The latest major version of the popular JavaScript runtime, Node.js 17.0.0, has just been released. It replaces v16 in the current runtime release line. Because V16 is an even-numbered release, it will be promoted to the long-term support (LTS) channel on October 26, 2021.
Despite being a minor update, this release includes several runtime refinements such as more promiscuous APIs, JavaScript engine upgrades, and OpenSSL 3.0 support.
In this article, we’ll look at some of the major highlights of this release, as well as the implications for Node.js developers.
Single-Threaded:
Because Node.js is single-threaded and uses event looping, it is scalable. Unlike traditional servers, which use limited threads to process requests, the event feature allows the node.js server to respond in a non-blocking and extensible manner. Node.js uses single-threaded software that can handle far more requests than traditional servers such as Apache HTTP Server.
V8 JavaScript
Node.js makes use of the V8 JavaScript Runtime motor, which is also used by Google Chrome. Hub provides a wrapper for such a JavaScript motor, which enables the runtime engine to execute quickly.
Compatible
Node js is compatible with a wide range of operating systems, including Windows, Unix, Linux, Mac OS X, and mobile devices. Also, combined with the appropriate package to generate a self-contained executable.
Uses JavaScript:
The Node.js library makes use of JavaScript, which is yet another important feature of Node.js from the standpoint of an engineer. The majority of the engineers are already familiar with.
OpenSSL 3.0 Support
Node.js 17 now supports the recently released OpenSSL 3.0. The goal is for the APIs in OpenSSL 3.0 to be backward compatible with those in previous OpenSSL versions. However, stricter restrictions on key sizes and algorithms may have an impact on the ecosystem, particularly for users who continue to use small keys or older algorithms.
When your application or its dependencies use an algorithm or key size that is not supported by OpenSSL 3.0. The error message ERR OSSL EVP UNSUPPORTED is displayed in Node.js 17.
New APIs based on promises
Promise-based APIs for such DNS, fs, stream, and timer modules have added in a few recent Node.js versions. This effort has been directed toward Node.js 17’s readline module, which primarily accepts input from the command prompt.
The reading/promises module gives you access to the newer APIs. We previously used callback functions in the reading module. When importing it from reading/promises, you can now use async.
Readline Promises API
The readline module provides an interface for reading data from a Readable stream one line at a time (such as process.stdin). The indices arrays are accessible whenever the regular expression contains the /d flag—indices property on matching objects.
Deprecations
The Node.js version attempts to reduce the impact of any disruptive changes on the ecosystem. The project uses a technique known as CITGM (Canary in the Goldmine) to assess the effects of any disruptive changes (including deprecations) on a large number of prominent ecosystem modules in order to gain additional insight before deploying these changes.
The V8 has upgraded to v9.5.
The v8 JavaScript engine has updated to v9.5 as of Node.js 17. The changes in this release are primarily intended to increase internationalization for dates and calendars. As well as time zone output. It also implements the WebAssembly Exception Handling proposal. So, intended to reduce overhead in comparison to existing JavaScript-based workarounds.
Wrapping Up
It is critical to choose full-service Node.js development to ensure that your project will be compatible with the latest Node.js improvements and additions in the future.
Node.js 16 has promoted to LTS status withthis significant upgrade. This LTS version includes the core pack script, which connects the entity framework to the Node.js App Applications created during development. This means that users will be able to use npm and yarn without having to install them, implying that some of the functionality will be available indefinitely.
As a result, now is an excellent time to upgrade to Node.js 17 with the right development partner like ManekTech, as Node.js version 12 will be deprecated in 2022. Also, Hire the best Node.js developers & Programmers from us.
Is it therefore necessary to upgrade to the latest version of Node.js 17? Despite the fact that it is not an LTS version, it contains some significant upgrades that you should not overlook.
