feat(blog): 5.1.0 release blog

_posts/2025-01-09-v5-1-latest-release.md

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+---
+title: "v5.1.0 Release takes v5 to latest"
+tags: news, release 
+author: Express Technical Committee
+description: Express goes latest with the 5.1.0 release and announces an LTS schedule for v4 and v5 release lines.
+---
+
+Express v5.0.0 was released on September 9th last year, but we didn't make it the `latest` release on npm. Many asked us
+why and when it would be, and frankly we were not ready at the time to take that jump. If you have not followed the news
+from the project this past year, we have been [hard at work reviving the project](https://expressjs.com/2025/01/09/rewind-2024-triumphs-and-2025-vision.html)
+and when we pushed the initial v5 release there were many loose ends still hanging. So first lets quickly go over some
+of those loose ends.
+
+### Documentation updates
+
+We had not updated the docs, provided migration guides, or even fully reviewed some of the stagnated v4/5 docs in a long
+time. Since then we have had tons of great contributors help get things into better shape. As with any volunteer based
+Open Source project, we love contributions to help us improve so as you upgrade please continue to open PRs to fix
+anything we missed.
+
+You can find our [v5 docs](https://expressjs.com/en/5x/api.html) and our [migration guide](https://expressjs.com/en/guide/migrating-5.html) on the website.
+
+Big thanks to <TODO: should we pull a list of contributors to thank here?>
+
+### Migration Support
+
+Due to the awesome work of [Sebastian](https://github.com/bjohansebas) and [Filip](https://github.com/kjugi) we have a
+new [codemod package](https://github.com/expressjs/codemod) to help folks migrate from v4 to v5. You can find docs in
+the readme and on the migration guide. 
+
+### Ecosystem compatibility
+
+The Express ecosystem is one of it's strongest assets. It goes back to the early days of Node.js and is the backbone
+that keeps express popular. When it goes [10 years without a major release](https://expressjs.com/2024/10/15/v5-release.html)
+you can bet there is everything from middleware to blog posts that will need updating. We wanted to make sure folks had
+some time to get all of that updated before we had everyone moving over. Particularly we care about our very large
+beginner user base who may not know the blog post they are reading is not compatible with what they get from
+`npm i express`.
+
+We know this will still be an issue no matter how we handle this transition, but thanks to work from ecosystem partners
+like [Kamil](https://github.com/kamilmysliwiec) from NestJS [working to update `express` before we went `latest`](https://github.com/expressjs/express/issues/5944#issuecomment-2523074127)
+we will hopefully be ahead of the curve. And as I said above, we always welcome help to make this transition easier for
+those who follow after you, PRs are the best support you can give.
+
+### Long Term Support
+
+We had been discussing how to support v4 now that v5 was out, but we had not defined a clear guideline or expectation,
+and we had (still don't have) end user docs on our plans here. While we still have progress to make here, we have a
+[proposed LTS strategy ](https://github.com/expressjs/discussions/pull/352) which will be the basis for our forthcoming
+docs. Input is very welcome on this so we can make sure it is clearly communicated and acceptable to the community.
+
+Additionally since then we have announced a partnership with HeroDevs to help companies who are less capable of
+updating. More information on how this will work when v4 EOL will come when we get closer to that time.
+
+---
+
+## Support Phases and Going latest
+
+What does it mean to "go latest"? If you are unfamiliar with how npm `dist-tags` work, the `latest` tag is what users
+will get when they run `npm install express`. This is important because it means it is the "default installed version"
+and will trigger the transition of nearly 17 million weekly downloads from our current latest v4.21.2 to v5. As we start
+this transition we want users, companies, and other organizations to know exactly what it means for support. To help
+with this we have developed an LTS strategy which defines our 3 support phases and set's target dates for when v4 will
+enter EOL.
+
+Express major versions will go through three supported phases:
+
+  - `CURRENT`: A new major version is designated as `CURRENT` upon release. It is available but not the `latest` version
+    on npm for a minimum of 3 months.
