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Blog: Evolving the Node.js Release Schedule (#8631)
* feat(blog): create post evolving the Node.js Release Schedule * docs: add Alpha channel details and simplify LTS terminology - Add "About the Alpha Channel" section explaining: - Target audience (library authors, CI pipelines) - Expectations (no security patches, API may change) - Rationale (feedback loop + V8 updates) - ABI stability noted as TBD - Simplify schedule phases: Alpha → Current → LTS (29 months) - Remove Active LTS / Maintenance distinction - Add Ubuntu release cycle comparison for familiarity - Clean up v26/v27 timelines (remove Maintenance milestone) * docs: add 10-year schedule and clarify Alpha as nightly builds - Add comprehensive 10-year schedule table (v27-v36) with Alpha, Release, LTS, and End of Life dates - Clarify that Alpha channel uses only nightly builds (no formal alpha releases, reducing releaser workload) - Link to nodejs.org/download/nightly for early testing - Reorder Timeline section: v26 → v27 → 10-year table * docs: use proper terminology * docs: clarify Alpha channel vs nightly builds in release schedule post * docs: add image to support the new schedule * copy-edit Tried to implement some of the feedback Signed-off-by: Antoine du Hamel <duhamelantoine1995@gmail.com> * Apply suggestions from code review Co-authored-by: Mike McCready <66998419+MikeMcC399@users.noreply.github.com> Signed-off-by: Antoine du Hamel <duhamelantoine1995@gmail.com> * docs: improve readability Co-authored-by: Filip Skokan <panva.ip@gmail.com> Signed-off-by: Ulises Gascón <ulisesgascongonzalez@gmail.com> * docs: improve readability Co-authored-by: René <contact.9a5d6388@renegade334.me.uk> Signed-off-by: Ulises Gascón <ulisesgascongonzalez@gmail.com> * docs: improve readability Co-authored-by: René <contact.9a5d6388@renegade334.me.uk> Signed-off-by: Ulises Gascón <ulisesgascongonzalez@gmail.com> * docs: improve readability Co-authored-by: René <contact.9a5d6388@renegade334.me.uk> Signed-off-by: Ulises Gascón <ulisesgascongonzalez@gmail.com> * docs: improve readability Co-authored-by: Rafael Gonzaga <rafael.nunu@hotmail.com> Signed-off-by: Ulises Gascón <ulisesgascongonzalez@gmail.com> * docs: improve readability Co-Authored-By: Rafael Gonzaga <rafael.nunu@hotmail.com> Co-Authored-By: Waldenesque <116973718+Waldenesque@users.noreply.github.com> * docs: improve readability Co-Authored-By: Sebastian Beltran <103585995+bjohansebas@users.noreply.github.com> * docs: improve readability Co-authored-by: Mike McCready <66998419+MikeMcC399@users.noreply.github.com> Signed-off-by: Ulises Gascón <ulisesgascongonzalez@gmail.com> * docs: improve readability Co-authored-by: Mike McCready <66998419+MikeMcC399@users.noreply.github.com> Signed-off-by: Ulises Gascón <ulisesgascongonzalez@gmail.com> * test: update getAuthorWithId test for new nodejs author order * docs: fix TL;DR accuracy per review feedback * docs: improve readability Co-authored-by: Matt Cowley <me@mattcowley.co.uk> Co-authored-by: Antoine du Hamel <duhamelantoine1995@gmail.com> * docs: rename Interim phase to Current * docs: improve readability * docs: update publication date to April 2nd * docs: improve readability - Fix Alpha duration from 5 to 6 months (Oct-Mar) - Correct LTS duration from 29 to 30 months - Update total support from 35 to 36 months - Update all EOL dates from March to April - Add alpha versioning format example (27.0.0-alpha.1) - Clarify version number alignment wording - Clarify "from first Current release" for total support - Fix grammar: "to not be" → "not to be" - Fix grammar: "may be not included" → "may not be included" - Improve readability by breaking long lines Co-authored-by: Richard Lau <5445507+richardlau@users.noreply.github.com> Co-authored-by: Nick Schonning <1297909+nschonni@users.noreply.github.com> * Apply suggestions from code review Signed-off-by: Antoine du Hamel <duhamelantoine1995@gmail.com> * Update apps/site/pages/en/blog/announcements/evolving-the-nodejs-release-schedule.md Signed-off-by: Antoine du Hamel <duhamelantoine1995@gmail.com> --------- Signed-off-by: Antoine du Hamel <duhamelantoine1995@gmail.com> Signed-off-by: Ulises Gascón <ulisesgascongonzalez@gmail.com> Co-authored-by: Antoine du Hamel <duhamelantoine1995@gmail.com> Co-authored-by: Mike McCready <66998419+MikeMcC399@users.noreply.github.com> Co-authored-by: Filip Skokan <panva.ip@gmail.com> Co-authored-by: René <contact.9a5d6388@renegade334.me.uk> Co-authored-by: Rafael Gonzaga <rafael.nunu@hotmail.com> Co-authored-by: Waldenesque <116973718+Waldenesque@users.noreply.github.com> Co-authored-by: Sebastian Beltran <103585995+bjohansebas@users.noreply.github.com> Co-authored-by: Matt Cowley <me@mattcowley.co.uk> Co-authored-by: Richard Lau <5445507+richardlau@users.noreply.github.com> Co-authored-by: Nick Schonning <1297909+nschonni@users.noreply.github.com>
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‎apps/site/authors.json‎

