Runtime Briefing — Node.js 16 End of Life
Node.js 16 exited long-term support on 11 September 2023, ending security updates and prompting migrations to Node.js 18 or 20 before compliance audits flag unsupported runtimes.
Executive briefing: The Node.js Release Working Group concluded long-term support for Node.js 16.x on , closing the maintenance window that began in 2021.
Impact assessment
- Security exposure. No further CVE backports ship for Node 16, increasing risk for internet-facing services.
- Ecosystem drift. Tooling vendors focus on Node 18/20 LTS, meaning binary addons and frameworks may drop Node 16 testing.
- Platform availability. Major cloud and CI providers deprecate Node 16 images, forcing build script updates.
Migration actions
- Promote applications to Node 18 LTS or Node 20, executing regression suites and performance benchmarks.
- Update container bases, serverless runtimes, and developer workstations to remove Node 16 binaries and document SBOM changes.
- Review vendor attestations and runtime support statements to ensure contractual obligations cover the newer LTS lines.