The Complete Guide to Updating Node.js in 2024

Node.js is the engine powering much of the modern web. As of 2023, Node.js is used by 43% of all websites whose server-side programming language is known — making it the most popular back-end technology.

But in the fast-moving world of JavaScript development, staying up-to-date is crucial. New versions of Node.js are released every six months, bringing performance improvements, security updates, and powerful new features for developers to leverage.

Failing to keep pace not only means you miss out on these benefits — it can actively put your applications and users at risk. In this guide, we‘ll walk through exactly how to update Node.js on Windows, macOS and Linux, and share expert tips for making the process painless.

Why Updating Node.js Should Be a Priority

The Node.js team follows a rigorous release schedule, with new major versions coming out every April and October. Each release goes through multiple stages of testing by the community before becoming a Long Term Support (LTS) version, which receives critical bug fixes for at least 18 months.

Here‘s why you should make updating Node.js to the latest LTS or Current release a priority:

Security Fixes

As an open-source project, Node.js benefits from having many eyes on the code — but that also means vulnerabilities can be found and exploited in the wild. According to the Node.js Vulnerability Database, there were 73 reported security flaws in Node.js in 2022 alone.

Each new Node.js release includes fixes for known vulnerabilities. By promptly updating, you protect your application and users from potential threats.

Performance Improvements

Every Node.js version brings performance optimizations and efficiency gains. These range from low-level memory management tweaks to improved algorithms in Node.js core modules.

For example, Node.js 18 (released in 2022) was up to 10% faster than Node.js 16 in common web application benchmarks. By updating, you get an instant performance boost without needing to change your code.

New Features and APIs

Node.js is constantly evolving, with each release introducing useful new features, methods, and APIs for developers. Just a few highlights from recent releases:

  • Node.js 16 (2021): Stable ESM support, AbortController for cancellable async operations
  • Node.js 18 (2022): Fetch API, new test runner module, experimental WebAssembly System Interface
  • Node.js 20 (2023): Stable WebAssembly System Interface, experimental watch mode for files

By staying on an older version, you miss out on productivity-enhancing features that could improve your development experience and application capabilities.

Compatibility with npm Packages

The npm Registry hosts over 2 million packages, many of which are designed to work with a specific range of Node.js versions. As these packages are updated to use new Node.js features and APIs, they may drop support for older Node.js releases.

If your application depends on third-party packages (as most do), updating Node.js ensures you can continue to benefit from the latest bug fixes and improvements to those packages.

Community Support

When a Node.js version reaches End-of-Life, it no longer receives bug fixes, security updates, or technical support from the Node.js team. Using an unsupported release means you‘re on your own if something breaks.

By updating to an actively supported version, you benefit from the collective knowledge and assistance of the Node.js community, which makes troubleshooting issues much easier.

How to Update Node.js on Windows

Windows users have two primary options for updating Node.js: using the official installer or the Node Version Manager (nvm) tool. Here‘s a step-by-step guide for each method.

Updating with the Node.js Installer

  1. Visit the official Node.js download page and download the appropriate Windows Installer for your system (32-bit or 64-bit).

  2. Run the downloaded .msi file. The installer will automatically replace your existing Node.js version while preserving your global npm packages.

  3. To confirm the update was successful, open a new command prompt and run:

node -v

This command will display the version number of your newly installed Node.js release.

Updating with nvm for Windows

Node Version Manager (nvm) is a popular tool that allows you to install and switch between multiple versions of Node.js. Here‘s how to use it for updating on Windows:

  1. If you don‘t have nvm installed, download the nvm setup and run it.

  2. Open a new command prompt and check your installed versions with:

nvm list
  1. To get a list of available Node.js versions you can install, run:
nvm list available
  1. Choose the version you want to update to and install it with:
nvm install <version>

Replace <version> with the specific version number, like 18.0.0.

  1. Set the newly installed version as your default with:
nvm use <version>

You‘re now updated and ready to use the new Node.js version.

How to Update Node.js on macOS

On macOS, you can update Node.js through the official installer, Homebrew, or nvm. We‘ll cover each method step-by-step.

Updating with the Node.js Installer

  1. Download the latest macOS Installer (.pkg) from the Node.js download page.

  2. Run the installer package. It will replace your current version while keeping your npm packages intact.

  3. When the installation completes, verify the update by running the following command in a new terminal window:

node -v

Updating with Homebrew

Homebrew is a popular package manager for macOS. If you used Homebrew to install Node.js, you can update it with these steps:

  1. Make sure Homebrew itself is up-to-date by running:
brew update
  1. Update Node.js with the following command:
brew upgrade node
  1. Once the upgrade process finishes, check the installed version:
node -v

Updating with nvm

Using Node Version Manager, you can upgrade Node.js with these steps:

  1. If you don‘t have nvm installed, run the following command in your terminal:
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.3/install.sh | bash

  1. For the changes to take effect, close and reopen your terminal.

  2. Check your currently installed versions of Node.js:

nvm ls
  1. Install the latest version of Node.js:
nvm install node

This command installs the current stable release.

  1. Set it as your default version:
nvm alias default node

You‘ve now successfully updated Node.js using nvm.

