Node.js 25.4.0 is now available on the Current line, and it’s a practical release for teams running large codebases: multiple long-awaited runtime features have moved from experimental to stable, which means you can rely on them in production with far less risk of behavior changes.
1) Faster startup: Module Compile Cache is now stable
One of the headline upgrades is the module compile cache graduating to stable. The goal is straightforward: reduce repeated parsing/compilation work to improve startup performance, especially noticeable in bigger projects and monorepos.
2) Snapshots are production-ready: --build-snapshot and --build-snapshot-config
Node 25.4.0 also marks snapshot tooling as stable, via --build-snapshot and --build-snapshot-config. Used well, snapshots can help you boot into a more “pre-baked” runtime state—another lever for improving startup speed and consistency in performance-sensitive deployments.
3) The CommonJS/ESM bridge gets easier: require(esm) is stable
If you’ve ever had to juggle ESM and CommonJS, this is a big quality-of-life improvement: require(esm) is now stable. That means mixed module environments can be less painful, helping teams migrate gradually without forcing an all-or-nothing rewrite.
4) Cleaner internal imports: subpath imports can start with #/
Node now allows subpath imports beginning with #/. It’s a small change, but it can make internal path conventions more flexible and readable for larger packages.
5) Better diagnostics: heap snapshots and V8 object inspection are stable
Node 25.4.0 improves production debugging workflows by stabilizing:
--heapsnapshot-near-heap-limit(automatically trigger a heap snapshot as memory approaches a limit)v8.queryObjects()(inspect objects during runtime)
These tools are especially useful for tracking down leaks and memory spikes that only reproduce under load.
6) Networking convenience: http.setGlobalProxyFromEnv()
Working behind corporate proxies often means boilerplate configuration. Node 25.4.0 introduces http.setGlobalProxyFromEnv() as a semver-minor feature, letting you set global proxy behavior from environment variables more cleanly.
7) Utility & platform updates
A new utility helper util.convertProcessSignalToExitCode lands in core, and the release also updates root certificates to NSS 3.117 plus upgrades bundled npm to 11.7.0.
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Should you upgrade?
If you’re on the Current line and care about faster startup, smoother ESM/CommonJS interoperability, or more reliable profiling tools, Node.js 25.4.0 is a solid step forward. For production environments that prefer long-term stability, consider tracking the latest LTS line as well, but this release is a strong indicator of where Node’s stable feature set is heading.
Source: Node.js Release: 25.4.0 (Current).
