Muhammad Asad’s Post

Node.js just killed 2 of the most installed npm packages. When we started building Node.js projects… we ALWAYS installed: dotenv → load .env nodemon → auto reload on file save In Node.js 22 / 25 world — both are now built-in. No extra install. No config. No boilerplate. New Native Node Features: 1) Native .env loading node --env-file=.env server.js No dotenv needed. process.env works instantly. 2) Native file watching (auto restart) node --watch server.js No nodemon needed. Combine both (modern dev workflow) package.json: { "scripts": { "dev": "node --env-file=.env --watch server.js", "start": "node --env-file=.env server.js" } } Now just run: npm run dev auto restart on save env loaded automatically zero external packages Node.js is getting lighter, faster & removing dependency bloat itself. This will change backend starter templates in 2025 and beyond. #Nodejs #Backend #JavaScript #SoftwareEngineering #APIs #WebDevelopment #Performance #SystemDesign #Developers #TechNews

Having .env support and native file watching baked into the runtime itself means fewer moving parts, faster cold starts, and less boilerplate in every project. Love how Node is evolving to streamline real-world workflows instead of relying on external tools for essentials.

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This is a big shift. Removing these two “default installs” will clean up a lot of starter projects and reduce friction for new devs. Feels like Node is finally focusing on the developer experience at the core level not relying on community patches for basics.

Is Node still relevant in 2025 ? Maybe for maintaining older codebases. But for new projects? I’m not sure anymore. With modern alternatives like Bun, Deno, who are pushing the boundaries of speed and developer experience, Node needs to evolve fast or risk becoming a legacy runtime sooner than expected.

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