Evolving the Node.js Release Schedule

Starting with 27.x, Node.js will move from two major releases per year to one. This post explains what's changing, why, and what it means for users.

Why This Change

The current release schedule is 10 years old. It was created during the io.js merger to balance the needs of a growing ecosystem. As one contributor put it at the time, it was "a guess of what enterprises would need."

We now have a decade of data showing how people actually use Node.js:

• Odd-numbered releases see minimal adoption. Users wait for LTS.
• The odd/even distinction confuses newcomers.
• Many organizations skip odd releases entirely, upgrading only between LTS versions.

Volunteer Sustainability

Node.js is maintained primarily by volunteers. While some contributors receive sponsorship, most of the work (reviewing PRs, handling security issues, cutting releases, backporting fixes) is done by people in their spare time.

Managing security releases across four or five active release lines has become difficult to sustain. Each additional line increases backporting complexity. By reducing concurrent release lines, we can focus on better supporting the releases people actually use.

What's Changing

Starting with 27.x in 2027:

• One major release per year (April), with LTS promotion in October
• Every release becomes LTS. No more odd/even distinction.
• Alpha channel replaces odd-numbered releases for early testing
• Version numbers align with years: 27.x in 2027, 28.x in 2028
• Maximum 3 active release lines (down from 5)

New Schedule

Total support: 35 months from release to End of Life.

This model follows a pattern similar to Ubuntu's release cycle: predictable April/October anchors, with interim releases for testing and LTS releases for production.

About the Alpha Channel

The Alpha channel replaces odd-numbered releases. Alpha releases are signed, tagged, and tested through CITGM. This is different from nightly builds, which remain available as automated untested builds from main.

Who it's for: Library authors and CI pipelines testing compatibility with upcoming breaking changes. Not intended for production use.

What to expect:

• Semver-major changes land during this phase
• Releases are signed and tagged (unlike nightly)
• API may change between releases

Why: Provides early feedback on breaking changes with quality gates that nightly builds lack. Also allows landing V8 updates earlier in the cycle.

What's NOT Changing

• LTS support duration remains similar (29 months)
• Migration windows preserved. Overlap between LTS versions remains.
• Quality standards unchanged. Same testing, same CITGM, same security process.
• Predictable schedule. April releases, October LTS promotion.

Timeline

26.x (Current Schedule)

26.x follows the existing schedule. This is the last release under the current model.

27.x (New Schedule)

27.x is the first release under the new schedule.

The Next 10 Years

Thank You

This change is the result of discussions across GitHub issues, Release Working Group meetings, and the Collaboration Summit Chesapeake 2025. We thank everyone who contributed feedback.

For questions or comments, see GitHub Issue #1113.