Node.js Moves to Annual Major Releases Starting with Node 27

Node.js is retiring its decade-old odd/even release model starting with Node.js 27. Under the new plan, one major release will ship each April, with LTS promotion in October, and every major version will become LTS. Version numbers will align with the calendar year of release (27.0.0 in 2027, etc.). The change is driven by low adoption of odd-numbered releases, maintainer burden from supporting multiple concurrent release lines, and a desire for a more predictable upgrade story. A new alpha channel will give library authors earlier visibility into breaking changes. Node.js joins Python, .NET, and other ecosystems that have already moved to annual release cadences.