Node.js has officially released version 25.5.0, which brings several important updates aimed at improving the developer experience and addressing common issues faced in previous versions. One of the most significant changes is the upgrade of the bundled NSS trust store to version 3.119, which resolves numerous TLS certificate errors that users encountered due to recent changes in Certificate Authorities (CAs). This update allows Node.js to recognize and trust newer CA roots, making it easier to connect to external APIs without encountering the “ERR_TLS_CERT_ALTNAME_INVALID” error.
Additionally, LIEF (Library to Instrument Executable Formats) has been added as a core dependency, which may slightly increase the build time for native add-ons but will not impact pure JavaScript projects. Developers working with native modules should be aware of this change, as it may result in a larger node-gyp log and longer installation times on fresh systems.
A valuable new feature is the `fs.watch` ignore option, which allows developers to filter out unwanted files (e.g., temporary files and node_modules) during file watching processes. This can significantly reduce CPU usage and minimize unnecessary rebuilds in long-running applications such as hot-reloading servers.
The release also introduces the `--build-sea` flag, enabling developers to create self-extracting archives that bundle both the Node.js binary and their JavaScript code into a single executable file. This feature streamlines deployment processes, although developers targeting multiple operating systems will still need to create separate builds.
Moreover, SQLite is now operating in defensive mode by default, enhancing the reliability of database handling by preventing malformed queries from corrupting the database. New options for statement compilation have also been introduced, providing developers with more control.
Other minor updates include fixes for several CVE warnings, internal performance optimizations in the V8 engine, and enhancements to the test runner for easier negative testing.
To ensure a smooth transition to Node.js 25.5.0, developers are advised to back up their `node_modules`, update npm to version 11.8.0, rebuild any native add-ons, and test their file-watching logic with the new ignore option. For those utilizing SEA deployments, a trial run in a staging environment is recommended before moving to production.
Overall, while Node.js 25.5.0 may not represent a radical change, the enhancements, particularly the new ignore flag for file watchers and the built-in SEA support, offer substantial quality-of-life improvements for developers.
In addition, as Node.js evolves, it continues to focus on improving usability, enhancing performance, and ensuring security, which are critical aspects for developers building modern applications. Future updates may further refine these features or introduce new capabilities based on community feedback and technological advancements. For more detailed information, the official announcement can be referenced
Additionally, LIEF (Library to Instrument Executable Formats) has been added as a core dependency, which may slightly increase the build time for native add-ons but will not impact pure JavaScript projects. Developers working with native modules should be aware of this change, as it may result in a larger node-gyp log and longer installation times on fresh systems.
A valuable new feature is the `fs.watch` ignore option, which allows developers to filter out unwanted files (e.g., temporary files and node_modules) during file watching processes. This can significantly reduce CPU usage and minimize unnecessary rebuilds in long-running applications such as hot-reloading servers.
The release also introduces the `--build-sea` flag, enabling developers to create self-extracting archives that bundle both the Node.js binary and their JavaScript code into a single executable file. This feature streamlines deployment processes, although developers targeting multiple operating systems will still need to create separate builds.
Moreover, SQLite is now operating in defensive mode by default, enhancing the reliability of database handling by preventing malformed queries from corrupting the database. New options for statement compilation have also been introduced, providing developers with more control.
Other minor updates include fixes for several CVE warnings, internal performance optimizations in the V8 engine, and enhancements to the test runner for easier negative testing.
To ensure a smooth transition to Node.js 25.5.0, developers are advised to back up their `node_modules`, update npm to version 11.8.0, rebuild any native add-ons, and test their file-watching logic with the new ignore option. For those utilizing SEA deployments, a trial run in a staging environment is recommended before moving to production.
Overall, while Node.js 25.5.0 may not represent a radical change, the enhancements, particularly the new ignore flag for file watchers and the built-in SEA support, offer substantial quality-of-life improvements for developers.
In addition, as Node.js evolves, it continues to focus on improving usability, enhancing performance, and ensuring security, which are critical aspects for developers building modern applications. Future updates may further refine these features or introduce new capabilities based on community feedback and technological advancements. For more detailed information, the official announcement can be referenced
Node.js 25.5.0 (Current) released
Node 25.5.0 upgrades the bundled NSS trust store to 3.119, eliminating many TLS‑certificate errors that plagued older versions after recent CA rollouts. It adds LIEF as a core dependency, which slightly lengthens native‑addon builds but otherwise stays invisible to pure JavaScript projects. The new fs.watch ignore option lets you filter out noise files, dramatically cutting down unnecessary rebuilds for long‑running watchers. Finally, the --build-sea flag enables creating single‑executable bundles directly with Node, while SQLite now runs in defensive mode by default for safer database handling.
