A Node.js LTS release is supported for about 30 months. It spends roughly 12 months in Active LTS, then about 18 months in Maintenance, where only critical fixes land. After the end date listed in the project schedule, the line gets no more security patches from the Node.js project.
What the terms mean
Current is the first phase of a new major version. The Node.js project describes it as a six month window that lets library authors add support. Active LTS is the phase where an even numbered release is ready for general use. Maintenance LTS is the long tail, with critical bug and security fixes only. End of life means the project stops publishing fixes.
The Node.js releases page says LTS "typically guarantees that critical bugs will be fixed for a total of 30 months," and that production applications should use only Active LTS or Maintenance LTS releases.
The dates for each line
The Node.js Release working group publishes its schedule as a machine readable file. These are the values it lists today:
| Line | Initial release | Active LTS starts | Maintenance starts | End of life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 2023-04-18 | 2023-10-24 | 2024-10-22 | 2026-04-30 |
| 22 | 2024-04-24 | 2024-10-29 | 2025-10-21 | 2027-04-30 |
| 24 | 2025-05-06 | 2025-10-28 | 2026-10-20 | 2028-04-30 |
| 26 | 2026-05-05 | 2026-10-28 | 2027-10-20 | 2029-04-30 |
You can check the arithmetic. Line 24 enters Active LTS on 28 October 2025 and ends on 30 April 2028, which is 30 months.
What this means for planning
Three practical points follow from the table.
- Line 20 is already past end of life. If a service still runs it, see Node.js 20 end of life: what to do now.
- Line 24 enters Maintenance on 20 October 2026. It is still fully supported, but new work usually targets the line in Active LTS.
- Line 26 reaches Active LTS on 28 October 2026. Before that date it is still labeled Current on the releases page.
A reasonable rule: start moving a service when its line enters Maintenance, not when it reaches end of life. That leaves roughly 18 months of calm time for testing instead of a deadline.
Try it yourself
Open the dependency inventory demo and look at how a project's direct and transitive packages are listed. Runtime upgrades are easier when you can see which packages might declare an engine range that your new line does not satisfy.
Click through it at your own pace, or open it full screen.
Safeguard can scan your dependencies and build an SBOM so you know which services still run an older Node.js line. The free scan at gold.safeguard.sh/scan is a quick way to try it on one project.
Quick check
Does Maintenance LTS still get security fixes?
Yes, for critical bugs and security issues. It does not get new features, and the fixes are limited in scope.
Is an odd numbered Node.js release ever a good production choice?
The project says production applications should use Active LTS or Maintenance LTS lines. Odd numbered lines have so far been supported for only about six months.
Sources
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