+  - `ACTIVE`: After the minimum 3 month period and the TC agrees it is stable and secure, the `ACTIVE` version is
+    tagged `latest` on npm for a minimum of 12 months.
+  - `MAINTENANCE`: When a new major version becomes `ACTIVE`, the previous major version enters `MAINTENANCE` for 12 months.
+
+### CURRENT
+
+- New majors will go through a short period of hardening to ensure stability, security, and ecosystem libraries/resources
+  compatibility.
+- We will strive to ensure no breaking changes are included, but reserve the right to make security or high priority
+  fixes of breaking nature within this period.
+- `CURRENT` lines will receive all types of active work including: bug fixes, security patches, new features, and
+  deprecation notices.
+- Users are recommended to use  `CURRENT` lines and to upgrade as quickly as their risk profile allows
+
+### ACTIVE
+
+- `ACTIVE` lines will receive all types of active work including: bug fixes, security patches, new features, and
+  deprecation notices.
+- For users, `ACTIVE` lines are considered the most stable and well supported version at any given time.
+
+### MAINTENANCE
+
+- `MAINTENANCE` lines will only receive security patches or high priority bug fixes.
+- Users are highly encouraged to upgrade to a `CURRENT` or `ACTIVE` release.
+
+### Proposed Schedule
+
+For the existing release lines, we will set the following phase dates:
+
+
+| Major | CURRENT | ACTIVE | MAINTENANCE | EOL |
+| ----- | ------- | ------ | ----------- | --- |
+| 4.x   |         |        | 2025-04-01 | 2026-10-01 or later |
+| 5.x   | 2024-09-11 | 2025-03-31 | 2026-04-01 | 2027-04-01 |
+| 6.x   | TBD after 2025-10-01 | | | |
+
+As you can see, this means that v5.1.0 being tagged `latest` indicates that we moved from `CURRENT` to `ACTIVE` which
+starts the clock on EOL for v4 by moving it to `MAINTENANCE`. We recognize that v4 is a special case having been the
+only major version for most of the history of Node.js itself. Because of this, we want to remain flexible and also
+provide a bit longer support. We want to do what is best for the ecosystem, so consider these goals not commitments.
+
+---
+
+## Finally, what changed in v5.1.0
+
+This release primarily focused on tech debt from supporting so many old Node.js versions and other things that stagnated
+but were not landed before v5.0.0 went out.
+
+* Transitioned all remaining dependencies to use `^` ranges instead of locked versions
+* Add package.json funding field to highlight our OpenCollective 
+* Added support for ETag option in `res.sendFile()`
+* Added support for adding multiple links with the same rel with `res.links()`
+* Performance: Use loop for acceptParams
+* New Contributors: 
+  * @bhavya3024 made their first contribution in https://github.com/expressjs/express/pull/6071
+  * @jonkoops made their first contribution in https://github.com/expressjs/express/pull/6196
+  * @Abdel-Monaam-Aouini made their first contribution in https://github.com/expressjs/express/pull/6211
+  * @slagiewka made their first contribution in https://github.com/expressjs/express/pull/6236
+  * @hamirmahal made their first contribution in https://github.com/expressjs/express/pull/6256
+  * @pr4j3sh made their first contribution in https://github.com/expressjs/express/pull/6297
+  * @Ayoub-Mabrouk made their first contribution in https://github.com/expressjs/express/pull/6097
+  * @dpopp07 made their first contribution in https://github.com/expressjs/express/pull/6317
+  * @agungjati made their first contribution in https://github.com/expressjs/express/pull/6122
+  * @andvea made their first contribution in https://github.com/expressjs/express/pull/4885
+* `body-parser@^2.1.0` then `body-parser@^2.2.0`
+  * Remove legacy node.js support checks for Brotli & `AsyncLocalStorage`
+  * Remove `unpipe` & `destroy`
+  * `type-is@^2.0.0`
+  * `iconv-lite@^0.6.3`
+  * New Contributors: 
+    * @Binilkks made their first contribution in https://github.com/expressjs/body-parser/pull/581
+    * @aqeelat made their first contribution in https://github.com/expressjs/body-parser/pull/588
+    * @wojtekmaj made their first contribution in https://github.com/expressjs/body-parser/pull/591
+* `router@^2.1.0` then `router@^2.2.0`
+  * Restore `debug`. Now with the `router` scope instead of `express`.
