Runtime Briefing — Node.js 17.0.0 Releases with OpenSSL 3
Node.js 17 entered the current channel on 19 October 2021 with OpenSSL 3.0, V8 9.5, and npm 8, signalling compatibility checks and TLS hardening work ahead of the Node 18 LTS cycle.
Executive briefing: The Node.js project promoted Node.js 17.0.0 on , delivering a short-term release that modernises cryptography defaults and developer tooling.
Feature highlights
- OpenSSL 3.0. Upgraded TLS libraries tighten defaults and deprecate legacy ciphers, requiring audits of mutual TLS integrations.
- V8 9.5. Updated JavaScript engine improves performance, `Intl` APIs, and language features such as
Array.prototype.at. - npm 8. The bundled package manager introduces workspaces improvements and lockfile v2 refinements.
- Platform policy. Node 17 is supported only until Node 18 ships in April 2022, keeping it appropriate for testing but not long-term production.
Adoption steps
- Exercise staging builds against OpenSSL 3.0 to verify certificate chains, ciphers, and hardware security modules.
- Update CLI tooling and automation scripts that depend on npm internals to account for lockfile and workspace changes.
- Plan production upgrades directly to Node 16 LTS or the forthcoming Node 18 LTS while using Node 17 for pre-production compatibility testing.