nodejs / nodejs/node

Node repl crashes when trying to call back a large multiline item

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confirmed-bug readline repl
Dominant language
JavaScript
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Forks
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Avg merge
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Merged PRs (30d)
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Description

Version

24.4.1

Platform
Linux panta-rog 6.14.0-27-generic #27-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Tue Jul 22 17:01:58 UTC 2025 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
Subsystem

No response

What steps will reproduce the bug?

Paste a huge multi-line JSON into repl.
Then bring it back via arrow up.
Then press arrow up again.

How often does it reproduce? Is there a required condition?

I can reproduce it with a long JSON.

What is the expected behavior? Why is that the expected behavior?

No crash.

What do you see instead?
TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'length')
    at REPLServer.[_multilineMove] (node:internal/readline/interface:1092:36)
    at REPLServer.[_moveUpOrHistoryPrev] (node:internal/readline/interface:1149:27)
    at REPLServer.[_ttyWrite] [as _ttyWrite] (node:internal/readline/interface:1498:37)
    at REPLServer.self._ttyWrite (node:repl:1035:9)
    at ReadStream.onkeypress (node:internal/readline/interface:284:20)
    at ReadStream.emit (node:events:507:28)
    at ReadStream.emit (node:domain:489:12)
    at emitKeys (node:internal/readline/utils:371:14)
    at emitKeys.next (<anonymous>)
    at ReadStream.onData (node:internal/readline/emitKeypressEvents:64:36)
Additional information

No response

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start by reproducing the crash in the Node REPL with a large multiline JSON item, then inspect internal/readline/interface at _multilineMove and _moveUpOrHistoryPrev, along with node:repl. Done means repeating the two arrow-up actions does not throw the reported TypeError or crash the REPL.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
javascript, linux, node.js
Domain
cli
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
3/5
Estimated time
1-2 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
55/100

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