Generating Compile Cache Ahead of Runtime

What is the problem this feature will solve?

It is currently not possible to generate the compile cache without executing the files that will be cached.

Currently, container images and lambda functions can't easily generate code caches ahead of the actual runtime, since the code may have effects you may not want to execute early.

What is the feature you are proposing to solve the problem?

Would it be possible to add a way to generate the compile cache without executing the relevant files, i.e. walking the module tree from the entry point, generating caches along the way?

Perhaps something like node --generate-compile-cache path/to/entrypoint.mjs
and/or

module.generateCompileCache("path/to/entrypoint.mjs")

What alternatives have you considered?

You may be able to work around this by adding "dry-run" code paths specifically for code cache generation, but this is a hacky workaround that can require massive effort.

Start by examining Node.js's existing compile-cache behavior and the proposed --generate-compile-cache and module.generateCompileCache() entry points. Determine how an entrypoint's module tree could be traversed without executing application code. Done means a documented, tested way to generate the relevant compile cache ahead of runtime.