Node.js is a free-to-use server environment that can produce dynamic page content. It is mainly useful for traditional websites and other services like back-end API. But due to its single-threaded nature, it mainly uses an event-driven, and non-blocking I/O model that makes it lightweight and efficient to work. It has several releases with different versions. The current version we can see for it is Node.js 18, which is the latest version and it will provide long-term support up to the year 2025.
Moreover, Node.js 18 is the latest & first release from JavaScript which is an open-source backend framework. This is opposed to the previous release of Node.js 17 which is supported till June 2022 for a short period only. Further, the new Node.js release has some additional capabilities with new security features that lacks in the previous LTS updates.
Now the Node.js 18 release supports the cryptographic library OpenSSL 3.0 which is a new update. The new release also adds a strong collaboration between the front and backend APIs. However, the new API provides many flexible and powerful features to the users.
Hence, this combination will provide long-term support to many enterprises. Let us know how Node.js 18 javascript framework helps to improve security and fetch API.
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Node.js 18 Fetch API
The version Node.js 18 launches a new Fetch API which is a high-level function added to it. It could impact very crucially the use of the JavaScript framework by the developers to query data sources. With this version, the Fetch is globally available now by default.
Moreover, the experts say that the Node.js 18 Fetch API allows users to make HTTP requests faster and more seamlessly. Also, they said that a developer can request data just in two lines of code and resolve the response into a useful format. They further added that the Nodejs team is doing amazing work.
In the earlier Node.js releases it was required to use a callback-based request method. This requires the user to manually manage the comeback flow of data.
Further, the new version of Node.js 18 also provides a view of Web Streams API. This enables an optimized method for the data flow.
Moreover, the experts added that the Web Streams API’s application promotes the effort to enhance compatibility with the vast size Web Platform ecosystem. Also, the Web Streams are applied in all important web browsers and non-browser runtimes like Deno, Cloudflare Workers, Node.js, etc. It allows code acceptance to the API to work in all types of ecosystems.
Node.js 18 New Features
The features of Node.js 18 include the following-
- Global fetch API (Experimental)
- Test runner (Experimental)
- Updated V8 JavaScript with the version V8 10.1
- Web Streams API
- HTTP Timeouts
Inclusion of OpenSSL 3.0 in Node.js JavaScript Framework
Some experts mentioned the last LTS update of the Node.js 16 version included OpenSSL v1.1.1.
The OpenSSL includes an open-source application of the SSL & TLS protocols. This combination helps to secure communication throughout the networks. Moreover, the new version also contains the FPIS module. It’s a standard enforced by the US govt that controls cryptographic usage in public.
Therefore, it was necessary to upgrade to OpenSSL version 3.0 for Node.js 18, as the previous OpenSSL 1.1.1 will drop its support by the year 2023. This means the version will not support further. It also falls before the proposed closing support date for Node.js 18 as the expert added in his notes. Moreover, the Node.js developers must be aware of the new update as the update has secured some limitations on the algorithms allowed and the sizes of the key.
They also mentioned that if any user apps are using APIs that do not support OpenSSL version 3.0. Then, they have to make some adjustments to their existing apps while updating to Node.js 18 version.
Also, they are preparing a schedule for the next 10 years of Node.js and its strategic directions to use. Here, the Node.js community participation also has to play a great role.
So, all these things make the new version of Node js a much more popular JS framework.
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Conclusion
Hence, this is all about the new Node.js 18 and its improvement in the security areas with the JavaScript framework. However, Node.js is the best option to build several backend services due to its open-source and cross-platform nature. Also, the apps built with Node are highly scalable. It helps to power the apps running within the browser. Moreover, the global fetch API makes the writing of cross-platform HTTP request codes much simpler. This is updated in the latest version of this JavaScript runtime.
Further, this version also contains the experimental test runner module which helps to build JS tests. The output of these tests will be in a TAP or test Anything Protocol format. It also provides an experimental capacity for the user to create a Node js binary using a custom V8 startup. So, these are the updates of this version.
