# Node + tsx "__name is not a function" crash ## Summary Running Clawdbot via Node with `tsx` fails at startup with: ``` [clawdbot] Failed to start CLI: TypeError: __name is not a function at createSubsystemLogger (.../src/logging/subsystem.ts:203:25) at .../src/agents/auth-profiles/constants.ts:25:20 ``` This began after switching dev scripts from Bun to `tsx` (commit `2871657e`, 2026-01-06). The same runtime path worked with Bun. ## Environment - Node: v25.x (observed on v25.3.0) - tsx: 4.21.0 - OS: macOS (repro also likely on other platforms that run Node 25) ## Repro (Node-only) ```bash # in repo root node --version pnpm install node --import tsx src/entry.ts status ``` ## Minimal repro in repo ```bash node --import tsx scripts/repro/tsx-name-repro.ts ``` ## Node version check - Node 25.3.0: fails - Node 22.22.0 (Homebrew `node@22`): fails - Node 24: not installed here yet; needs verification ## Notes / hypothesis - `tsx` uses esbuild to transform TS/ESM. esbuild’s `keepNames` emits a `__name` helper and wraps function definitions with `__name(...)`. - The crash indicates `__name` exists but is not a function at runtime, which implies the helper is missing or overwritten for this module in the Node 25 loader path. - Similar `__name` helper issues have been reported in other esbuild consumers when the helper is missing or rewritten. ## Regression history - `2871657e` (2026-01-06): scripts changed from Bun to tsx to make Bun optional. - Before that (Bun path), `pnpm clawdbot status` and `gateway:watch` worked. ## Workarounds - Use Bun for dev scripts (current temporary revert). - Use Node + tsc watch, then run compiled output: ```bash pnpm exec tsc --watch --preserveWatchOutput node --watch dist/entry.js status ``` - Confirmed locally: `pnpm exec tsc -p tsconfig.json` + `node dist/entry.js status` works on Node 25. - Disable esbuild keepNames in the TS loader if possible (prevents `__name` helper insertion); tsx does not currently expose this. - Test Node LTS (22/24) with `tsx` to see if the issue is Node 25–specific. ## References - https://opennext.js.org/cloudflare/howtos/keep_names - https://esbuild.github.io/api/#keep-names - https://github.com/evanw/esbuild/issues/1031 ## Next steps - Repro on Node 22/24 to confirm Node 25 regression. - Test `tsx` nightly or pin to earlier version if a known regression exists. - If reproduces on Node LTS, file a minimal repro upstream with the `__name` stack trace.