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Outdated definition for latest alias under https://nodejs.org/download/release #67224
Description
Refs: #67135
Situation
The README > Current and LTS releases documentation section states:
The latest directory is an alias for the latest Current release.
referring to the https://nodejs.org/download/release/latest/ directory.
This is an outdated definition. During and after a transition to a new Alpha release, there is no release line with the label "Current".
The latest directory is an alias for the highest numbered release that is not a pre-release version according to SemVer definitions.
It corresponds to the Current version, if there is one active, or to the highest LTS version if there is no Current version active.
Release progressions
| Date \ Status | Maintenance LTS | Active LTS | Current | Alpha | latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-27 | 22.23.4 | 24.22.1 | 26.12.1 | - | 26.12.1 |
| 2026-10-28 | 22.23.4 24.22.2 |
26.13.0 | - | - | 26.13.0 |
| 2026-10-29 | 22.23.4 24.22.2 |
26.13.0 | - | 27.0.0-alpha.0.0.0 | 26.13.0 |
| ... | |||||
| 2027-04-22 | 22.x 24.x |
26.x | 27.0.0 | - | 27.0.0 |
| 2027-04-30 | 24.x | 26.x | 27.0.0 | - | 27.0.0 |
Suggestion
A simple definition would be to say:
The latest directory is an alias for the latest non-Alpha release.
Activity
Saru-Work commentedon Nov 3, 2026
MikeMcC399 commentedon Nov 3, 2026
MikeMcC399 commentedon Nov 4, 2026
I learned in https://github.com/nodejs/Release/issues/1196 that creation of the
latest-*symlinks is done by https://github.com/nodejs/nodejs-latest-linker which is owned by the Build WG (@nodejs/build).Edit: nodejs/nodejs-latest-linker#23 open to clarify / update the documentation also in that repo.
aduh95 commentedon Nov 4, 2026
I reckon it would be simpler to keep latest for Alpha versions. We tried to make the schedule so the Alpha versions are drop-in replacement for the "short-lived odd-numbered" release lines of the old schedule, so arguably it's logical to apply the same latest label to it
MikeMcC399 commentedon Nov 4, 2026
Effectively I made the same suggestion to move
latestfrom the LTS version to the Alpha version when I submitted #67135. Based on community feedback and increased understanding about the internal and external impact, I withdrew that suggestion and closed the issue.I now believe that it would be disruptive and risky to change the usage of
latest(from how it is being applied at the moment). It's currently pointing to Node.js 26.13.0 - the Active LTS release. It's fine to movelatestto Node.js 27.0.0 next year (plan date 2027-04-22) when it moves to Current status.aduh95 commentedon Nov 4, 2026
FWIW pointing to an LTS release is a change, it's never pointed to a LTS release until now
MikeMcC399 commentedon Nov 4, 2026
Related request nodejs/nodejs-latest-linker#25 to add a
nextalias (or similar name) to track the highest Alpha or Current release, whichever is available).rvagg commentedon Nov 6, 2026
I think this is being decided for you already by the inclusion of the alphas in dist.json. https://github.com/actions/setup-node#supported-version-syntax
So even now, anyone using
currentin GHA is getting v27, e.g. https://github.com/rvagg/cborg/actions/runs/41948775554/job/126987451423In effect, nodejs/nodejs-dist-indexer#107 has made the decision for you and you should either roll with and make
latestbe the alpha, or wind that back. This probably should have been planned out more carefully when coming up with the alpha strategy in the first place, but this is where we're at now.MikeMcC399 commentedon Nov 6, 2026
@rvagg
You're describing a related topic, and there are already issues being worked on by the actions/setup-node team to correct this, and make it a user choice about whether Alpha is installed or not:
allow-prereleases(or similar) option for Node.js 27 Alpha actions/setup-node#1657latestinstalls v27.0.0-alpha.0.0.0 not 26.13.0 actions/setup-node#1660