Node.js 24 Released with Major Upgrades and New Compiler Requirements
Node.js 24, the latest iteration of the popular open-source JavaScript runtime, has officially been released. This update brings significant improvements, including an upgrade of the embedded Google V8 engine to version 13.6 and the NPM package manager to version 11. One of the most notable changes is the removal of support for Microsoft’s Visual C++ compiler (MSVC) on Windows, with ClangCL now becoming the required compiler for building Node.js on that platform.
Announced on May 6 as the “Current” release, Node.js 24 is slated to enter long-term support (LTS) status in October, providing a stable foundation for enterprise and production use. Developers can download the latest version from the official Node.js website. The V8 13.6 upgrade introduces several modern JavaScript features, including support for Float16Array, explicit resource management capabilities, and enhanced WebAssembly support through Memory64, enabling 64-bit memory addressing within WebAssembly applications.
Beyond the core engine updates, Node.js 24 also brings improvements to its runtime APIs. The AsyncLocalStorage feature now leverages AsyncContextFrame by default, enhancing asynchronous context tracking and boosting performance in complex asynchronous workflows. Additionally, the URLPattern API is now globally available without needing explicit imports, simplifying the process of pattern matching URLs similar to how regular expressions work with strings.
Testing workflows have also been improved in this release. The built-in test runner module now automatically waits for subtests to complete, removing the need for developers to manually handle promises for each test. This enhancement streamlines test writing and reduces the likelihood of errors caused by unhandled asynchronous operations. Overall, Node.js 24 focuses on modernizing the platform while maintaining developer productivity and compatibility with the evolving JavaScript ecosystem.