Node.js 16 end of life
Node.js 16 reached end of life on 11 September 2023, seven months ahead of its original April 2024 date, because OpenSSL 1.1.1, which it ships, reached end of support that day. The last release was v16.20.2, published on 8 August 2023. OSSeva ships patched Node.js 16 runtimes for services that cannot move to a current LTS line yet.
- End of life
- 11 September 2023
- Released
- Apr 2021
- Final release
- 16.20.2
- Successor
- Node.js 22 or 24 LTS
Date published by Node.js release schedule. We do not publish a lifecycle date we cannot source.
Last reviewed
What actually stops on 11 September 2023
- Security releases on the 16.x line. v16.20.2 was the last.
- Fixes for the bundled OpenSSL 1.1.1, which left upstream support on the same day as Node.js 16.
- Updates to the bundled V8 9.4 engine and npm 8.19.4.
What actually breaks in the upgrade
OpenSSL 3 is the real change
Node.js 17 and later build against OpenSSL 3. That is why the project ended 16 early rather than swap libraries inside a release line. Code or build tooling that relies on algorithms OpenSSL 3 no longer enables by default can fail after the upgrade, usually with ERR_OSSL_EVP_UNSUPPORTED.
Native modules decide the date
Add-ons compiled against the Node.js 16 ABI must be rebuilt for the target, and some older add-ons no longer build at all. Inventory them before choosing a date.
Skip straight to the newest LTS
Node.js 22 reaches end of life on 30 April 2027 and Node.js 24 on 30 April 2028. A service leaving 16 today should go to 24 so it does not repeat the exercise within a year.
Your options, costed honestly
Including the ones that do not involve buying anything from us.
| Option | What it is | Effort | Cost | Our view |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upgrade to Node.js 24 | Rebuild native modules, fix OpenSSL 3 issues, retest. | Weeks | Engineering time | The destination. Supported to April 2028. |
| OSSeva patched Node.js 16 | Signed 16.x runtimes with backported security fixes. | Days | Subscription | For services pinned by native modules, vendor certification or a release freeze. |
| Stay unpatched | No fixes since August 2023. | None | Zero now | Node.js services are usually internet-facing. A poor place to carry risk. |
What OSSeva does for Node.js 16
OSSeva patches this line
OSSeva ships patched Node.js 16 runtimes now, with security fixes backported to the 16.x line, on the Patch, Assure and Operate tiers. OSSeva engineers also help plan the move to a current LTS line.
Node.js extended supportWhat your auditor will say
Every system component in the cardholder data environment needs its applicable security patches. A runtime or broker with no upstream fix supply needs a patched source or a documented compensating control.
Auditors ask for evidence that production systems receive security fixes. A version past end of life fails that test unless another supplier ships the fixes and can show which CVEs they close.
Node.js 16: common questions
When did Node.js 16 reach end of life?
On 11 September 2023. The last release was v16.20.2, on 8 August 2023.
Why did Node.js 16 reach end of life early?
Node.js 16 ships OpenSSL 1.1.1, which reached end of support on 11 September 2023. The project brought the end-of-life date forward from April 2024 to match, rather than switch to OpenSSL 3 inside a release line.
Which Node.js version should I upgrade to from 16?
Node.js 24, supported until 30 April 2028. Node.js 22 ends on 30 April 2027.
Can I get security patches for Node.js 16?
Not from the Node.js project. OSSeva ships patched Node.js 16 runtimes today.
Still running Node.js 16?
Tell us the versions and the estate size. We will tell you honestly whether to upgrade or to buy cover — and we say 'upgrade' more often than you would expect.