What’s New in Node.js 24: Key Features, Upgrades & What You Must Know

Engine Upgrade & JavaScript Features (V8 → 13.6)

Node 24 upgrades its engine to version 13.6 of V8, unlocking modern JavaScript features and performance enhancements.

• RegExp.escape() - safe escaping for dynamic regex patterns
• Float16Array - efficient 16-bit float arrays for ML and graphics
• await - deterministic resource cleanup
• Error.isError() - reliable detection of Error objects
• WebAssembly Memory64 - 64-bit memory addressing for WASM

These additions reduce the need for polyfills, making your code cleaner and more future-proof.

Performance & Runtime Improvements

• Undici → v7.0.0 — improved HTTP client with better pooling, HTTP/2, and retries
• AsyncLocalStorage revamp — faster context propagation via AsyncContextFrame

Security & Permission Model Stabilization

The permission system is now stable (no longer experimental):

• Use --permission instead of --experimental-permission
• Granular flags like --allow-fs-read, --allow-env, --allow-net
• Safer child_process calls — arguments must be arrays, not strings

Developer Experience & New APIs

• Built-in TypeScript — run .ts files with erasable type annotations
• Global URLPattern API — cleaner route matching (no import needed)
• Native WebSocket support — aligns server and browser APIs
• Built-in Test Runner (stable) — auto-waits for subtests
• --watch & --env-file flags — auto-reload and dotenv built-in

Deprecations & Removals to Watch

• REPL and Zlib classes must use new
• String args for child_process removed
• HTTP/2 priority signaling dropped
• Re-check native add-on compatibility with V8 13.6

How to Migrate Safely

1. Run your app with --trace-deprecation to spot warnings
2. Update dependencies (native modules first)
3. Test AsyncLocalStorage contexts
4. Enable permission flags in staging
5. Adopt new APIs gradually
6. Monitor memory and performance after deployment

Why Node.js 24 Matters

Upgrading is more than a version bump:

• Fewer polyfills and dependencies
• Backend + frontend API alignment
• Faster and safer runtime
• Better developer ergonomics
• Modern JavaScript out of the box

For teams building APIs, SaaS, or real-time systems, Node 24 means less boilerplate and a future-ready stack.