Request: don't require snappy

[macobo]

Historically kafka-node requiring snappy has broken quite a few environments and caused many a headache [1].

Most users don't require or use compression for these messages, so I would propose not including snappy inside the main module but rather as an optional extension?

[1] See all these issues: #253 #248 #241 #221 #217 #204 #202 #153

[kaustavha]

+1
I had a similiar idea since I'm doing some research on Kafka and couldnt get this to compile. Monkey patched this together with my furry paws
https://github.com/kaustavha/kafka-node--light
Still has zlib compression.

[Sneagan]

Yes please. This is a huge blocker for my deployment process, as there seems to be no reliable workaround to the referenced issues with snappy.

[DrMegavolt]

+1, snappy requires gyp rebuild, and it will not work on docker node:slim image.
This dependency forces to use huge full image node:latest

[milashenko]

+1

[hyperlink]

So I found codependency module that will let you do optional modules but I don't have any experience with it and don't how well it works in practice.

Is there another way to do this and how do other projects include optional modules?

[hyperlink]

I have a solution for this. Hope to get a PR for review soon.