On October 16, 2024, the Node.js community reached a significant milestone with the release of Node.js v23.0.0. This latest version introduces several improvements and new features, but it also brings an important change: Node.js will no longer support 32-bit Windows.
According to a
For most Node.js users, this change will have little to no effect. However, if you're still using a 32-bit version of Windows, this update means that Node.js v23.0.0 and all future versions will no longer be compatible with your system. You will need to either upgrade to a 64-bit version of Windows or continue using an older Node.js version that supports 32-bit systems.
Aside from this significant change, Node.js v23.0.0 also brings some noteworthy new features, including:
require()
A long-requested feature is now available! In previous versions, loading native ES modules (.mjs
files) via require()
was only possible using the --experimental-require-module
flag. With Node.js v23.0.0, this feature is now fully supported without the need for any flags.
Here’s a simple example of how you can now load an ES module using require()
in Node.js v23.0.0:
// Importing a native ES module using require
const { add, subtract } = require('./math.mjs');
// Use the imported functions
console.log(add(5, 3)); // Outputs: 8
console.log(subtract(10, 4)); // Outputs: 6
In this example, we are importing two functions (add
and subtract
) from an ES module file (math.mjs
) using the require()
method, which was not natively possible before this release.
With these improvements, Node.js continues to evolve as a powerful, modern, and developer-friendly platform. Whether you’re building large-scale applications or working on small projects, Node.js v23.0.0 offers new capabilities that can enhance your development workflow.
Note: If you're still on a 32-bit system, consider upgrading soon to take advantage of these new features and improvements!