🚀 Node.js v24 is Here – What's New, What's Hot, and Why You Should Care

Node.js just dropped its v24 release, and it's not just a version bump — it's a big leap toward a faster, smarter, and more modern JavaScript runtime for backend developers. Whether you're building APIs, working on full-stack apps, or experimenting with serverless, Node.js 24 brings several updates worth knowing.

Let’s break it down! 👇

🧩 1. npm v11 Comes Built-in

Yes, the latest Node ships with npm v11, and it brings some serious improvements:

• 🔄 Faster package installations
• 🔒 Better security scanning for vulnerabilities
• 📦 Improved dependency resolution

No more dealing with flaky node_modules — this is smoother and smarter.

⚙️ 2. Upgraded V8 Engine to v13.6

Node v24 now runs on V8 13.6, which means:

• 🚀 Even better JavaScript performance
• ✨ Support for newer ECMAScript features
• 🧠 Memory optimization under the hood

This also helps keep Node aligned with modern browser JS engines like Chrome.

🌐 3. New URLPattern API

Originally part of the web platform, the URLPattern API is now available in Node.js:

const pattern = new URLPattern({ pathname: '/blog/:slug' });
console.log(pattern.test('https://example.com/blog/hello-node'));

Use cases:

• 🚦 Route matching
• 🔧 Middleware filtering
• 🧼 Cleaner code in frameworks

It’s one more step towards making the server feel like the browser.

⚡ 4. Undici v7 Update – HTTP Gets a Power Boost

Node.js uses Undici as its core HTTP client, and v24 brings an updated version (v7). You get:

• 🌍 Improved HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2 support
• 🚀 More stable, faster fetch()
• 📦 Less need for third-party HTTP libraries like axios

For most use cases, fetch is now just as reliable and faster than ever.

🪓 5. Legacy APIs Deprecated – Time to Modernize!

Node.js v24 is cleaning house:

• ❌ Deprecated old modules and functions (like certain crypto, fs, and util methods)
• 🔄 Encourages using Promises, async/await, and modern ES modules

👉 Check the full changelog to see what needs updating in your codebase.

🎯 Why Should You Upgrade?

Here’s the deal:

• ⚡ Better performance out of the box
• ✅ Built-in modern features like fetch, URLPattern, AbortSignal
• 🔐 Security improvements
• 🚫 Less boilerplate and fewer dependencies needed

If you're already using Node 18 or 20, the shift to 24 should be smooth. Just make sure your dependencies support it.

🛠️ Quick Setup

Using nvm (Node Version Manager):

nvm install 24
nvm use 24

And you're good to go!

✨ Final Thoughts

Node.js v24 is a strong step forward — it blends web platform APIs with the power of backend development, trims the fat of legacy features, and pushes developers toward a cleaner, more modern codebase.

If you're building for the future, Node.js 24 should be your default.

Have you tried v24 yet? What feature excites you most?

💬 Let’s talk in the comments.
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