Prepare for Node.js 27 pre-release (Alpha) / release

Task

Prepare for the new Node.js release model for Node.js 27 beginning in Oct 2026 with releases like 27.0.0-alpha.0.0.0 followed 6 months later in April 2027 by 27.0.0.

Background

The blog post Evolving the Node.js Release Schedule, March 10, 2026, announced the plan to release Node.js 27 Alpha in Oct 2026, followed by Node.js 27.0.0 in April 2027 and included the schedule information for the new model that Node.js 27 is planning to follow:

According to the blog post, Alpha versioning follows semver prerelease format (e.g., 27.0.0-alpha.1) and semver-major changes are allowed during this phase.

Implications

This repo uses a combination of JavaScript, Bash script and GitHub Actions workflows to detect new Node.js versions and to update Dockerfiles to pass on to the official Docker site for image publication.

It interfaces with sources:

• https://nodejs.org
• https://unofficial-builds.nodejs.org

and posts its results to:

• https://nodejs/official-images
  for image publication.

If the existing source interfaces are extended so they publish prerelease versions such as 27.0.0-alpha.0.0.0, then the viability of the workflows in this repo is uncertain, whichever of the following scenarios is followed:

Scenario 1 - ignore prerelease versions

Script changes would be needed to ignore prerelease versions. Sorting and comparisons may produce the wrong results when prerelease and release versions are available.

Scenario 2 - publish prerelease versions

To publish prerelease (Alpha) versions as Docker images, more extensive changes would be needed. versions.json needs a new field for the Alpha phase. Functionality similar to the npm package semver would be needed for version comparisons. The full version would need to be preserved in various places, instead of using an assumption that only major.minor.patch formats need to be handled.

Next steps

Gather inputs and make a decision on the direction to be taken for Node.js 27:

• Scenario 1 - ignore prerelease Node.js 27
• Scenario 2 - publish prerelease Node.js 27 versions as node Docker images

Since this is a major policy decision, it should have the active involvement of the Docker Maintainers, possibly also with guidance from the Node.js TSC.

Start with versions.json, the Dockerfiles, and the GitHub Actions workflows that read Node.js sources and update image versions. Review how prerelease versions are currently sorted and compared, then gather maintainer and Node.js TSC input before choosing whether to ignore or publish Node.js 27 Alpha versions. Done means the project has an agreed direction and an implementation scope for that scenario.