+  * Remove legacy node.js support checks for `setImmediate`
+  * Deprecate non-native promise support
+  * Remove `after`, `safe-buffer`, `array-flatten`, `setprotoypeof`, `methods`, `utils-merge`
+  * `finalhandler@^2.1.0`
+  * `parseurl@^1.3.3`
+  * `is-promise@^4.0.0`
+  * New Contributors:
+    * @bjohansebas made their first contribution in https://github.com/pillarjs/router/pull/152
+    * @dpopp07 made their first contribution in https://github.com/pillarjs/router/pull/151
+    * @raksbisht made their first contribution in https://github.com/pillarjs/router/pull/107
+    * @Phillip9587 made their first contribution in https://github.com/pillarjs/router/pull/126
+    * @jonkoops made their first contribution in https://github.com/pillarjs/router/pull/127
+    * @ctcpip made their first contribution in https://github.com/pillarjs/router/pull/131
+    * @raiandexter0607 made their first contribution in https://github.com/pillarjs/router/pull/135
+    * @UlisesGascon made their first contribution in https://github.com/pillarjs/router/pull/139
+* `[email protected]`
+    * Remove legacy node.js support checks for `headersSent`, `setImmediate`, & http2 support
+    * Remove `unpipe`
+    * `encodeurl@^2.0.0`
+    * New Contributors:
+      * @Phillip9587 made their first contribution in https://github.com/pillarjs/finalhandler/pull/67
+      * @bjohansebas made their first contribution in https://github.com/pillarjs/finalhandler/pull/83
+* `serve-static@^2.2.0`
+  * `send@^1.2.0`
+  * New Contributors: 
+    * @Ayoub-Mabrouk made their first contribution in https://github.com/expressjs/serve-static/pull/182
+    * @bjohansebas made their first contribution in https://github.com/expressjs/serve-static/pull/186
+    * @dpopp07 made their first contribution in https://github.com/expressjs/serve-static/pull/194
+    * @ljeda made their first contribution in https://github.com/expressjs/serve-static/pull/190
+    * @Phillip9587 made their first contribution in https://github.com/expressjs/serve-static/pull/191
+* `qs@^6.14.0`
+  * Added throwOnLimitExceeded option https://github.com/ljharb/qs/pull/517 & https://github.com/ljharb/qs/commit/b189ed49c8dfe5b41afe6cecabdaa562de56764b
+* `type-is@^2.0.1`
+  * New Contributors
+    * @Ayoub-Mabrouk made their first contribution in https://github.com/jshttp/type-is/pull/61
+    * @CommanderRoot made their first contribution in https://github.com/jshttp/type-is/pull/50
+    * @UlisesGascon made their first contribution in https://github.com/jshttp/type-is/pull/64
+* `debug@^4.4.0`
+* Removed dependencies:
+  * `setprototypeof`
+  * `safe-buffer`
+  * `methods`
+  * `utils-merge`
+  * `depd`
+
+**Full Changelog**: https://github.com/expressjs/express/compare/5.0.1...v5.1.0
+
+---
+
+## Thanks and What's Next
+
+Thanks so much to everyone involved in Express over the past year, the work all our contributors have put in is
+incredible, and we couldn't do it without them. If you are not able to become a contributor yourself, please consider
+asking your companies to support the project financially on [OpenCollective](https://opencollective.com/express).
+
+Next up our focus is shifting to Performance. We will be kicking off [Performance Working Group](https://github.com/expressjs/discussions/pull/306)
+to focus on measuring, tracking, and debugging framework performance issues. We hope the next minor releases will
+benefit from this and fix longstanding performance bottlenecks. Additionally we will be starting to ramp up plans for v6
+later this year, so look out for updates! See you in the issues!