What This Update Actually Is
HubSpot has added a runtime version selector directly inside the bot snippet editor. You can now switch an existing custom code snippet from Node 18.x or Node 20.x to Node 24.x without deleting or recreating anything.
Your code, environment variables, and snippet configuration are all preserved during the switch. It's an in-place upgrade, not a rebuild.
The hard deadline is August 31st, 2026. After that date, any snippet still running on Node 18.x or 20.x becomes read-only. You won't be able to edit it until you complete the upgrade. HubSpot's official product update is available at the source link below for reference.
Why HubSpot Shipped This
Node 18.x reached end of life in April 2025. Node 20.x follows in April 2026. Once a Node.js version hits end of life, it stops receiving security patches from the Node.js project. Running custom chatflow logic on an unpatched runtime is a real security risk, not a theoretical one.
Node 24.x is the current long-term support (LTS) release. That means it'll receive active security and bug-fix updates for years. Moving your snippets to 24.x keeps your chatbot logic on a maintained, auditable foundation.
HubSpot is also protecting its own platform here. Deprecated runtimes create infrastructure debt for the entire hosting environment, not just your portal. This is a routine but necessary housekeeping move that mirrors what every serious cloud platform does when a runtime ages out.
How to Use It Step by Step
This upgrade takes a few minutes per snippet once you know where to look. Here's the exact process:
- Navigate to your HubSpot portal and go to Automations, then Chatflows.
- Open any bot chatflow that uses a custom code snippet action.
- Click the custom code snippet step to open the bot snippet editor.
- Look for the runtime version selector that now appears in the editor. It shows your current Node version.
- Select Node 24.x from the dropdown. Your existing code, environment variables, and config will carry over automatically.
- Save and test the snippet to confirm it runs as expected on the new runtime.
- Repeat for every bot chatflow that contains a custom code snippet. Don't assume you only have one.
One practical tip: audit your full list of chatflows before you start. Filter for bot flows specifically, since only bot chatflows (not live chat flows) support custom code snippets. A quick export or scroll through your Chatflows list now saves scrambling later.
What It Touches in Your HubSpot Strategy
At first glance this looks like a narrow developer task. But custom code snippets inside chatflows are often load-bearing pieces of your conversation architecture. Here's what this touches across your portal:
- Chatflow routing logic: snippets that branch conversations based on CRM data, contact properties, or external API calls. If routing breaks, visitors land in the wrong bot path.
- CRM writes from the bot: snippets that create contacts, set property values, or enroll records in workflows mid-conversation. A broken snippet means broken data and broken follow-up.
- External API calls: snippets that pull pricing, availability, or account data from systems outside HubSpot. These fail silently if the runtime is locked.
- Escalation triggers: snippets that decide when to hand a conversation off to a human rep or fire a notification to your team.
Key Takeaway
If your bot uses a custom code snippet for any CRM write, routing decision, or external API call, that snippet is mission-critical. Missing the August 31st upgrade deadline doesn't just block edits — it freezes your ability to fix issues in those flows when something goes wrong.
This update also intersects with the broader trajectory of HubSpot's conversational tools. If you're already using AI-powered features in your bots, keeping your custom code on a current runtime matters even more. Newer bot capabilities assume a maintained foundation underneath them.
For teams already building layered bot experiences, pairing this upgrade with features like Customer Agent Segments or reviewing your Customer Agent Action Gaps keeps your full conversation stack coherent and current.
Key Takeaway
This upgrade is scoped to Data Hub Professional and Enterprise. If you're on those tiers and you've built any bot automation with custom code, this is not optional maintenance. It's a security requirement with a firm deadline.
Who Should Care Most
Not every HubSpot portal will feel this update. But for the ones that do, it's urgent. Here's who needs to act before August 31st:
- RevOps and marketing ops leads on Data Hub Professional or Enterprise who built bot chatflows with custom code snippets for lead qualification, routing, or CRM enrichment.
- Developers or technical admins who maintain the chatflow codebase and handle snippet logic. They need to audit, upgrade, and test each snippet before the deadline.
- Business owners and ops managers who rely on bots to qualify inbound leads or route support conversations. They may not write code, but they need to know this deadline exists and confirm someone owns the upgrade.
- HubSpot agency partners and consultants managing client portals. A single missed deadline across a book of business can lock multiple clients out of editing their bot flows simultaneously.
If your portal doesn't use custom code snippets in any chatflow, this update doesn't affect you right now. But it's worth knowing the pattern: HubSpot will continue retiring older runtimes as they age out, so keeping an eye on runtime versions is part of healthy portal hygiene going forward.
George's Take
We've seen this pattern in portal after portal: the custom code snippets that power the most important bot logic are also the ones nobody has touched in eighteen months. They work, so they get ignored. That's exactly why deadline-driven deprecations like this one catch teams off guard. The good news is that HubSpot made the upgrade path as frictionless as possible here. In-place switching with code and config preserved means this should take minutes, not days. The risk isn't the upgrade itself. The risk is the team that doesn't find out about the deadline until September 1st and wakes up unable to edit the chatflow that qualifies every inbound lead on their site. Don't let that be you or your client.
“The snippets nobody has touched in eighteen months are usually the ones keeping your most important bot logic alive. That's exactly why you need to upgrade them before someone else makes the decision for you.”
If you're rethinking how your chat experience works while you're in there, it's also worth exploring what HubSpot has been doing with the broader chat surface, including the Center Stage chat widget display option that landed recently.
If you're not sure which of your chatflows use custom code snippets, or you want a second set of eyes before August 31st, we're here to help. Book a strategy call with the Sidekick team and we'll walk through your portal with you so nothing gets locked before you're ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I don't upgrade my HubSpot Chatflows custom code snippets before August 31st, 2026?
After August 31st, 2026, any custom code snippet still running on Node 18.x or 20.x will become read-only. You won't be able to make edits to those snippets until you complete the upgrade to Node 24.x. Your bot will still run, but you'll lose the ability to modify its code until the upgrade is done.
Will upgrading to Node 24.x break my existing custom code snippet in HubSpot?
HubSpot preserves your code, environment variables, and configuration during the in-place upgrade. That said, it's good practice to test each snippet after switching runtimes. Node 24.x includes some breaking changes from older versions, so snippets using deprecated Node APIs may need minor adjustments before they run cleanly.
Which HubSpot plans are affected by the Node 24.x chatflow upgrade?
This update applies to Data Hub Professional and Data Hub Enterprise customers. If you're on a different hub tier or don't use custom code snippets inside your bot chatflows, this deprecation doesn't affect you right now.
How do I find which of my chatflows use custom code snippets?
Go to Automations, then Chatflows in your HubSpot portal. Filter for bot flows specifically, since only bot chatflows support custom code snippet actions. Open each bot flow and look for a code snippet step. HubSpot doesn't currently offer a bulk export of snippet runtimes, so a manual audit is the fastest approach.
Why is HubSpot deprecating Node 18.x and 20.x for Chatflows?
Node 18.x reached end of life in April 2025 and Node 20.x followed in 2026. End-of-life runtimes no longer receive security patches from the Node.js project. Running unpatched code on HubSpot's platform introduces security risk. Node 24.x is the current long-term support release and will receive active updates for years.
Can I upgrade multiple chatflow snippets at the same time in HubSpot?
Currently the upgrade is done snippet by snippet inside the bot snippet editor. There's no bulk upgrade tool. If you have many bot chatflows with custom code, plan time to open each one, switch the runtime, save, and test. Start early so you're not rushing against the August 31st deadline.
