Node.js moves to one major release per year starting October 2026

Node.js is cutting major releases from two per year to one starting October 2026 and retiring odd-numbered versions. The release team cited burnout from backporting security fixes across four or five active branches at once. The 30-month LTS support window stays unchanged.

• From October 2026 Node.js ships one major release per year instead of two
• Node.js 26 enters LTS in October 2026; Node.js 27.0.0 ships in April 2027
• Odd-numbered Current releases with six-month lifespans are retired
• The 30-month LTS support window is unchanged; only numbering shifts