Node.js versions

Avoid needing to update your CI config files for every Node.js release or EOL event.

This action retrieves a list of Node.js release versions and exports the versions for consumption by automated processes.

The output of the yaml function is designed to populate a GitHub Actions matrix declaration so that your CI is testing with the version(s) of Node.js you choose, typically the LTS version(s).

Usage

This action has the following outputs:

• active are Active LTS versions
• maintenance are Maintenance LTS versions
• lts is all LTS versions (active + maintenance)
• current is the Current node version
• min is the lowest LTS version

active

The currently active Node.js version. This is like a baton that is handed from one version of Node.js to the next.

maintenance

Every version of Node.js that is actively maintained by the Node.js project.

lts

Similar to maintenance, except it excludes odd number releases that are never considered Long Term Stable. This is the target most modules should use in their CI tests.

current

The current version would usually be used in your CI tests to always tests your code against the latest Node.js version, but perhaps without failing the CI tests.

min

The min version is the lowest supported version of Node.js. It couple be used for modules with scarce updates, whose SLA is a best effort to support any version of Node.js.

manually (the normal way)

test:
  strategy:
    matrix:
      os: [ubuntu-latest, windows-latest, macos-latest]
      node-version: [20, 22]
    fail-fast: false
  steps:

automatically

test:
  needs: get-lts
  strategy:
    matrix:
      os: [ubuntu-latest, windows-latest, macos-latest]
      node-version: ${{ fromJson(needs.get-lts.outputs.lts) }}
    fail-fast: false
  steps:
get-lts:
  runs-on: ubuntu-latest
  steps:
    - id: get
      uses: msimerson/node-lts-versions@v1
  outputs:
    active: ${{ steps.get.outputs.active }}
    maintenance: ${{ steps.get.outputs.maintenance }}
    lts: ${{ steps.get.outputs.lts }}
    current: ${{ steps.get.outputs.current }}
    min: ${{ steps.get.outputs.min }}

Example

✗ node main.js
::set-output name=active::["22"]
::set-output name=maintenance::["18","20"]
::set-output name=lts::["18","20","22"]
::set-output name=current::["23"]
::set-output name=min::"18"

RAW

const ltsv = require('node-lts-versions')
ltsv.fetchLTS().then(() => {
  console.log(ltsv.json())
  console.log(ltsv.yaml())
  ltsv.print()
})

or

const { getNodeLTS } = require('node-lts-versions')
const ltsv = new getNodeLTS()
ltsv.fetchLTS().then(() => {
  console.log(ltsv.json())
  console.log(ltsv.yaml())
  ltsv.print()
})

Methods

fetchLTS

Retrieves Node.js version information.

json

Display Node.js version information in JSON format.

> ltsv.json('active')
'["22"]'
> ltsv.json('lts')
'["18","20","22"]'
> ltsv.json()
'["23"]'

yaml

Display Node.js version information in YAML format.

> ltsv.yaml('lts')
[ '18', '20', '22' ]
> ltsv.yaml('active')
[ '22' ]
> ltsv.yaml('maintenance')
[ '18', '20' ]
> ltsv.yaml('current')
[ '23' ]

print

Display Node.js version information in tabular format.

Ver Codename    Latest Release          LTS Period
18    Hydrogen  v18.20.8 on 2025-03-27  2022-10-17 to 2025-04-30
20    Iron      v20.19.1 on 2025-04-22  2023-10-16 to 2026-04-30
22    Jod       v22.15.0 on 2025-04-22  2024-10-23 to 2027-04-30

Reference

• GitHub Actions: New workflow features
• Using tags for Release management

Future

Got ideas? Contributions are welcome. Submit a PR with tests and it will likely be accepted.