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"name": "Julián Duque",
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"website": "https://github.com/julianduque"
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},
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"Node.js Releasers": {
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"id": "nodejs",
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"name": "Node.js Release Working Group",
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"website": "https://github.com/nodejs/release"
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},
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"Node.js Technical Steering Committee": {
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"id": "nodejs",
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"name": "Node.js Technical Steering Committee",

‎apps/site/pages/en/blog/announcements/evolving-the-nodejs-release-schedule.md‎

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---
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date: '2026-03-10T16:00:00.000Z'
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category: announcements
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title: Evolving the Node.js Release Schedule
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layout: blog-post
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author: Node.js Releasers
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---
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Starting with 27.x, Node.js will move from two major releases per year to one.
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This post explains what's changing, why, and what it means for users. For the
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full discussion and background, see [nodejs/Release#1113](https://github.com/nodejs/Release/issues/1113).
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**TL;DR:** If you already only upgrade to LTS versions, little changes beyond
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version numbering. LTS support windows remain similar, and now every release
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becomes LTS.
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**Library authors:** Please integrate Alpha releases to your CI as early as possible;
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if you only test on LTS releases, you will not be able to report bugs before they
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affect your users.
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## Why This Change
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The current release schedule is 10 years old. It was created during the io.js
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merger to balance the needs of a growing ecosystem. As one contributor put it at
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the time, it was "an educated guess of what enterprises would need."
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We now have a decade of data showing how people actually use Node.js:
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- Odd-numbered releases see minimal adoption. Most users wait for Long-Term Support.
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- The odd/even distinction confuses newcomers.
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- Many organizations skip odd releases entirely, upgrading only to LTS versions.
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We also recognize that enterprises need predictability. The new schedule is
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designed to be well-defined, so teams can plan upgrades and allocate resources
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accordingly.
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### Volunteer Sustainability
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Node.js is maintained primarily by volunteers. While some contributors receive sponsorship, most
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of the work (reviewing Pull Requests, handling security issues, cutting
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releases, backporting fixes) is done by people in their spare time.
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Managing security releases across four or five active release lines has become
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difficult to sustain. Each additional line increases backporting complexity. By
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reducing the number of concurrent release lines, we can focus on better
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supporting the releases people actually use.
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## What's Changing
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As of October 2026:
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- **One major release per year** (April), with LTS promotion in October.
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- **Every release becomes LTS**. No more odd/even distinction - Node.js 27 will become LTS.
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- **Alpha channel for early testing** with semver-major changes allowed.
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- **Alpha versioning** follows semver prerelease format (e.g., `27.0.0-alpha.1`).
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- **Version numbers align with the calendar year of their initial Current release**: 27.0.0 in 2027, 28.0.0 in 2028.
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- **Reduced Releasers' burden**.
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### New Schedule
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| Phase | Duration | Description |
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| ------- | --------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
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| Alpha | 6 months | Oct to Mar. Early testing, semver-major allowed |
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| Current | 6 months | Apr to Oct. Stabilization |
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| LTS | 30 months | Long-term support with security fixes |
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| EOL | Infinity | The project no longer provides any support |
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Total support: 36 months from first Current release to [End of Life (EOL)](https://nodejs.org/en/about/eol).
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### About the Alpha Channel
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The Alpha channel fills the early-testing role that odd-numbered releases once served,
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but with a key difference: semver-major changes are allowed during Alpha.
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Alpha releases are signed, tagged, and tested through [CITGM](https://github.com/nodejs/citgm). CITGM (Canary in the Goldmine) is a tool we
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maintain that runs the test suite of major open-source packages on the upcoming
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version of Node.js, which can let us detect ecosystem breakage and notify the
