When it comes to application development, Node.js is widely recognized for its impressive speed, simplicity, and reliability. While it may not introduce a plethora of new features, any additions are usually released as experimental features, indicating the constant drive for innovation. However, with the recent contributions made in versions 16 through 20, there are noteworthy enhancements that deserve our attention and enthusiasm. If you’re eager to incorporate and capitalize on these exciting features in your own projects, it is highly recommended to hire a skilled Node.js developer. By partnering with a competent professional, you can effectively apply and leverage these advancements, ensuring optimal results for your development endeavors.
Before we dive deeper, let’s understand the release schedule of Node.js.
Node.js release schedule
Node.js is released every six months:
The odd-numbered October releases (15, 17, 19, etc.) are more experimental, and updates frequently terminate after one year. Use the even-numbered LTS version unless you need a specific feature in an experimental release and plan to upgrade later. However, Node.js 20 is new, and the website recommends that you stick with version 18 until the development team addresses any late-breaking flaws.
Node.js 20 is the “current” release incorporating the most recent features for the next six months. Now is an excellent time for businesses and individuals that want to test and prototype Node.js 20. In October, Node.js 20 will be available for full production deployments and will enter long-term support (LTS).
Around the world, Node.js is used in both big and small production environments.
Node.js has made great progress in the previous year, as Node.js 20 indicates, in areas ranging from security to testing to portability. If you’re already using Node.js, Node.js 20 is a great way to get a first look at new features before LTS.
Because of the addition of the experimental Permission Model and improvements to V8, Node.js 20 is perfect for testing and assessing how Node.js will integrate into your development environment. “Over the last year, we’ve done a lot to make Node.js more secure and performant,” said Rafael Gonzaga, a Node.js TSC member.
The Node.js team and the Open-JS Foundation would like to express their gratitude to all Node.js contributors. Node.js is utilized in both big and small production settings across the world. Our contributors are responsible for the site’s usefulness, quality, and security.
What’s New in Node 20 Updates and Features?
In terms of speed, error handling, and other features, the current Node version 20 contains a lot of enhancements and features over the previous version. Let us go through all of Node.js 20’s new features and changes in detail:
- Permission Model in Node.js:
Rafael Gonzaga made the Permission Model feature available in Node.js v20. This test technique allows developers to restrict access to particular resources, such as the launch of file process offspring, system behavior, and worker thread generation, while their application is running.
To utilize this feature, developers must enable the -experimental-permission, which limits access to all rights. Developers may use this feature to prevent unauthorized access to or alteration of sensitive data, as well as the execution of harmful code, in their apps.
Let’s understand more about the Permission Model.
- More Stable Customizable ESM Loading Hooks:
Custom hooks offered by loaders now have a unique thread to run, providing additional scope for loaders and making sure there is no cross-contamination between the loader and the application scripts.
- Import.meta.resolve() Synchronous:
The import. meta. resolve function now returns synchronously, in line with browser behavior. However, users may still specify whether their loader resolve hooks should be asynchronous or synchronous. Even when async resolving hooks are loaded, import. meta. resolve returns synchronously in the application’s code.
- Performance Improvements:
Since the previous Major release, there has been a renewed emphasis on performance with the newly created Node.js Performance team. Node.js 20 offers several enhancements to the runtime’s essential components, such as URL, fetch(), and EventTarget.
The cost of initializing EventTarget has been reduced by half, allowing for quicker access to all subsystems that rely on it. V8 Fast API methods have also been used to boost speed in APIs such as URL.canParse() and timers.
Specific enhancements in Node.js 20 include an upgraded version 2.0 of Ada, a fast and spec-compliant URL parser developed in C++.
Looking forward to new approaches to increase speed, we are now refactoring to remove brand validation checks on streams, URL, URLSearchParams, and String Decoder in order to reduce the cost of being specification compliant. This contributes to our overall objective of becoming specification compliant where possible.
We are currently seeking contributors for our performance team if you have a love for performance and Node.js.
Preparing single executable apps now necessitates the injection of a Blob.
During the last year, the project has been developing support for Single Executable Applications (SEA), with the first support having recently been released. The team is continually refining the method because the feature is currently in the experimental stage. Building a single executable app in Node.js 20 now involves injecting a blob created by Node.js from a JSON config rather than injecting the raw JS file.
Example:
sea-config.json
{
“main”: “hello.js”,
“output”: “sea-prep.blob”
}
This writes the blob to the sea-prep.blob file.
$ node –experimental-sea-config sea-config.json
This blob is now ready to be injected into the binary.
This modification was designed to allow the embedding of numerous coexisting resources within the SEA (Single Executable Apps), which opens up new use cases.
