JavaScript actions support for node18 or node20

[MikeMcC399]

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Only node16 is available for JavaScript actions according to runs.using for JavaScript actions.

This is not enough!

Some JavaScript actions like cycjimmy/semantic-release-action are blocked from using later dependencies due to this.

See Semantic version which says:

"Note: Version 20.0.0 of semantic-release and later is currently incompatible with cycjimmy/semantic-release-action, since it requires Node.js 18. GitHub does not provide this environment yet for JavaScript actions."

Please add node18 or node20 to the available versions for runs.using for JavaScript actions.

According to https://github.com/nodejs/release#release-schedule:
Node.js 16 end-of-life is scheduled for Sep 11, 2023
Node.js 18 end-of-life is scheduled for Apr 30, 2025
Node.js 20 starts Active LTS on Oct 24, 2023 and its end-of-life is scheduled for Apr 30, 2026

[MikeMcC399]

Can we expect some feedback from product management on this important topic?

https://github.com/actions/runner/issues/new/choose shows:

[MikeMcC399]

Node.js 16, which is currently the only supported version for GitHub JavaScript actions, is planned to enter End-of-Life status on Sep 11, 2023 according to the Node.js Release Schedule. Support for a later version of Node.js by GitHub JavaScript actions needs to be made available in good time ahead of this retirement date.

[MikeMcC399]

https://github.blog/changelog/2023-05-04-github-actions-all-actions-will-run-on-node16-instead-of-node12/ from May 4, 2023 says "GitHub Actions: All Actions will run on Node16 instead of Node12"

There was no mention of what happens after Node16 though.

[TomasHubelbauer]

I would also really like to see an update on this topic. The current stable Node version is Node 20 and Node 16 is going out of support in three months: https://endoflife.date/nodejs

[TomasHubelbauer]

Also see (and subscribe to, if interested) the linked issue: actions/runner#2255

[MikeMcC399]

This has been provisionally answered in actions/runner#2257 (comment) by @fhammerl

With Node16 security updates coming to an end this October, we're of course planning on embedding a new Node.js version, but I can't give an exact date as of today.

[MikeMcC399]

• Support node20 in runs for JavaScript actions actions/runner#2619 is also related

[DariuszPorowski]

@MikeMcC399 @TomasHubelbauer looking for node18 support as well (node20 even better!). Did small PoC with an ugly workaround (wrap js action into composite action): https://github.com/DariuszPorowski/node-js-action
It works, but that may be a kind of a temporary workaround for action maintainers only, not users.
Definitely not a supported solution, and I don't know the potential negative/side effects.

From an action users perspective, the yaml syntax remains the same.

[andykenward]

@DariuszPorowski Thanks, this worked for me using node 18.

[MikeMcC399]

This has been answered in actions/runner#2704, where it says "From here, we plan to skip over node 18 and hop on the node 20 LTS release. "

[MikeMcC399]

See actions/runner#2619 (comment)

Hello, latest runner release (2.308.0) contains latest node16 version and node20 version. This runner version will be fully rolled-out by the end of this week. After release you will be able to use 'node20' actions