, that scope is closed and any values in it become invalid.
 
 ## Nesting and escaping scopes
 
@@ -23,7 +22,7 @@ JSFunction jsFunction = …
 
 foreach (string item in array)
 {
-    using (var nestedScope = new JSValueScope())
+    using (var nestedScope = JSValueScope.CreateHandleScope())
     {
         // Passing a .NET string to JS requires converting it to JSValue.
         // The conversion is implicit; the explicit cast is for illustration.
@@ -44,7 +43,7 @@ public JSValue EscapableScopeExample(JSCallbackArgs args)
 
     foreach (string item in array)
     {
-        using (var escapableScope = new JSValueScope(JSValueScopeType.Escapable))
+        using (var escapableScope = JSValueScope.CreateEscapableScope())
         {
             JSValue result = jsFunction.Call(thisArg: default, (JSValue)item);
             if (!result.IsUndefined())

examples/hermes-engine/HermesRuntime.cs

@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ private HermesRuntime(JSDispatcherQueue dispatcherQueue)
         JSRuntime runtime = HermesApi.Load("hermes.dll");
         using HermesConfig tempConfig = new();
         hermes_create_runtime((hermes_config)tempConfig, out _runtime).ThrowIfFailed();
-        _rootScope = new JSValueScope(JSValueScopeType.Root, (napi_env)this, runtime);
+        JSRuntimeContext context = JSRuntimeContext.Create((napi_env)this, runtime);
+        _rootScope = JSValueScope.CreateRuntimeScope((napi_env)this, context);
         CreatePolyfills();
     }
 
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ public static explicit operator napi_env(HermesRuntime value)
     private void CreatePolyfills()
     {
         VerifyElseThrow(JSDispatcherQueue.GetForCurrentThread() == _dispatcherQueue);
-        using var scope = new JSValueScope();
+        using var scope = JSValueScope.CreateHandleScope();
 
         // Add global
         JSValue global = JSValue.Global;

src/NodeApi.DotNetHost/JSMarshaller.cs

@@ -89,9 +89,9 @@ public JSMarshaller()
         typeof(JSRuntimeContext).GetStaticProperty(nameof(JSRuntimeContext.Current))
             ?? throw new NotImplementedException("JSRuntimeContext.Current");
 
-    private static readonly PropertyInfo s_moduleContext =
-        typeof(JSModuleContext).GetStaticProperty(nameof(JSModuleContext.Current))
-            ?? throw new NotImplementedException("JSModuleContext.Current");
+    private static readonly PropertyInfo s_currentScope =
+        typeof(JSValueScope).GetStaticProperty(nameof(JSValueScope.Current))
+            ?? throw new NotImplementedException("JSValueScope.Current");
 
     private static readonly PropertyInfo s_valueItem =
         typeof(JSValue).GetIndexer(typeof(string))
@@ -1878,22 +1878,22 @@ private IEnumerable<Expression> BuildThisArgumentExpressions(
 
         if (type.GetCustomAttributes<JSModuleAttribute>().Any())
         {
-            // For a method on a module class, the .NET object is stored in the module context.
+            // For a method on a module class, the .NET object is the current module instance.
             // `ThisArg` is ignored for module-level methods.
 
             /*
-             * ObjectType? __this = JSRuntimeContext.Current.Module as ObjectType;
+             * ObjectType? __this = JSValueScope.Current.Module as ObjectType;
              * if (__this == null) return JSValue.Undefined;
              */
 
-            PropertyInfo moduleProperty = typeof(JSModuleContext).GetProperty(
-                nameof(JSModuleContext.Module))
-                ?? throw new NotImplementedException("JSModuleContext.Module");
+            PropertyInfo moduleProperty = typeof(JSValueScope).GetProperty(
+                nameof(JSValueScope.Module))
+                ?? throw new NotImplementedException("JSValueScope.Module");
             yield return Expression.Assign(
                 thisVariable,
                 Expression.TypeAs(
                     Expression.Property(
-                        Expression.Property(null, s_moduleContext),
+                        Expression.Property(null, s_currentScope),
                         moduleProperty),
                     type));
             yield return Expression.IfThen(