Hitting a Node.js20 error on Build request to QA

[bijal-patel3-alight]

Body

Trying to sync decode files and do a build on GitHub. However getting error below and not sure how to fix it. Can someone please guide me?

Node.js 20 actions are deprecated. The following actions are running on Node.js 20 and may not work as expected: actions/checkout@v4. Actions will be forced to run with Node.js 24 by default starting June 2nd, 2026. Please check if updated versions of these actions are available that support Node.js 24. To opt into Node.js 24 now, set the FORCE_JAVASCRIPT_ACTIONS_TO_NODE24=true environment variable on the runner or in your workflow file. Once Node.js 24 becomes the default, you can temporarily opt out by setting ACTIONS_ALLOW_USE_UNSECURE_NODE_VERSION=true. For more information see: https://github.blog/changelog/2025-09-19-deprecation-of-node-20-on-github-actions-runners/

Guidelines

• I have read and understood this category's guidelines before making this post.

[nahyun27]

The warning message itself contains the fix.
You need to update your GitHub Actions to Node.js 24-compatible versions.

Option 1 (Recommended): Update your actions
Update actions/checkout@v4 to the latest version in your workflow file:

- uses: actions/checkout@v4  # make sure it's the latest patch version

Also check and update any other actions in your workflow that might be on Node.js 20.

Option 2: Temporary workaround
Add this environment variable to your workflow to opt in to Node.js 24 now:

env:
  FORCE_JAVASCRIPT_ACTIONS_TO_NODE24: true

Note that starting June 2nd, 2026, Node.js 20 actions will be forced to run on Node.js 24 regardless, so Option 1 is the long-term solution.

[easwar16]

Hey @bijal-patel3-alight,

This message is a deprecation warning, not a build failure. GitHub Actions is informing you that JavaScript actions currently running on Node.js 20 will soon run on Node.js 24 by default (starting June 2, 2026).

In your case, the warning mentions:

actions/checkout@v4

This action currently runs on Node.js 20, and GitHub is notifying users about the upcoming runtime change.

How to resolve it

1. Update the action to the latest version (recommended)

First check if a newer version of the action supports Node.js 24.

Example:

- uses: actions/checkout@v4

If a newer version becomes available (for example v5), update to:

- uses: actions/checkout@v5

Always check the official repo:
https://github.com/actions/checkout

---

2. Test Node.js 24 compatibility now

If you want to test your workflow with Node.js 24 immediately, add this environment variable to your workflow:

env:
  FORCE_JAVASCRIPT_ACTIONS_TO_NODE24: true

Example workflow snippet:

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    env:
      FORCE_JAVASCRIPT_ACTIONS_TO_NODE24: true

    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

This forces JavaScript actions to run on Node.js 24 so you can verify your pipeline works before the cutoff date.

---

3. Temporary fallback (not recommended)

If something breaks after the migration, GitHub allows a temporary opt-out:

env:
  ACTIONS_ALLOW_USE_UNSECURE_NODE_VERSION: true

However this should only be used temporarily while updating dependencies.

---

Summary

• This is only a warning, not an error.
• Your workflow should still run normally.
• Update actions when Node.js 24 compatible versions are released.
• Optionally test early using FORCE_JAVASCRIPT_ACTIONS_TO_NODE24=true.

Checking and updating your GitHub Actions periodically will prevent issues when the runtime switch happens in June 2026.

[ash-iiiiish]

How to Resolve
Update the action version: In your workflow file, change actions/checkout@v4 to the latest version that has been updated to run on Node.js 24. For actions/checkout, the first version to support Node.js 24 is likely v4.2.0 or higher. You should check the actions/checkout repository for the exact version tag, or simply use actions/checkout@v4 to get the latest of the v4 line, which should include the update.

Example workflow fix:

yaml

• uses: actions/checkout@v4 # This will now use the latest v4 that supports Node.js 24
  Or, for a specific version:

yaml

• uses: actions/checkout@v4.2.0
  To test Node.js 24 immediately (optional), you can add this environment variable to your workflow:

yaml
env:
FORCE_JAVASCRIPT_ACTIONS_TO_NODE24: true
⏱️ Important Timeline
June 2nd, 2026: Runners will use Node.js 24 by default.

Fall 2026: Node.js 20 will be completely removed from runners.

Until then, you can temporarily opt out of Node.js 24 if needed by setting ACTIONS_ALLOW_USE_UNSECURE_NODE_VERSION: true, but updating the action is the recommended solution.

The simplest fix is to ensure your actions/checkout version is up-to-date. The warning is a helpful reminder to keep your workflows current with the runner environment.