Node.js 19 Release Highlights: V8 10.7 Upgrade, Experimental --watch, Default HTTP/1.1 KeepAlive, Stable WebCrypto, and Deprecations

Node.js 19 was officially released today, bringing several notable updates and changes.

node --watch (experimental)

The runtime now supports the node --watch option, which runs scripts in watch mode and automatically restarts the process when imported files change. Example usage:

$ node --watch index.js

This feature is available in v19.0.0 and v18.11.0+.

Default HTTP/1.1 KeepAlive

From this version onward, Node.js sets keepAlive to true by default, meaning all outbound HTTP(S) connections will automatically use HTTP/1.1 Keep‑Alive with a default keep‑alive timeout of 5 seconds, improving throughput by reusing connections.

Stable WebCrypto

The WebCrypto API is now stable (except for Ed25519, Ed448, X25519, and X448). Access it via globalThis.crypto or require('node:crypto').webcrypto .

Custom ESM Resolution Adjustments

The --experimental-specifier-resolution flag has been removed; its functionality can now be achieved through custom loaders.

Removal of DTrace/SystemTap/ETW Support

Support for DTrace, SystemTap, and ETW has been removed in v19.0.0 due to resource prioritization. Interested contributors can follow the issue at github.com/nodejs/node/issues/44550 .

Dependencies

V8 10.7

The V8 engine has been upgraded to version 10.7 (part of Chromium 107), introducing a new JavaScript API: Intl.NumberFormat . This is a TC39 ECMA‑402 stage‑3 proposal extending the existing Intl.NumberFormat API.

llhttp

Node.js 19 ships with [email protected] .

npm

Node.js 19 includes [email protected] .

Node.js 18 LTS Transition

Node.js 18 will move to Long‑Term Support (LTS) later this month, while Node.js 19 becomes the "Current" release.

Lifecycle Notes

Node.js 14 reaches end‑of‑life in April 2023; users are encouraged to upgrade to Node.js 16 (LTS) or Node.js 18 (LTS). Node.js 16 (LTS) will reach end‑of‑life in September 2023, earlier than originally planned.