Is Node.js 18 End of Life, and Is It Safe to Keep Running?

Yes. Node.js 18 reached end of life on April 30, 2025. It no longer receives security patches. Running it in production means any vulnerability disclosed after that date has no official fix for the 18.x line.

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When did Node.js 18 go end of life, and why?

Node.js used to follow a fixed release schedule. Even-numbered releases get six months as the Current version, twelve months of Active Long-Term Support (LTS), and eighteen months of Maintenance. Node.js 18 shipped in April 2022, entered Maintenance in October 2023, and reached end of life on April 30, 2025.

The final release on the line was 18.20.8. After end of life, the Node.js project stops issuing any fixes for the version.

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What actually breaks when Node.js 18 hits EOL?

Nothing breaks on the day. An application on Node.js 18.20.8 keeps running. The change is to the security posture. As the Node.js security team notes, end-of-life versions are always affected when a security release occurs, and they never receive the patch.

This matters because Node.js 18 still sees millions of downloads a month, so a large number of production systems are running a runtime that no longer receives fixes.

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What should you upgrade to from Node.js 18?

Node.js 20 also reached end of life on April 30, 2026, so it is not a safe target. Node.js 22 transitioned from Active LTS to Maintenance LTS. The current Active LTS line is Node.js 24 (supported until April 2028). While Node.js 22 is supported until April 30, 2027, it is recommended to migrate to Node.js 24.

 What if you cannot upgrade immediately?

Where an upgrade cannot happen immediately, vendor-backed extended support is the only option. HeroDevs Never-Ending Support for Node.js backports security fixes to the version you run, so the runtime stays patched while you plan the move to a supported LTS line.

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Frequently asked questions

Is Node.js 18 still supported?

No. It reached end of life on April 30, 2025, and no longer receives security patches.

What is the current Node.js LTS version?

Node.js 24 is the current Active LTS release; Node.js 22 is on Maintenance LTEs.

Is Node.js 20 a safe upgrade target?

No. Node.js 20 reached end of life on April 30, 2026. Move to Node.js 22 or later.

Will my app stop working on Node.js 18 after EOL?

No. The risk is unpatched vulnerabilities, not an immediate failure.

Can I get security patches for Node.js 18 after EOL?

Yes, through extended support such as HeroDevs Never-Ending Support.