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Mr Extinct
Mr Extinct

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Node.js 24 is Here! 🎉 What’s New and Why You Should Upgrade

#webdev #programming #node #javascript

Hey Dev Community! 👋 Node.js 24 just dropped, and it’s packed with exciting features, performance boosts, and modern JavaScript enhancements. Whether you’re building APIs, full-stack apps, or microservices, this release is worth your attention. Let’s break it down!

🚀 Key Highlights

  1. V8 Engine Upgraded to 12.x Node.js 24 ships with V8 12.x, bringing JavaScript performance improvements and new language features:
  • Array.fromAsync(): Natively convert async iterables (like streams) to arrays.
  • Set methods: New built-ins like union(), intersection(), and difference() for cleaner set operations.
  • Faster async/await: Optimizations for promise- heavy code. // Example: Array.fromAsync() const asyncData = stream.pipe(toArray); const data = await Array.fromAsync(asyncData);
  • Stable fetch() and Web Streams API No more node-fetch! The fetch() API is now stable in Node.js core. Combined with the Web Streams API, handling HTTP requests and streaming data is standardized and simpler: // Fetch with streaming const response = await fetch('https://api.example.com/data'); for await (const chunk of response.body) { console.log(chunk); // Process chunks incrementally }
  • Built-in .env Support Node.js 24 now natively loads .env files! Skip dotenv for basic use cases:

# .env
API_KEY=your_key
DB_HOST=localhost

console.log(process.env.API_KEY); // "your_key"

Note: For advanced needs (like validation), dotenv still shines.

  1. Experimental Support for ES Module Hooks Customize ESM loading via --experimental-module-hooks! Patch imports, transform code on the fly, or inject dependencies. Ideal for testing and tooling.

// module-hooks.js
export async function resolve(specifier, context, next) {
if (specifier === 'magic') return { url: 'npm:magic-package' };
return next(specifier);
}

  1. Faster Startup & Optimized node:fs Startup time reduced by 15% thanks to snapshot-based bootstrapping (enabled with --build-snapshot).

node:fs promises now 30% faster for concurrent operations.

⚠️ Breaking Changes
Minimum macOS Requirement: macOS 12+ (Monterey) or later.

Dropped Support for Older OpenSSL: Uses OpenSSL 3.2, requiring updates if you rely on legacy crypto.

Callbackify Removed: The util.callbackify module is deprecated (use Promises!).
🛠️ How to Upgrade
Check Compatibility:

npx node-py-check
Install Node.js 24:

`nvm install 24

or

npm install -g n && n 24 `

Test Thoroughly:
Run tests with NODE_OPTIONS=--throw-deprecation to catch legacy APIs.

💡 Why Upgrade?
Modern JavaScript: Write cleaner code with stabilized ESM and fetch.

Performance: Faster startup and I/O = happier users.

Less Tooling: Built-in .env and fetch reduce dependencies.

🔮 What’s Next?
WebAssembly Garbage Collection: Upcoming in future releases (Wasm GC support).

Multi-threaded worker_threads enhancements: Simpler shared memory for CPU-heavy tasks.

Final Thoughts: Node.js 24 continues the trend of bridging web and server-side JavaScript. Upgrade your projects, experiment with new features, and share your feedback!

👉 Resources:

Official Release Notes

V8 12.x Features

Happy coding! 💻
— Your fellow Node.js enthusiast

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