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package authors ahead of the release.
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This is different from [Nightly builds](https://nodejs.org/download/nightly/), which remain
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available as automated untested builds from `main` – Alpha releases may not contain all changes from
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`main`, a change may not be included in an Alpha release if:
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- during Pull Request review, reviewers add a label requesting the change not to be backported
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(e.g. if an API is getting runtime deprecated in an Alpha release, the change actually removing
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that API should not land until the next release line).
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- during the Alpha release preparation, the releaser ultimately decides which commits actually make the
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release (e.g. if a dependency update contains a major bug).
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**Who it's for:** Library authors and CI pipelines testing compatibility with
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upcoming breaking changes. Not intended for production use.
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**What to expect:**
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- Releases are signed and tagged (unlike nightly).
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- API may change between releases.
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- The release cadence is flexible; the Release Team will determine the timing
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and frequency of Alpha releases based on the volume of changes and project needs.
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**Why:** Provides early feedback on breaking changes with quality gates that
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Nightly builds lack. Also allows landing V8 updates earlier in the cycle.
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The rules for shipping semver-major commits in Alpha versions will be defined by
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the Release Team and documented in the [Release repository](https://github.com/nodejs/Release).
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## What's NOT Changing
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- **Long-Term Support duration** remains similar (30 months).
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- **Migration windows preserved**. Overlap between LTS versions remains.
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- **Quality standards unchanged**. Same testing, same CITGM, same security process.
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- **Predictable schedule**. April releases, October LTS promotion.
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- **V8 adoption cycle**. Node.js latest releases will still include a version of
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V8 that's at most about 6 months old.
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## Timeline
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![New Node.js Release Schedule](/static/images/blog/announcements/2026-new-release-schedule.svg)
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### Node.js 26 Schedule (existing model)
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| Milestone | Date |
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| ----------- | ------------ |
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| 26.0.0 | April 2026 |
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| Enters LTS | October 2026 |
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| Maintenance | October 2027 |
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| End of Life | April 2029 |
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Node.js 26 follows the existing schedule. This is the last release line under the current model.
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### Node.js 27 Schedule (new model)
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| Milestone | Date |
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| ------------ | ------------ |
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| Alpha begins | October 2026 |
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| 27.0.0 | April 2027 |
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| Enters LTS | October 2027 |
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| End of Life | April 2030 |
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Node.js 27 is the first release line under the new schedule.
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### The Next 10 Years
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| Version | Alpha | Current | LTS | End of Life |
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| ------- | -------- | -------- | -------- | ----------- |
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| 27.x | Oct 2026 | Apr 2027 | Oct 2027 | Apr 2030 |
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| 28.x | Oct 2027 | Apr 2028 | Oct 2028 | Apr 2031 |
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| 29.x | Oct 2028 | Apr 2029 | Oct 2029 | Apr 2032 |
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| 30.x | Oct 2029 | Apr 2030 | Oct 2030 | Apr 2033 |
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| 31.x | Oct 2030 | Apr 2031 | Oct 2031 | Apr 2034 |
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| 32.x | Oct 2031 | Apr 2032 | Oct 2032 | Apr 2035 |
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| 33.x | Oct 2032 | Apr 2033 | Oct 2033 | Apr 2036 |
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| 34.x | Oct 2033 | Apr 2034 | Oct 2034 | Apr 2037 |
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| 35.x | Oct 2034 | Apr 2035 | Oct 2035 | Apr 2038 |
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| 36.x | Oct 2035 | Apr 2036 | Oct 2036 | Apr 2039 |
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This schedule is not final and may be amended. Refer to the
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[`schedule.json`](https://github.com/nodejs/Release/blob/HEAD/schedule.json) for an up-to-date
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record of the support claims from the project.
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## Thank You
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This change is the result of discussions across GitHub issues, Release Working Group meetings, and
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[the Collaboration Summit Chesapeake 2025](https://youtu.be/ppi87YjU9x0?si=NFF5WKIGDJE_U-_V&t=6524).
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We will continue discussing this topic at the upcoming Collaboration Summit in London.
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We thank everyone who contributed feedback.
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For questions or comments, see [nodejs/Release#1113](https://github.com/nodejs/Release/issues/1113).

‎apps/site/public/static/images/blog/announcements/2026-new-release-schedule.svg‎

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