Node.js is retiring its decade-old odd/even release model. Starting with version 27, there will be one major release per year instead of two, and every major version will become LTS.
<h2>What’s changing</h2>
The current model ships two majors per year: odd-numbered releases (like 23, 25) get six months of support and never reach LTS, while even-numbered ones (like 22, 24) become LTS with 30 months of support. That distinction is going away.
Under the new schedule:
<ul>
<li>One major release ships each April</li>
<li>LTS promotion happens each October</li>
<li>Every major version gets 36 months of total support (6 months Current + 30 months LTS)</li>
<li>Version numbers align with the calendar year (so 27.0.0 ships in 2027, 28.0.0 in 2028, and so on)</li>
</ul>
Node.js 26 is the last release under the old model.
<h2>A new alpha channel</h2>
To compensate for the slower release pace, the project is adding an Alpha channel running from October through March. This gives library authors and early adopters visibility into breaking changes well before a major version ships. The Node.js team is encouraging library maintainers to integrate Alpha builds into their CI pipelines.
The full cycle looks like: Alpha (Oct–Mar) → Current (Apr–Oct) → 30 months of LTS.
<h2>Why the change</h2>
Three things drove this:
<ol>
<li>Low adoption of odd-numbered releases. Most users skipped them entirely and waited for the LTS version, making them largely pointless to maintain.</li>
<li>Volunteer sustainability. Supporting multiple concurrent release lines puts real strain on a volunteer-driven project.</li>
<li>Enterprise predictability. A single annual release with a guaranteed LTS path is easier to plan around.</li>
</ol>
Node.js joins Python, .NET, and several other ecosystems that have already settled on annual release cadences for similar reasons.

Collections

Node.js is abandoning its two-majors-per-year odd/even release model starting with version 27. The new schedule ships one major release each April, promotes it to LTS in October, and gives every version 36 months of total support (6 months Current + 30 months LTS). Version numbers will align with the calendar year. An Alpha channel (October–March) is being added so library authors can test breaking changes early. The change is driven by low adoption of odd-numbered releases, volunteer burnout from maintaining multiple release lines, and enterprise demand for predictable LTS timelines. Node.js 26 is the last release under the old model.

Node.js switching to annual major releases starting with version 27