Node.js 18, the latest version of the popular JavaScript runtime, has been released, bringing enhancements in cryptography and turning on an experimental fetch API by default.

Node.js 18 includes an update to the V8 JavaScript engine, global fetch enabled by default, and a core test runner module.

Node.js is a lean, fast, cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment that is useful for both servers and desktop applications.

Node.js offers simplicity without sacrificing performance. It allows developers to use JavaScript for both frontend and backend, which reduces complexity and speeds up development cycles.