- Web Crypto API
The project works hard to ensure compatibility with various JavaScript environments.
In Node 20, for example, parameters for Web Crypto API functions are now coerced and verified in line with their WebIDL specifications, exactly as they are in other Web Crypto API implementations. This also improves the compatibility of the Web Crypto API with different implementations.
- Windows ARM64 Official Support
Node.js now offers ARM64 Windows binaries, enabling for native execution on the platform. MSI, zip/7z packages, and executables, as well as all other platforms, are available through the Node.js download site. ARM64 Windows has been current to tier 2 support, and all improvements have been carefully evaluated on ARM64 Windows in order to prevent declines and ensure consistency.
- The V8 engine has been upgraded to 11.3 liters.
A new version of the V8 engine is included in Node.js 20 thanks to Michal Zasso’s contribution. The V8 engine is upgraded to version 11.3, which is included in Chrome 113 and includes performance improvements and updated language capabilities such as:
WebAssembly Tail Request
RegExp v flag in array expression plus strings properties
ArrayBuffer that may be resized and expanded String.prototype.isWellFormed and toWellFormed Methods for changing Array and TypedArray by copy.
- Test Runner with Safety
The test_runner modules were experimental in Node.js version 19, however, Colin Ihrig’s contribution is now in the most recent Node.js version 20, which has been upgraded and tagged as stable. As a result, it is suitable for use in production. Still, some areas, such as reporters and code coverage, require consistency.
- Ada 2.0 is supported by Node.js v20.
Thanks to the efforts of Yagiz Nizipli and Daniel Lemire, the latest version of the URL parser created in C++, Ada has been merged into Node.js v20, resulting in significant improvements in URL parsing efficiency. The url.domainToASCII and url.domainToUnicode methods are improved by the node:url update. The most recent Ada 2.0 implementation in Node.js 20 guarantees faster performance than the previous version, Ada 1.0.4, and removes the ICU need in URL hostname parsing.
- WASI Version needs to be described now
The Node.js development team is working on the WASI or Web Assembly System Interface implementation; while it is still experimental, the command line option is no longer required to activate WASI, making it easier to consume. As the dedicated WASI team prepares for preview2, numerous adjustments have been performed to assure compatibility with future releases. A version option has also been added when establishing a new WASI() instance, and in the 20.x release, supplying a version is required because there is no default value. While this improves support for new versions, any code that relied on the default version must be updated.
- elimination and Deprecations
url.parse() has been deprecated at runtime with incorrect ports in Node.js 20 update, as specified by [3bed5f11e0] – (SEMVER-MAJOR) in the source. This is due to the fact that url.parse() accepts URLs with non-numeric ports, which may result in unexpected data and may allow hostname spoofing. To address these dangers, future Node.js versions, beginning with Node.js v20, will produce an exception if such URLs are found. This is consistent with the WHATWG URL API, which already takes this technique. url.parse() will now provide a warning for such URLs as Node.js 20.
- General changes in Node.js version 20:
Not only that, but Node.js version 20 has included a number of generic new features and enhancements:
- Improved performance and quicker starting times.
- TLS 1.3 support has been improved, as has the cryptography used for secure connections.
- Improved Typescript support.
- Improved Debugging Experience.
- Error Handling that works.
Conclusion
Node.js v20 brings a wave of advancements that are set to revolutionize Node.js application development. From improved performance and scalability to expanded technology support and enhanced security measures, this new version empowers developers to build high-performing, secure, and innovative applications.
The key highlight of Node.js v20 is its enhanced performance, enabling applications to handle higher loads and deliver faster response times. Additionally, the inclusion of new modules and libraries opens up possibilities for integrating cutting-edge technologies such as AI and blockchain.
With a renewed focus on security, Node.js v20 provides developers with a more robust platform to protect sensitive data and mitigate potential threats. Moreover, the improved developer experience, including enhanced debugging capabilities and streamlined tooling, facilitates faster iteration and collaboration.
Thus, Node.js v20 is a game-changer in Node application development. By embracing its advancements, developers can leverage its improved performance, expanded technology support, heightened security, and enhanced developer experience to create applications that push the boundaries of innovation and meet the evolving needs of users.
Author Bio: Vinod Satapara – Technical Director, iFour Technolab Pvt. Ltd.
Technocrat and entrepreneur with years of experience building large-scale enterprise web, cloud, and mobile applications using the latest technologies like ASP.NET, CORE, .NET MVC, Angular, and Blockchain. Keen interested in addressing business problems using the latest technologies and have been associated with a reputed Outlook Add-in development company.
