[Morning Read] Node.js 2025 Status Analysis

![image](https://blog.aitoearn.ai/content/images/2025/11/img_001-404.jpg)

## Node.js Technical Steering Committee (TSC) Member  
**Speaker:** @matteo  

This article explores **Node.js** in the context of server-side programming, cloud-native applications, community participation, modern JavaScript integration, and emerging technologies.  
We also project **future growth areas** for Node.js in a constantly evolving tech landscape.

---

## 1. Node.js and Technological Trends

**Vitality Despite Predictions of Decline**  
While some have predicted that Node.js would be replaced, history demonstrates otherwise: Cobalt (1959) and jQuery remain active decades later.  
Node.js celebrated its **16th birthday** and ranks as one of the **most popular stacks on Stack Overflow**, second only to frameworks like React.

**Recommended Reading:**  
[【Issue 3590】Building an MCP Server with Node.js to Retrieve the Latest API Docs in Real Time](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MjM5MTA1MjAxMQ==&mid=2651277458&idx=1&sn=ef790ada9d8afb6d7dae669f30af16c2&scene=21#wechat_redirect)

---

## 2. Historical Evidence: Technology Longevity

- **Cobalt**: Still offers jobs and maintains active usage.
- **jQuery v4**: Continuously used for legacy web apps.
- Lesson Learned: Old tech stacks rarely vanish quickly; Node.js follows this pattern.

---

## 3. npm Ecosystem & Download Insights

![image](https://blog.aitoearn.ai/content/images/2025/11/img_002-382.jpg)

- **npm**: World’s most popular open-source registry.
- **Package usage growth**: ~50% annually (doubling every 2 years).
- Download volume remains on an upward trend.

**Additional Reading:**  
[【Morning Reading】How to Effectively Clear NPM and NPX Cache?](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MjM5MTA1MjAxMQ==&mid=2651274301&idx=2&sn=cd81adafd6f785471d0ee5ae4d54012c&scene=21#wechat_redirect)

---

### Structural Reasons for High Download Counts

- ~50% of npm downloads are **header files** automatically fetched during module compilation.
- Inflates total download numbers without direct user awareness.

**Key Stats:**
- **Dec 2024 downloads:** 271M  
- **May 2024 downloads:** 375M

---

## 4. Version Support & Adoption Insights

| Version   | Status                             | Notes                                  |
|-----------|------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
| Node 18   | End-of-support (Apr 2024)          | Still heavily downloaded (~50M/month) |
| Node 20   | Maintenance mode                   | Bug/security fixes only                |
| Node 22   | Active LTS                         | New features ongoing                   |
| Node 24   | Future Active LTS                  | Planned for next cycle                 |

**Observation:**  
Users often **skip LTS versions** when upgrading, complicating maintenance.  
Example: Node 16 still has ~30M monthly downloads.

---

## 5. Node.js Organization Activity Metrics

![image](https://blog.aitoearn.ai/content/images/2025/11/img_003-362.jpg)

- Increasing pull requests & contributor base.
- Active feature development and PR review cycles.

---

## 6. Security Operations

- Quarterly updates.  
- 20–30 vulnerability reports/month (90% invalid).  
- **Response time:** ~1 day for triage.

---

## 7. Funding Challenges

![image](https://blog.aitoearn.ai/content/images/2025/11/img_004-343.jpg)

**Funding trend:**  
- USD 300k → 275k → 150k (2025), halving resources.  
- Reliant on volunteers & goodwill.

---

## 8. Feature Enhancements

![image](https://blog.aitoearn.ai/content/images/2025/11/img_005-308.jpg)

- **require()** now imports ESM modules directly.  
- `.mjs` extension dependency removed.

### Native TypeScript Support Roadmap  
- Aim: Stable support by Node 24 LTS.  
- Experimental flag lift targeted for Node 22.

**Reading:**  
[【Issue 3551】Parse 1 Billion Lines of Data in 10 Seconds Using Bun/TypeScript](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MjM5MTA1MjAxMQ==&mid=2651276991&idx=1&sn=1e374e8041e320a3c4de3a10f23edc7e&scene=21#wechat_redirect)

---

## 9. Performance Gains

![image](https://blog.aitoearn.ai/content/images/2025/11/img_006-280.jpg)

- V8 optimizations → **7% faster** with OpenTelemetry tracing.
- Major improvements in **Async Local Storage** performance.

---

## 10. Explicit Resource Management

![image](https://blog.aitoearn.ai/content/images/2025/11/img_007-267.jpg)

- **`using` keyword**: Auto cleanup of resources when scope ends.
- Stable in Node 24 for APIs like timers.

---

## 11. Permission System

- Stable file system access restrictions.
- Network resource permission controls planned.

---

## 12. Governance Model

![image](https://blog.aitoearn.ai/content/images/2025/11/img_008-247.jpg)

- **Open governance**, consensus-focused.
- No single "benevolent dictator."
- TSC:
  - Sets release dates.
  - Manages code quality.
  - Votes when consensus fails.

---

## 13. Enterprise-Grade Application Server

![image](https://blog.aitoearn.ai/content/images/2025/11/img_009-229.jpg)

**Platformatic**:
- Thread-based execution for multi-threaded Node.js apps.
- Standard logging, metrics, and OpenTelemetry output.

---

## 14. Node.js + PHP Integration

![image](https://blog.aitoearn.ai/content/images/2025/11/img_010-213.jpg)

- PHP 8.4 runs in a **dedicated thread**, non-blocking to Node.js.
- Useful for reusing legacy PHP assets with modern frontends.

**Implementation Steps:**
1. Configure environments for Next.js and PHP.
2. Build Next.js.
3. Route frontend requests to PHP-rendered backend content.

---

## 15. Downloads & Infrastructure

- 2022 spike due to **spam modules**.
- Heavy CI/CD usage contributes to volume.
- Infrastructure migrated to **Cloudflare Workers** with global CDN.

---

## 16. Contribution Challenges

![image](https://blog.aitoearn.ai/content/images/2025/11/img_011-202.jpg)

- Core features require **C++** skills.
- Steep learning curve, but consistent over project lifespan.

---

## 17. Comparison with Deno & Bun

- **Deno**: Modern runtime principles, reimplemented Node.js compatibility.
- **Bun**: Similar goal — seamless Node.js app compatibility.

---

## 18. Legacy Technology Continuation

![image](https://blog.aitoearn.ai/content/images/2025/11/img_012-181.jpg)

- PHP-based systems (e.g., WordPress) widely used & integrated as headless CMS.
- CommonJS & old TS configurations still prevalent.

---

## 19. npm Alternatives

![image](https://blog.aitoearn.ai/content/images/2025/11/img_013-170.jpg)

- npm Registry unlikely to be replaced.
- npm Client’s future depends on GitHub/npm decisions.

---

## 20. Importance of Timely LTS Updates

- OpenSSL support ≈ 3 years.  
- Skipping updates risks losing security patches.
- Annual updates recommended.

---

## Early Insights

1. **Ecosystem growth is strong** — npm downloads up ~50% annually.
2. **Upgrade reluctance is risky** — millions still download unsupported Node versions.

---

## Additional Observations

3. Heavy reliance on volunteers.
4. Funding likely to halve in 2025.
5. Native TypeScript support coming soon.
6. Continuous performance optimizations.
7. Transparent governance ensures balanced decision-making.
8. Header file downloads inflate npm numbers.
9. New server tech enables multi-language integration.

---

**Original source:** [YouTube – Matteo Collina](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgSwJaheiGk)  

---