Remove `sys` entirely

[avivkeller]

The sys module (runtime) was deprecated ten years ago. Currently, all it does is reference the util module. After these ten years, it's time to remove it entirely (IMO).

Chances are, little systems are still using it (and the latest Node.js version).

[avivkeller]

This would be a semver-major change if implemented.

[richardlau]

This has come up several times before. Every time we decided to leave things as-is. There's no benefit to removing it.

[MoLow]

I recall running citgm had prevented removing this

[avivkeller]

I looked through the internals, sys isn't used anywhere where it can't be removed (tests).

I know it's been discussed in the past, but I believe that we shouldn't keep it for the sake of old systems, because chances are they aren't using the latest versions of node anyway

[richardlau]

Refs: #49520

[avivkeller]

I still think we should discuss it's removal. It doesn't have any maintenance cost either way, but having it is redundant, and I doubt anyone using the latest Node.js version is also using the sys module.

[benjamingr]

After these ten years, it's time to remove it entirely (IMO).

Why? The cost of having it for backwards compatibility is small and breakage is non-zero. This issue is the most time we've spent on it in the last year probably.

[aduh95]

It doesn't have any maintenance cost either way

The only maintenance cost of node:sys is those issues/PRs coming up about once per year suggesting we remove it 😅 I'm going to go ahead and close this issue in an effort to keep that maintenance burden low (I think your question have been answered – and if it hasn't, please read the linked PRs to get the context, you should find out that the previous objections still stand), see you next year everyone 🥲