# Maintaining c-ares Updates to the c-ares dependency involve the following steps: 1. Downloading the source archive for the new version. 2. Unpacking the source in a temporary workspace directory. 3. Removing the `test` directory (to save disk space). 4. Copying over the existing `.gitignore`, pre-generated `config` directory and `cares.gyp` files. 5. Replacing the existing `deps/cares` with the workspace directory. 6. Modifying the `cares.gyp` file for file additions/deletions. 7. Rebuilding the main Node.js `LICENSE`. ## Running the update script The `tools/update-cares.sh` script automates the update of the c-ares source files, preserving the existing files added by Node.js. In the following examples, `x.y.z` should match the c-ares version to update to. ```console ./tools/update-cares.sh x.y.z ``` e.g. ```console ./tools/update-cares.sh 1.18.1 ``` ## Check that Node.js still builds and tests It may be necessary to update `deps/cares/cares.gyp` if any significant changes have occurred upstream. ## Rebuild the main Node.js license Run the `tools/license-builder.sh` script to rebuild the main Node.js `LICENSE` file. This may result in no changes if c-ares' license has not changed. ```console ./tools/license-builder.sh ``` If the updated `LICENSE` contains changes for other dependencies, those should be done in a separate pull request first. ## Commit the changes ```console git add -A deps/cares ``` Add the rebuilt `LICENSE` if it has been updated. ```console git add LICENSE ``` Commit the changes with a message like ```text deps: update c-ares to x.y.z Updated as described in doc/contributing/maintaining-c-ares.md. ```