Welcome to this week’s edition of "This Week in JavaScript"!

We’ve got a bunch of exciting updates for you, including a controversial proposal about splitting JavaScript, the latest Node.js release, some killer tools, and more. So buckle up, and let's get into it!

JavaScript Might Become Two Languages?

There's an intriguing buzz at TC39 around a new proposal—JS0 and JSSugar.

Google’s proposal aims to split JavaScript into two parts: JS0, the core language that engines implement, and JSSugar, extra features that tools like WebPack compile down.

The goal? Improve performance and security for JS engines by reducing the burden of new features. This could make JavaScript more efficient but may add complexity to the ecosystem. Some devs are excited, while others are worried about added complications.

Will this actually simplify JavaScript or make it more complex? Only time will tell!

NodeJS v23- Features you shouldn’t miss out

The newest release of Node.js 23.0.0 is a feature-packed update that will make your development experience smoother than ever.

require(esm) enabled by default: Finally! You can now use native ES modules without any flags. This is a long-awaited feature that should streamline your code and improve compatibility across projects.

--run command is stable: Run scripts directly with this stable feature, reducing setup time for your Node apps.

Glob patterns for test runner: Node’s test runner now supports glob patterns for coverage files, making it easier to manage large test suites.

New Tools and Releases

Now for some exciting new tools and releases to make your JavaScript projects even better:

Electron 33.0.0: Now running on Chromium 130 and Node 20.18.0, it brings improved history management, stronger cryptographic support, and native theme transparency. A heads up—you’ll need C++20 for native modules, but the performance boost is worth it!

Hono: If you’re looking for a fast, lightweight web framework, Hono is for you! Built with web standards, Hono runs everywhere JavaScript does—Cloudflare Workers, Deno, Bun, Node.js—you name it. Plus, it’s highly flexible and uses a Trie-based router for optimized request handling, ensuring high performance even in complex apps.

Next.js 15 RC2: This release candidate brings smoother upgrades and faster development with tools like Turbopack optimizations, async APIs, and enhanced server-side improvements. If you're into Next.js, this one’s definitely a must-try!

Fast-grid update: Need to handle massive datasets? Fast-grid just levelled up with multithreaded sorting and filtering. It uses shared array buffers for handling millions of rows at 120fps—ideal for smooth, performance-driven apps.

nvm-desktop v4.0.0: Managing Node.js versions just got easier with the new nvmd-command. Set Node versions per project, with an intuitive interface and no extra dependencies. It now also supports Tauri for seamless performance across macOS, Windows, and Linux!

And that's it for the fifth issue of "This Week in JavaScript"!

Thanks for tuning in.

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Until next time, happy coding!

References

JS0 and JSSugar
NodeJS v23
Electron 33.0.0
Hono
NextJS 15 RC2
Fast-grid update
nvm-desktop v4.0.0