Closures retain references to their containing scope, which includes variables and functions. If not managed carefully, this can lead to memory leaks as these references may prevent objects from being garbage collected.

In Node.js, you can use process.exit() to gracefully terminate a Node.js application. It allows you to specify an exit code. The other options, such as process.end(), process.terminate(), and process.halt(), are not valid methods for application termination.

Stubbing in tests is often used to simulate the behavior of a function or method, allowing you to control its responses for testing purposes. It's especially useful when you want to isolate the code under test and ensure that certain functions return specific values or execute specific code paths.

To ensure the security of file uploads in a web application, it's crucial to perform server-side validation. This includes checking the file's content type, verifying its size, and possibly scanning it for malware. Other important security measures include limiting file sizes to prevent denial-of-service attacks and disallowing specific file types to prevent the upload of potentially harmful files. Using an unauthenticated endpoint is not recommended as it could lead to security vulnerabilities.

In JavaScript, altering an object's prototype at runtime can lead to "Negative" performance impacts. Modifying prototypes at runtime can cause performance bottlenecks, as it can affect the behavior of all objects that share the same prototype. It's generally recommended to avoid such runtime modifications for performance reasons.

In JavaScript, == (loose equality) compares values for equality but performs type coercion if the operands have different types. === (strict equality) compares both values and types for equality without type coercion. Option 1 correctly describes this important distinction.

When ESLint's --fix option encounters issues it can't automatically fix, it will disable the rule causing the issue to prevent further errors. This allows ESLint to continue running and fix as many issues as possible without breaking. The other options do not accurately describe how --fix behaves.

To ensure that your project's dependencies are secure and up-to-date, you should regularly review and update them using tools like npm audit or yarn audit. These tools help identify and address security vulnerabilities. Ignoring updates may lead to security risks, and relying solely on package maintainers is not a recommended practice. Avoiding updates altogether is not a solution as it can lead to outdated and potentially insecure dependencies.

To ensure the reliability and stability of a critical system, thorough Regression Testing and the use of Automated Testing are essential. These techniques help catch potential issues early and maintain system stability. Extensive Unit Testing alone may not cover all scenarios, and Beta Testing may be too risky for critical systems. CI/CD pipelines support automation but should be combined with robust testing.

To optimize the rendering performance of EJS templates, one effective approach is to precompile EJS templates into JavaScript functions. This reduces the runtime rendering overhead and improves the efficiency of rendering dynamic content.