How to Update Node.js on Linux

The process of updating Node.js on Linux depends on your distribution and the package manager it uses. We‘ll cover the most common methods.

Updating with nvm

Node Version Manager works on Linux systems too. Here‘s how to use it:

  1. If you haven‘t installed nvm yet, run this command:
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.3/install.sh | bash

  1. Close and reopen your terminal for the changes to take effect.

  2. You can then install the latest Node.js version with:

nvm install node
  1. Set it as your default version:
nvm alias default node

Your system is now updated and using the latest Node.js release.

Updating on Ubuntu or Debian (Using APT)

On Debian-based distributions like Ubuntu, you can update Node.js using the APT package manager:

  1. Refresh your local package index:
sudo apt update
  1. Install the nodejs package along with npm:
sudo apt install nodejs npm

This command will automatically fetch and install the latest Node.js version from the distribution‘s repositories.

Updating on CentOS or Fedora (Using YUM)

If you‘re using a Red Hat-based distribution that uses the YUM package manager, follow these steps:

  1. Add the NodeSource repository for Node.js 18.x:
curl -sL https://rpm.nodesource.com/setup_18.x | sudo bash -

Replace 18.x with 16.x or 14.x if you want an older LTS version.

  1. Install Node.js and npm with:
sudo yum install -y nodejs
  1. Verify the installation by checking the version number:
node -v

Your system now has an updated Node.js version from the NodeSource repository.

Best Practices for Managing Node.js Updates

Updating Node.js is more than just running a few commands. Here are some best practices to make the process smoother and reduce the risk of issues.

Understand Semantic Versioning

Node.js follows semantic versioning (SemVer), which is denoted as MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH. An update to the major version number (e.g., from 14.x to 16.x) means there may be breaking changes to APIs. Minor versions add features in a backward-compatible way, while patch versions include bug and security fixes.

When possible, try to update to the latest patch or minor version within your current major version to avoid unexpected breakage. Reserve major version upgrades for when you have time to thoroughly test your application.

Regularly Check for Outdated Dependencies

Before updating Node.js itself, check if any of your application‘s npm packages have newer versions available:

npm outdated

This command will list any packages that are out of date. Update them with:

npm update

Keeping your dependencies up to date ensures compatibility with the latest Node.js releases and reduces the risk of security vulnerabilities.

Read the Release Notes

Each new version of Node.js comes with detailed release notes outlining what‘s changed, added, or removed. Take a few minutes to skim these notes before updating so you‘re aware of any potential impacts to your code.

Pay close attention to any deprecations or breaking changes that might require updates to your application.

Test Before Deploying

After updating Node.js, always run your test suite and manually test your application before deploying the update to production.

Your tests should cover critical paths and functionality to catch any breaking changes. It‘s also a good idea to smoke test your application manually to catch issues that automated tests might miss.

If possible, deploy the updated version to a staging or QA environment first, and monitor for errors or performance issues before rolling out to production.

Pin Your Production Node.js Version

In production, it‘s best to pin your Node.js version to a specific patch release (e.g., 18.3.0 instead of 18.x). This ensures your application doesn‘t accidentally get updated to a new major release that could break functionality.

You can set your production Node.js version in your application‘s package.json file:

"engines": {
  "node": "18.3.0"
}

Use Docker for Consistent Environments

If you‘re deploying your Node.js applications with Docker, you can use Docker‘s tagging system to manage Node.js versions. By specifying a tagged Node.js version in your Dockerfile, you ensure that your application always runs with the same version locally and in production:

FROM node:18.3.0

# Rest of your Dockerfile

This consistency reduces the risk of environment-specific bugs and makes your builds more reproducible.

Resources for Node.js Versions and Updates

Finally, here are some resources to help you stay informed about Node.js releases and find help when needed:

  • Node.js Release Working Group: The team responsible for releasing new versions of Node.js. Follow their discussions and announcements to stay up-to-date.
  • Node.js Releases: The official Node.js release schedule and support timelines.
  • Node.js Blog: Official blog with announcements, updates, and in-depth articles about Node.js.
  • Node.js Changelog: Detailed changelog for each Node.js release, including all commits and contributors.
  • nvm Cheatsheet: Quick reference for common nvm commands.
  • NodeSchool Tutorials: Free, open-source workshops and tutorials for learning Node.js and related skills.

With these resources in your toolkit, you‘re well-equipped to keep your Node.js applications running on the latest and greatest versions.

Conclusion

Updating Node.js regularly is a critical part of maintaining a secure, performant, and modern application. By following the steps and best practices outlined in this guide, you can ensure your Node.js applications are always taking advantage of the latest features, security fixes, and performance improvements.

Whether you‘re developing on Windows, macOS, or Linux, tools like nvm and package managers like APT and Homebrew make it easy to install and switch between Node.js versions. Incorporate these tools into your workflow, and make Node.js updates a regular part of your development process.

By staying on top of Node.js releases, you not only benefit your own applications — you also contribute to the ongoing success and growth of the Node.js ecosystem. So don‘t delay — update your Node.js version today, and enjoy the many advantages of this powerful and ever-evolving platform.

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