Use npm to manage Markdown tool dependencies

The project uses several tools for development and validation of Markdown files. Previously, the version of the tools
used was not controlled. This was problematic because:

- A different version of the tool may be used on the contributor's machine than on the CI runner, resulting in confusing
  failures.
- The project is immediately subject to disruption or breakage resulting from a release of the tool.

The new approach is to specify the version of the tools via the standard npm metadata files (package.json +
package-lock.json), providing the following benefits:

- Enables automated updates via Dependabot PRs
- Enables automated vulnerability alerts

Author: per1234

.ecrc

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
     "^\\.git[/\\\\]",
     "__pycache__[/\\\\]",
     "^LICENSE\\.txt$",
+    "node_modules[/\\\\]",
     "^poetry\\.lock$",
     "^\\.licenses[/\\\\]",
     "^internal/rule/schema/schemadata/bindata.go$",

.github/workflows/check-markdown-task.yml

@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ name: Check Markdown
 env:
   # See: https://github.com/actions/setup-go/tree/main#supported-version-syntax
   GO_VERSION: "1.17"
+  # See: https://github.com/actions/setup-node/#readme
+  NODE_VERSION: 20.x
 
 # See: https://docs.github.com/actions/writing-workflows/choosing-when-your-workflow-runs/events-that-trigger-workflows
 on:
@@ -12,6 +14,8 @@ on:
     paths:
       - ".github/workflows/check-markdown-task.ya?ml"
       - ".markdown-link-check.json"
+      - "package.json"
+      - "package-lock.json"
       - "Taskfile.ya?ml"
       - "**/.markdownlint*"
       - "**.mdx?"
@@ -22,6 +26,8 @@ on:
     paths:
       - ".github/workflows/check-markdown-task.ya?ml"
       - ".markdown-link-check.json"
+      - "package.json"
+      - "package-lock.json"
       - "Taskfile.ya?ml"
       - "**/.markdownlint*"
       - "**.mdx?"
@@ -70,6 +76,11 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
+      - name: Setup Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: ${{ env.NODE_VERSION }}
+
       - name: Initialize markdownlint-cli problem matcher
         uses: xt0rted/markdownlint-problem-matcher@v3
 
@@ -98,6 +109,11 @@ jobs:
         with:
           go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
 
+      - name: Setup Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: ${{ env.NODE_VERSION }}
+
       - name: Install Task
         uses: arduino/setup-task@v2
         with:

.gitignore

@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 arduino-lint.exe
 __pycache__/
 
+# Generated files
+node_modules/
+
 # Test artifacts
 coverage_unit.txt
 

.markdownlintignore

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 # Source: https://github.com/arduino/tooling-project-assets/blob/main/workflow-templates/assets/check-markdown/.markdownlintignore
 .licenses/
 __pycache__/
+node_modules/

.prettierignore

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 # Generated files
 /.licenses/
 __pycache__/
+node_modules/
 
 # Test files
 /internal/rule/schema/testdata/input/invalid-schema.json

Taskfile.yml

@@ -320,6 +320,7 @@ tasks:
     desc: Check for broken links
     deps:
       - task: docs:generate
+      - task: npm:install-deps
     cmds:
       - |
         if [[ "{{.OS}}" == "Windows_NT" ]]; then
@@ -361,15 +362,29 @@ tasks:
   # Source: https://github.com/arduino/tooling-project-assets/blob/main/workflow-templates/assets/check-markdown-task/Taskfile.yml
   markdown:fix:
     desc: Automatically correct linting violations in Markdown files where possible
+    deps:
+      - task: npm:install-deps
     cmds:
       - npx markdownlint-cli --fix "**/*.md"
 
   # Source: https://github.com/arduino/tooling-project-assets/blob/main/workflow-templates/assets/check-markdown-task/Taskfile.yml
   markdown:lint:
     desc: Check for problems in Markdown files
+    deps:
+      - task: npm:install-deps
     cmds:
       - npx markdownlint-cli "**/*.md"
 
+  # Parameter variables:
+  # - PROJECT_PATH: path of the npm-managed project. Default value: "./"
+  # Source: https://github.com/arduino/tooling-project-assets/blob/main/workflow-templates/assets/npm-task/Taskfile.yml
+  npm:install-deps:
+    desc: Install dependencies managed by npm
+    dir: |
+      "{{default "./" .PROJECT_PATH}}"
+    cmds:
+      - npm install
+
   # Source: https://github.com/arduino/tooling-project-assets/blob/main/workflow-templates/assets/poetry-task/Taskfile.yml
   poetry:install-deps:
     desc: Install dependencies managed by Poetry

docs/CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ If you want to run integration tests or work on documentation, you will also nee
 
 - A working [Python](https://www.python.org/downloads/) environment, version 3.9 or later.
 - [Poetry](https://python-poetry.org/docs/).
+- [**Node.js** / **npm**](https://nodejs.org/en/download/) - Node.js dependencies management tool.
+  - **ⓘ** [**nvm**](https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm#installing-and-updating) is recommended if you want to manage multiple
+    installations of **Node.js** on your system.
 
 ### Building the source code