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Debian already provides multiple versions for Rust crates, I don't see why such an approach wouldn't be viable for Node.js packages. For example, Debian for nom crate provides versions 3, 4 and 5:

https://packages.debian.org/sid/librust-nom-3-dev

https://packages.debian.org/sid/librust-nom-4-dev

https://packages.debian.org/sid/librust-nom-dev

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Rust is funny because it is perfectly possible to build a single binary that links multiple versions of the same library. Happens when a transitive dependency is written assuming the older API of a library.

I think it all boil down to manpower. Rust crates need a limited set of compat packages and have a way smaller ecosystem than nodejs. Node developers tend to use as many dependencies they can, resulting in hundreds of deps per app. Rust programs have generally less than 10 direct dependencies, and at worst less than a hundred indirect dependencies, so it is still manageable.

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