Express.js End of Life - Dates and Lifecycle
Express is a minimal, flexible Node.js web framework providing routing and middleware for building web applications and APIs, one of the most widely used Node.js frameworks.
Last updated 2 August 2026
5
Versions tracked
3
At EOL
2
Supported
All versions
| Version | Released | Security Support | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
|
5
|
09 Sep 2024 |
Active
|
5.2.1
01 Dec 2025
|
|
4
|
09 Apr 2014 |
Active
|
4.22.2
11 May 2026
|
|
3
|
23 Oct 2012 |
05 Jul 2015
Ended 11 years ago
|
3.21.2
31 Jul 2015
|
|
2
|
17 Mar 2011 |
01 Jul 2012
Ended 14 years, 1 month ago
|
2.5.11
29 Jun 2012
|
|
1
|
16 Nov 2010 |
01 Mar 2011
Ended 15 years, 5 months ago
|
1.0.9
23 Mar 2011
|
About Express.js
Express is a minimal, flexible Node.js web framework providing routing, middleware, and HTTP utility methods for building web applications and APIs. It's one of the most widely used Node.js frameworks, and many other frameworks and tools in the Node ecosystem are themselves built on top of it.
Express.js Lifecycle Explained
Express only supports the latest release of a given major version, with no guaranteed backports once it's superseded. Unlike most frameworks, Express currently maintains two major versions in parallel: both 4.x and 5.x are actively supported, with 5.x being the newer line. Express requires a minimum Node.js version depending on the major release, notably, Express 5 requires at least Node.js 18, which is itself already past its own end of life, worth checking your Node.js version alongside your Express version rather than assuming meeting the minimum requirement means you're current.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ExpressJS still used?
Yes, it remains one of the most widely used Node.js web frameworks, with both the 4.x and 5.x lines under active maintenance. Concerns about it becoming obsolete are more about relative popularity shifts toward other languages for new backend projects than about the framework itself being abandoned.
What is the current version of ExpressJS?
Express 5.2.1 is the latest release on the newer 5.x line, while 4.22.2 is the latest release on the still-supported 4.x line.
Is ExpressJS front end or back end?
Back end. Express runs on Node.js and handles server-side routing, middleware, and request handling, it isn't used to build browser-side user interfaces.
Is Node.js 18 EOL?
Yes, Node.js 18 reached end of life in April 2025. Since it's the minimum required version for Express 5, teams running Express 5 on Node 18 specifically are running an EOL Node version even if their Express version itself is current.