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Node.js frameworks in 2026: Express, Fastify, NestJS and Hono compared

Updated 7 min readBy Jaskirat Singh Talwar

Four blocks of different heights in orange and navy, rising from left to right

For a new Node.js back end in 2026, the four frameworks worth shortlisting are Express, Fastify, NestJS and Hono, and the right one depends on your team and where the code will run more than on speed. NestJS suits structured, TypeScript-first services that several people will maintain; Fastify suits lean, schema-validated APIs; Express suits maintaining existing apps and anything that needs the widest choice of add-ons; Hono suits edge and serverless deployments that run on more than one runtime. Whichever you pick, build on a Node.js long-term support (LTS) release.

Key takeaways

  • As of 15 October 2026, Node.js lists v24 ("Krypton") and v22 ("Jod") as LTS, v26 as Current (first released 5 May 2026), and v20 and v25 as end-of-life. Its guidance is that production applications should use only Active LTS or Maintenance LTS releases.
  • Node.js can now run TypeScript files directly by stripping types, with no type checking, and the feature is stable from v24.12 and v25.2.
  • Express 5.1.0 became the default latest release on npm on 31 March 2025, which moved Express 4 into maintenance.
  • NestJS 12.0.0 was released on 27 August 2026 with ESM core packages, Standard Schema validation (for example Zod or Valibot) and a rebuilt CLI.
  • Fastify 5 went GA on 17 September 2024 and supports Node.js 20 and 22; Hono runs on Cloudflare Workers, Deno, Bun, Node.js and more.

Which Node.js version should a new project use?

Use a current LTS line. The Node.js release page, checked on 15 October 2026, lists:

Release line Status on the release page
v26 Current (first released 5 May 2026)
v25 End-of-life
v24 "Krypton" LTS (first released 6 May 2025)
v22 "Jod" LTS (first released 24 April 2024)
v20 "Iron" End-of-life

If you still run v20, plan the upgrade now: it is end-of-life. Frameworks also set minimum versions: NestJS 12 needs Node.js 20.19 or newer, or 22.12 or newer, and Fastify 5 supports Node.js 20 and 22.

Do you still need a framework?

Less than before, but usually yes. Node.js now runs TypeScript directly: "By default Node.js will execute TypeScript files that contains only erasable TypeScript syntax", and "no type checking is performed". The feature was enabled by default in v23.6.0 and v22.18.0 and became stable in v24.12.0 and v25.2.0. It does not support enums, decorators or runtime namespaces, ignores tsconfig.json, and requires file extensions in imports, so many projects still use a build step or a tool such as tsx. We use TypeScript on most Node.js projects; see TypeScript development.

A framework still earns its place for routing, validation, structure and testing conventions. The question is how much structure you want.

How do the four frameworks compare?

Framework Best for Current state (sourced) Watch out for
Express Existing apps, small services, the widest ecosystem v5.0.0 in September 2024; 5.1.0 tagged latest on 31 March 2025 Minimal by design: you choose and wire validation, structure and logging yourself
Fastify Lean APIs with schema validation v5 GA on 17 September 2024; Node.js 20 and 22 v5 needs full JSON Schemas for query, params, body and response schemas
NestJS Larger, structured, TypeScript-first back ends and teams v12.0.0 on 27 August 2026; v11 in January 2025 More concepts to learn (modules, providers, decorators)
Hono Edge, serverless and multi-runtime APIs Built on Web Standards; runs on Cloudflare Workers, Deno, Bun, Node.js and more Smaller ecosystem than Express or NestJS, and Node.js support goes through an adapter

Express

Express 5.0.0 was released in September 2024, and on 31 March 2025 version 5.1.0 became the default release you get from npm install express. The project's own post says this "moved from CURRENT to ACTIVE", which "starts the clock on EOL for v4 by moving it to MAINTENANCE". Maintenance lines receive only security patches or high-priority fixes. New Express projects should start on 5; existing ones should plan the move. Express remains the safest choice when you need a middleware or tutorial for almost anything.

Fastify

Fastify 5 reached general availability on 17 September 2024 and supports Node.js 20 and 22. It leans on JSON Schema for validation, and the v5 migration guide makes that stricter: query string, params, body and response schemas now need complete schemas. Fastify's support policy is that each major release is supported for at least six months and gets security updates for six months after the next major release. We would pick it for a lean API where input validation and speed of development matter.

NestJS

NestJS gives Node.js an opinionated structure of modules, providers and decorators, written in TypeScript. NestJS 12.0.0 was released on 27 August 2026. Its headline changes are core packages shipped as ESM, first-class Standard Schema support for validation and serialization (for example with Zod or Valibot), a rebuilt CLI with a nest upgrade command, and the @nestjs/observe observability SDK. It requires Node.js 20.19 or newer, or 22.12 or newer. NestJS 11 (January 2025) added Fastify v5 support. We build with NestJS; see our NestJS development page.

Hono

Hono describes itself as "a small, simple, and ultrafast web framework built on Web Standards". It runs on Cloudflare Workers, Fastly Compute, Deno, Bun, Vercel, Netlify, AWS Lambda and Node.js, and its hono/tiny preset is, by its own account, under 14 KB minified. That makes it a good fit when the same API must run at the edge and on a server. The trade-off is a smaller ecosystem than Express or NestJS.

What happened to Koa, Hapi, Sails and Meteor?

The earlier version of this article, written in 2020, compared Express, Meteor, Koa, Hapi and Sails. Those frameworks are still available, but they are not the ones we would shortlist for a new project today. Before choosing any framework, check how recently it released, which Node.js versions it supports and how active its issue tracker is.

How do you choose?

If your project is... Start with
A small or medium API, built by a small team Fastify or Express 5
A larger back end with several developers and long-term maintenance NestJS
An API that must run at the edge or on serverless platforms Hono
A website with pages and an API in one codebase A full-stack framework such as Next.js, then add services where needed
An existing Express 4 app Plan the move to Express 5, and add structure gradually

For help choosing across the whole stack, including the front end and database, see How to choose a tech stack for a web or mobile app in 2026, and for the wider trends, Web development trends in 2026. Our Node.js development page describes how we work.

FAQ

Is Express still a good choice in 2026?

Yes, for small services and existing apps. Express 5.1.0 has been the default on npm since 31 March 2025, and it has the largest pool of examples and add-ons. For a large, long-lived back end, a more structured framework may save effort.

Is Fastify faster than Express?

Fastify is designed for low overhead, but speed depends on what your application does: database calls and business logic usually dominate. We would choose between them on validation, structure and team familiarity, and measure your own workload if speed is critical.

Should we use TypeScript on the back end?

For anything with more than one developer or a long life, yes. Node.js can now run TypeScript files directly by stripping types, but it does no type checking, so keep a type check in your build or CI.

Can NestJS run on Fastify instead of Express?

Yes. NestJS supports both Express and Fastify as its HTTP layer; NestJS 11 added support for Fastify v5. Pick Fastify underneath if you want its performance profile and schema tooling.

Which Node.js version should we run in production?

An LTS release: currently v24 or v22. Node.js advises that production applications use only Active LTS or Maintenance LTS releases, and v20 is end-of-life.

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