[richardlau]

Create latest-vN.x links for Node.js alpha releases. Do not link latest to alpha releases.

Fixes: #24

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There's still some debate on whether latest should point to the alphas. At the moment (without any changes) latest is not pointing at the v27.0.0-alpha.0.0.0 release, and this PR does not change that. We can PR further changes later if needed.

Refs: #23
Refs: nodejs/node#67224

cc @nodejs/build @nodejs/releasers
FYI @nodejs/version-management

[rvagg]

There's still some debate on whether latest should point to the alphas

I'm surprised that this hasn't been figured out yet as part of the switch! I was also surprised to find that current in the standard Node.js github actions resolved to v27, I guess that's coming from nvm and that perhaps the ecosystem has decided this one for you already?

[richardlau]

There's still some debate on whether latest should point to the alphas

I'm surprised that this hasn't been figured out yet as part of the switch! I was also surprised to find that current in the standard Node.js github actions resolved to v27, I guess that's coming from nvm and that perhaps the ecosystem has decided this one for you already?

• latest alias usage in Alpha phase #23
• Outdated definition for latest alias under https://nodejs.org/download/release node#67224
• latest points to Alpha by version managers / nodejs.org points to LTS node#67135

and a suggestion to have a separate next link:

• Request for next alias to match Current / Alpha #25

[MikeMcC399]

@rvagg

As also mentioned in nodejs/node#67224 (comment)

The actions/setup-node team are addressing these related issues:

• Provide allow-prereleases (or similar) option for Node.js 27 Alpha actions/setup-node#1657
• latest installs v27.0.0-alpha.0.0.0 not 26.13.0 actions/setup-node#1660

Although they may share alias names, they are not dependent on this PR. They make their own decision about what they term latest.

It makes the resolution of related issues more complex because each of the Node.js version managers is taking their own decisions about what aliases to use and how to interpret them.

[MikeMcC399]

There's still some debate on whether latest should point to the alphas

I'm surprised that this hasn't been figured out yet as part of the switch! I was also surprised to find that current in the standard Node.js github actions resolved to v27, I guess that's coming from nvm and that perhaps the ecosystem has decided this one for you already?

I did raise this issue in nodejs/Release#1171 on behalf of the docker-node repo back in August 2026. It didn't however receive any feedback (apart from my fellow docker-node team member), and so here we are, after the release of Node.js 27 Alpha and still discussing what latest should mean.

Users must be given a choice of whether they get Alpha versions installed or not. Nobody should accidently get an Alpha version.

Packages published to the npm registry use the convention of latest to mean stable, non-prerelease. If Node.js continues to use the same convention, there will be less user surprises.

Currently https://nodejs.org/download/release/latest/ serves Node.js 26.13.0. I support leaving it this way, so it points to either the current version or LTS version, whichever one of those is the highest non-prerelease version. It should not point to any Alpha pre-release.