**Node 26 compatibility — native-module (better-sqlite3) ABI fix + Node-major CI matrix**.

Node 26 compatibility — native-module (better-sqlite3) ABI fix + Node-major CI matrix. Restores massu on the now-default Node 26. @massu/core shipped a prebuilt better-sqlite3 binary compiled for an older NODE_MODULE_VERSION (ABI) and declared engines.node ">=20.0.0 <26.0.0"; when Homebrew's default Node became v26 (ABI 147), the native module failed to load (NODE_MODULE_VERSION 127 ... requires 147), breaking BOTH the license check and the memory database in every consumer repo — npx @massu/core@1 doctor reported UNHEALTHY. This bumps better-sqlite3 ^12.6.2 → ^12.11.1 (which ships prebuilt ABI-147 binaries for macOS/Linux/Alpine/Windows, so npx consumers with no compiler still load it) and removes the artificial <26.0.0 engines ceiling (now >=20.0.0). Verified end-to-end: the full sqlite-backed suite (2710 tests) + doctor HEALTHY on Node 26 AND Node 22 (previously-shipped ABI 127 — no regression). Patch per semver: a compatibility fix with no API change.

Fixed

• better-sqlite3 native module fails to load on Node 26 (ABI 147). Bumped better-sqlite3 to ^12.11.1 (prebuilt ABI-147 binaries for every consumer platform) and widened packages/core + @massu/adapter-rails + @massu/adapter-spring engines.node to >=20.0.0 (dropped the <26.0.0 ceiling that excluded the new default Node). checkNativeModules() + checkLicenseStatus() in massu doctor now pass on Node 26 (Status: HEALTHY).
• root npm audit → 0 findings. Bumped tsx ^4.0.0 → ^4.23.0 (built on patched esbuild ~0.28.0) and added a root overrides pin esbuild ^0.28.1, deduping the dev/test tree onto esbuild 0.28.1 and closing GHSA-g7r4-m6w7-qqqr (esbuild dev-server file read, Windows-only; esbuild is a build/test-only dep — never in @massu/core dependencies nor any published artifact). npm audit fix resolved tar (GHSA-vmf3-w455-68vh, file smuggling) and vite (GHSA-v6wh-96g9-6wx3, high). All-severity closure: npm audit reports zero at repo root.

Added

• CI Node-major matrix + hard gate (structural drift-prevention, CR-46). .github/workflows/ci.yml native-module job runs a better-sqlite3 load assertion + the full sqlite-backed suite on Node 20 / 22 / 24 / 26 / latest — the latest leg auto-tracks the newest release, so a FUTURE Node major that breaks the native-module ABI fails CI with no manual matrix edit. Fronted by a required Native Module Gate status check (.github/rulesets/main-branch.json). The class is pinned by node-compat-drift-guard.test.ts (native load + no-<-ceiling on engines.node + CI-guard-wired) and the ruleset allowlist mirror (ruleset-parser.ts ↔ ruleset-context-coverage.mjs). Closes the "single-Node CI never sees a new-major ABI break" gap that let this incident ship. Incident: docs/incidents/2026-07-05-node-26-native-module-abi.md.