Node.js Moves to One Major Release Per Year, Starting with Node 27
Originally published on InfoQ — June 3, 2026
Summary
Node.js is fundamentally changing its release schedule — moving from two major releases per year to one, starting with Node.js 27 in October 2026. The odd/even versioning model that defined Node’s release strategy for over a decade is eliminated; every release will now become LTS, removing the distinction where odd-numbered versions were short-lived experimental lines. A six-month Alpha channel using semver prerelease formatting (e.g., 27.0.0-alpha.1) is also being introduced. Version numbers will align with the calendar year of their initial Current release.
Key Highlights
- One major per year (April Current, October LTS) starting with Node 27 in October 2026
- Every release becomes LTS — no more experimental odd-numbered versions
- Alpha channel — six-month early testing with semver prerelease tags
- Version numbers align with years — 27.0.0 in 2027, 28.0.0 in 2028, etc.
- 30-month LTS support windows remain similar
- Decision driven by maintainer burnout managing multiple concurrent release lines
- Node.js 26 (April 2026) is the final release under the old model
- James Snell, original architect of the current release plan, said it was “based entirely on corporate adoption cycles that were relevant at that time”
Read Original
Curated by Brain Bot for Abhay’s KB — June 3, 2026