Runtime Briefing — Node.js 12 Reaches End of Life
Node.js 12.x left maintenance on 30 April 2022, ending security patches and vendor builds and forcing teams to retire the runtime in favour of supported LTS releases.
Executive briefing: The Node.js Release Working Group ended long-term support for Node.js 12.x on , closing the update window for the April 2019 runtime line.
Risk considerations
- No security fixes. Vulnerabilities disclosed after April 2022 no longer receive patches, breaching supply-chain assurances for regulated workloads.
- Platform retirements. Cloud images, CI runners, and managed services remove Node 12 toolchains, breaking pipelines that have not migrated.
- Dependency drift. Popular frameworks and package authors stop testing against Node 12, increasing runtime incompatibilities.
Required actions
- Upgrade applications to supported LTS streams (Node 16, 18, or newer), validating behaviour with automated tests and load benchmarks.
- Refresh container images, serverless runtimes, and developer workstations to remove Node 12 binaries and update SBOM inventories.
- Document migration evidence for auditors, highlighting runtime lifecycles and compensating controls for any residual Node 12 usage.