Node.js 26.12.0

Node.js 26.12.0 shipped on October 14, 2026. Breaking changes: none. New: two SemVer minor features plus a wide sweep of crypto, build and dependency updates. Update when your next window opens.

The Headlines

• WebAssembly and RX required - the runtime now throws on missing WebAssembly or RX support instead of degrading silently.
• WebSocket masking in core http - new websocketMask() and websocketUnmask() helpers land in the http module.
• Python 3.15 supported - the build system accepts Python 3.15.
• Permissions propagate - config file permission flags now pass through child_process to children.
• Crypto lock cleanup - key export, verify setup, KEM, RSA-OAEP and secret key locking paths were removed or isolated, and the root certificate store is now kept per Environment.

Numbers

• Dependency bumps: acorn 8.19.0, SQLite 3.54.0, simdjson 5.0.3, a googletest refresh, plus several V8 cherry picks.
• Also in the tree: a QUIC CI lane for V8 changes, and Temporal support enabled on no-ICU and system-ICU builds.

Also Shipped

26.12.0 is a Current line release. If you are on an LTS branch, 24.22.0 Krypton shipped the same day, so LTS users have a parallel patch to pick up. Neither release carries a breaking change. Take both on your normal cadence.