# Express, release history and use on real websites. A minimalist web framework for Node.js used to build APIs and servers. It is revealed by the X-Powered-By: Express header unless the developer turns it off. - **Status:** Stable. Stable, Express 5 released in 2024. - **Category:** [JS/CSS Frameworks](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework) - **First release:** 2010 - **License:** MIT - **Latest version:** 5.3.0 (9 Oct 2026) - **Official website:** https://expressjs.com - **Documentation:** https://expressjs.com/en/guide/routing.html - **GitHub:** https://github.com/expressjs/express - **Page:** https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/express ## Express on audited websites 192 of the 16,845 websites audited by be1st showed Express in the X-Powered-By response header (1.1%). Many websites hide this header, so the number counts only the ones that show it. By this count Express is #17 of the 35 technologies in JS/CSS Frameworks we have seen in audits. ### Websites running Express vs all websites - **Web score:** 72 (all websites 72) - **SEO:** 80 (all websites 79) - **Security:** 55 (all websites 59) - **Performance:** 73 (all websites 72) - **AI Readiness:** 27 (all websites 31) ### Most used in JS/CSS Frameworks 1. [Tailwind CSS](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/tailwind-css): 34% (5,653) 2. [jQuery](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/jquery): 29% (4,883) 3. [Next.js](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/next-js): 23% (3,836) 4. [React](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/react): 22% (3,626) 5. [Bootstrap](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/bootstrap): 13% (2,198) 6. [PHP](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/php): 3.0% (502) 7. [Lit](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/lit): 2.9% (487) 8. [Astro](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/astro): 2.4% (405) 9. [Vue.js](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/vue-js): 2.2% (373) 10. [Alpine.js](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/alpine-js): 2.0% (341) The number for React counts only websites where Tech Stack detects it directly, not websites built with Next.js, Gatsby, and Remix, which run it too. The number for Vue.js counts only websites where Tech Stack detects it directly, not websites built with Nuxt, which run it too. ## Express versions and release history 6 release lines since 2010, as listed by endoflife.date and the npm registry. The latest version is 5.3.0, released 9 Oct 2026. Supported according to endoflife.date: 5, 4. | Version | Released | Latest release | Support | Releases | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 5 | 9 Sep 2024 | 5.3.0 (9 Oct 2026) | Supported | 6 | | 4 | 9 Apr 2014 | 4.22.3 (14 Sep 2026) | Supported | 95 | | 3 | 23 Oct 2012 | 3.21.2 (31 Jul 2015) | End of life, since 5 Jul 2015; paid extended support available | 96 | | 2 | 17 Mar 2011 | 2.5.11 (29 Jun 2012) | End of life, since 1 Jul 2012 | 39 | | 0.x (before 1.0) | 29 Dec 2010 | 0.14.1 (29 Dec 2010) | not listed | 2 | | 1 | 16 Nov 2010 | 1.0.9 (23 Mar 2011) | End of life, since 1 Mar 2011 | 9 | Release lines from endoflife.date come with support dates. Older major versions and release counts are from the npm registry; npm does not say whether they are supported. Sources: [endoflife.date](https://endoflife.date/express), [npm registry, package express](https://www.npmjs.com/package/express), checked 8 Nov 2026. ## Other technologies in JS/CSS Frameworks - [TanStack Start](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/tanstack-start): 1.9% of websites - [Nette](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/nette): 1.8% of websites - [Nuxt](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/nuxt): 1.5% of websites - [Angular](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/angular): 1.2% of websites - [Preact](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/preact): 1.2% of websites - [UnoCSS](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/unocss): 1.2% of websites - [SvelteKit](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/sveltekit): 1.1% of websites - [ASP.NET](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/asp-net): 1.0% of websites - [Django](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/django): <1% of websites - [HTMX](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/htmx): <1% of websites - [Turbo (Hotwire)](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/turbo): <1% of websites - [Bulma](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/bulma): <1% of websites [All 38 in JS/CSS Frameworks](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework) ## Questions about Express ### What is Express? A minimalist web framework for Node.js used to build APIs and servers. It is revealed by the X-Powered-By: Express header unless the developer turns it off. The be1st catalog lists Express under JS/CSS Frameworks. License of Express: MIT. ### What is the latest version of Express? The latest version of Express is 5.3.0, released 9 Oct 2026 (source: npm registry, package express). ### Which Express versions are still supported? According to endoflife.date, these Express release lines are supported: 5, 4. ### How many websites use Express? 192 of the 16,845 websites audited by be1st (1.1%) showed Express in the X-Powered-By header, as of 8 Nov 2026. Websites that hide the header are not counted. ### When was Express first released? Express was first released in 2010. ### Is Express still a modern choice? Express is a stable, mature choice rather than a new one. Stable, Express 5 released in 2024. ### What are the alternatives to Express? Technologies that do the same job as Express include Hono.js. Numbers: latest audit of each of 16,845 websites audited by be1st, as of 8 Nov 2026.