Debian future release strategy proposal Rev2

• Follows on from https://github.com/nodejs/docker-node/issues/2398
• Relates to https://github.com/nodejs/docker-node/issues/2397

Current situation

According to the settings in versions.json Node.js 22 & 24 are set to use Debian 12 (bookworm/oldstable) as default, Node.js 26 sets Debian 13 (trixie/stable) as default.

Images are built for each of the Debian major versions: 11 (bullseye/oldoldstable), 12 (bookworm/oldstable) & 13 (trixie/stable) (see Debian Releases).

Debian releases transition through milestones:

• Release
• End of Life (EOL) after 3 years
• End of LTS after another 2 years, 5 years in total

When Debian transitions from EOL to LTS, the LTS support team typically define and publish LTS support architectures that are a subset of the architectures supported during the original release phase.

Docker Engine typically removes a Debian release from their required version list when that version transitions to End of LTS.

Current release line suggestions

For existing release lines Node.js 22, 24 & 26, retain Debian version support as long as covered by upstream Debian & Docker support.

Transitions

From Debian releases in the year 2026:

Current bookworm / bookworm-slim architectures

From versions.json

Future release line suggestions

For the future Node.js 27, Alpha Oct 2026, followed by Node.js 27.0.0 in April 2027, consider restricting to support Debian stable and oldstable (2 versions) only. This would require changes in update scripts.

Commencez par versions.json et les références liées aux versions de Debian, à l’architecture Debian LTS et à la prise en charge de Docker Engine. Comparez les politiques proposées pour Node.js 22, 24, 26 et la future 27 avec les dates de transition et les architectures indiquées ; le travail sera considéré comme terminé lorsque la stratégie de publication et toutes les modifications nécessaires de l’update-script seront convenues et documentées.