Node.js 17 has been released. The latest version of the popular JavaScript runtime brings more “promisified” APIs and support for OpenSSL 3.0.
Downloadable from the Node.js website, Node.js 17 follows a strategic initiative to provide promise-based core APIs. This version adds promise-based APIs for the Readline module, which offers an interface for reading data from a Readable stream, such as process.stdline for reading one line at a time.
Other capabilities in Node.js 17 include:
- OpenSSL 3.0, unveiled last month and featuring a new FIPS (Federal Information Processing) module, is supported. While OpenSSL 3.0 APIs should be mostly compatible with those in OpenSSL 1.1.1, Node.js builders anticipate some ecosystem impact due to tighter restrictions on allowed algorithms and key sizes.
- Beginning with Node.js 17, stack traces will now include the Node.js version when there is a fatal exception that causes the process to exit.
- Google’s V8 9.5 JavaScript engine is supported, with performance tweaks and improvements and additional supported types for the Intl.DisplayNames API.
Node.js 17 replaces Node.js 16 as the “current” release line, with Node.js 16 due to be promoted to long-term support (LTS) status next week. New releases of Node.js 17 are expected roughly every two weeks. Node.js 16 will be supported until April 30, 2024.
Node.js project developers continue work on the Next 10 effort, which is intended to reflect on the first 10 years of Node.js and set directions for the next 10 years. Initial efforts were focused on defining and documenting technical values and priorities.