Aligning the Node.js Buildpack to Community Runtimes

Aligning the Node.js buildpack to community runtimes

As announced earlier this year, the IBM Runtimes team has worked hard to get the SDK builds for IBM platforms into the Node.js community process. Now that this effort is complete, the Runtimes team has been able to deprecate the proprietary IBM® SDK for Node.js™ in favor of the community builds (see this post for more information). Starting with our next release, the IBM Node.js buildpack on IBM Cloud and IBM Cloud Private will provide the community edition binaries as a default.

What does this mean for me?

This change reduces the delay between community releases and IBM buildpack releases so that you can enjoy the latest and greatest release right away on IBM Cloud. Additionally, it means that the IBM Runtimes team can focus on increasing contributions to the testing efforts on the community version and also work on new features for all Node developers. To learn more, please refer to this Node.js @ IBM blog post. IBM will continue to provide the same level of support as before for the buildpack and Node.js versions available through IBM Cloud and IBM Cloud Private.

Deprecation of OpenSSL FIPS module

With this shift, the Node.js buildpack will move to include features available via the community runtime binaries. For users of our Node.js OpenSSL FIPS module, this means that in alignment with the community, the current OpenSSL FIPS module in the buildpack will no longer be updated. The current OpenSSL FIPS module and the latest IBM® SDK for Node.js™ Version 8 (equivalent to Node.js 8.9.4) will be available in the buildpack for 30 days and are eligible for removal as of August 24, 2018. However, be aware that the OpenSSL FIPS module in the Node.js FIPS build is derived from a code base that is now nearing end of life and has not received security updates.

Additionally, the FIPS module itself is not supported by the OpenSSL community. More information about OpenSSL and FIPS can be found in the LTS release and Crypto policy Open SSL blog posts. As a result, IBM encourages users who wish to continue their use of FIPS to make alternative arrangements with the OpenSSL community.

Support for Node.js

IBM support for Node.js releases ends in line with LTS in the community, and the Node.js versions included with the IBM Node.js buildpack will be updated accordingly, removing Node 4.x after August 24th, 2018.

Node 4.x – Ended April 2018
Node 6.x – Ends April 2019
Node 8.x – Ends December 2019

Node.js is a trademark of Joyent, Inc. and is used with permission. We are not endorsed by or affiliated with Joyent.

Jeff Hamilton

Offering Manager for WebSphere

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