Node.js Release & LTS Policy
Node.js ships on a predictable cadence - production services should run Active or Maintenance LTS releases, never short-lived Current odd majors.
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Node.js ships on a predictable cadence - production services should run Active or Maintenance LTS releases, never short-lived Current odd majors.
Quick-reference recipe card - copy-paste ready.
| Release line | Status (Jul 2026) | Production use |
|---|---|---|
| Node 24.x | Active LTS (24.18.0) | Yes - default for new work |
| Node 22.x | Maintenance LTS (22.23.1) | Yes - during migration window |
| Node 25.x | Current (odd) | No - bleeding edge only |
| Node 20.x | End-of-Life | No - upgrade immediately |
When to reach for this:
// src/health.ts - expose LTS awareness in health checks
import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs';
const pkg = JSON.parse(readFileSync('package.json', 'utf8')) as {
engines?: { node?: string };
};
export function healthPayload() {
const major = Number(process.versions.node.split('.')[0]);
const allowedMajors = [22, 24]; // Maintenance + Active LTS
return {
status: allowedMajors.includes(major) ? 'ok' : 'degraded',
node: process.version,
enginesPolicy: pkg.engines?.node ?? 'not set',
ltsPolicy: major === 24 ? 'active-lts' : major === 22 ? 'maintenance-lts' : 'unsupported',
};
}// package.json
{
"engines": {
"node": ">=24.18.0 <25 || >=22.23.1 <23"
}
}What this demonstrates:
engines can express an intentional migration window (22 and 24 concurrently)process.versions.node, not process.version string parsing alone| Phase | Duration | Patch types |
|---|---|---|
| Current | ~6 months | Features, fixes, security |
| Active LTS | ~18 months | Fixes, security, limited features |
| Maintenance LTS | ~12 months | Critical fixes, security |
| End-of-Life | Forever | None |
// CI matrix during LTS migration - test both supported lines
const SUPPORTED_NODE_MAJORS = [22, 24] as const;
type SupportedMajor = (typeof SUPPORTED_NODE_MAJORS)[number];
function assertSupportedMajor(): SupportedMajor {
const major = Number(process.versions.node.split('.')[0]) as SupportedMajor;
if (!SUPPORTED_NODE_MAJORS.includes(major)) {
throw new Error(`Unsupported Node major: ${major}`);
}
return major;
}node:latest or node:current - you may land on an odd major without security SLAs. Fix: pin node:24.18.0-bookworm-slim.
| Alternative | Use When | Don't Use When |
|---|---|---|
| Stay on Maintenance LTS | Migration needs more time | Maintenance is within 6 months of EOL |
| Jump to Active LTS immediately | Greenfield or small fleet | Large brownfield with native addons untested on new major |
| Vendor-extended support (commercial) | Cannot migrate before EOL | Active LTS path is feasible with planning |
| Container digest pinning | Reproducible deploys | You also need a policy for when to bump the digest |
Node.js 24 (Active LTS), latest patch 24.18.0 as of this writing.
Yes during the Maintenance LTS window (through April 2027). Prefer Node 24 for new services.
Odd majors (23, 25) are "Current" - shorter support, more churn, and not covered by typical enterprise LTS policies.
Roughly every few weeks for security and bug fixes. Subscribe to nodejs-security announcements.
Active LTS backports V8 updates with new language features. Maintenance LTS is conservative - mostly fixes.
Node 20 reached End-of-Life. Upgrade to Node 22 (temporary) or Node 24 (target).
Check https://nodejs.org/en/about/previous-releases or the schedule.json in the Node.js GitHub repository.
Pin the full patch (24.18.0) or a digest for reproducibility. Floating 24 tags drift on every patch release.
Partially - but you still choose the runtime version in config. Verify it maps to Active or Maintenance LTS.
Node bundles OpenSSL; LTS patches include OpenSSL security updates. Running EOL Node means stale TLS primitives.
Possible but costly. Standardize on one Active LTS per org; allow Maintenance only during a timed migration.
Adopt each new Active LTS within 6 months of promotion. Exit Maintenance LTS at least 3 months before EOL.
Stack versions: This page was written for Node.js 24.18.0 (Active LTS), npm 10+, TypeScript 5.6+, Express 5, Fastify 5, and NestJS 11.
Reviewed by Chris St. John·Last updated Jul 19, 2026