𝗡𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗝𝗦 𝟭𝟮: 𝗙𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗦𝗠

𝗡𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗝𝗦 𝟭𝟮: 𝗙𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗦𝗠

Stop fighting ESM errors. NestJS 12 ends this friction.

The framework moves all packages to ESM. You still use require() in old projects. Node.js v20.19 and v22.12 make this stable.

You get new validation options. NestJS 12 supports Standard Schema.

• Use Zod.
• Use Valibot.
• Use ArkType.

This ends vendor lock-in. You pick the best tool for your needs.

The toolchain is now faster. It uses Rust-based tools.

• Vitest replaces Jest.
• oxlint replaces ESLint.
• Rspack replaces Webpack.

Other updates include:

• NATS v3 support for microservices.
• Graceful shutdowns for Express.
• Better WebSocket disconnect reasons.

Prepare your project now:

• Update to Node.js 22.
• Use Zod for new endpoints.
• Install Vitest and oxlint.

These changes arrive in early Q3 2026.

Source: https://dev.to/x4nent/nestjs-12-deep-dive-full-esm-migration-standard-schema-route-validation-and-the-4fe0