Upgrade synthetic monitors to the latest Chrome and Node.js 22

We are introducing our latest synthetic monitor runtime, featuring the Latest Chrome version and Node.js 22. The Latest runtime automatically uses the most current Chrome release, ensuring your scripted monitors run in an environment that matches modern browser standards, providing enhanced security, stability, and performance.

Action required: Node.js 22 upgrade impact

As part of the upgrade from Chrome 134 to the Latest Chrome, the backend Node version is moving from Node.js 16 to Node.js 22. This newer runtime is stricter about process lifecycles. If your monitor scripts contain unhandled open handles (such as unresolved promises, lingering timers, or unclosed network connections), your monitors will fail.

To resolve this: Validate your monitor scripts against the Latest runtime to ensure all handles are properly closed before the script finishes executing. Failed validations appear in the Runtime Upgrades UI. See Troubleshoot runtime upgrade errors.

Who is affected

New Relic automatically handles the upgrade process for:

• Scripted browser monitors on public locations
• API monitors on public locations
• Monitors on both public and private locations (hybrid)

New Relic applies automated validation and upgrade to all location configurations.

What is Latest?

The Latest runtime option in the monitor create/upgrade dropdown automatically uses the most recent Chrome version that New Relic supports. Instead of pinning to a specific Chrome version (like Chrome 134 or Chrome 145), Latest ensures your monitors always run on the newest available Chrome release with the latest features and security updates.

Upgrade monitors via NerdGraph

To upgrade your monitor runtimes programmatically, use the NerdGraph mutations below. You need your monitor's entity GUID (available in the monitor settings).

Scripted browser monitors

mutation {
  syntheticsUpdateScriptBrowserMonitor(
    guid: "YOUR_MONITOR_GUID"
    monitor: {
      runtime: { runtimeType: "CHROME_BROWSER", runtimeTypeVersion: "LATEST" }
    }
  ) {
    errors {
      description
      type
    }
  }
}

Scripted API monitors

mutation {
  syntheticsUpdateScriptApiMonitor(
    guid: "YOUR_MONITOR_GUID"
    monitor: {
      runtime: { runtimeType: "NODE_API", runtimeTypeVersion: "LATEST" }
    }
  ) {
    errors {
      description
      type
    }
  }
}

The automated upgrade process

To ensure a smooth transition to the latest Chrome runtime, New Relic proactively tests your existing monitors. The process includes:

Troubleshooting upgrade issues

The most common issue when upgrading to Node.js 22 is unhandled open handles, including unresolved promises, lingering timers, unclosed connections, and HTTP/HTTPS connections. For detailed solutions and code examples for each issue type, see Troubleshoot runtime upgrade errors.

Frequently asked questions

What monitor types are affected? Scripted browser monitors and scripted API monitors. Simple browser monitors and ping monitors are not affected.

Can I test my scripts locally before upgrading? Yes. Install Node.js 22 locally and test your monitor scripts to identify issues before the upgrade.

Can I rollback if my monitor fails after upgrade? Yes. You can change the runtime version back in the monitor settings or via NerdGraph.

When will my monitors be automatically upgraded? New Relic performs validation first. If validation succeeds, New Relic automatically upgrades monitors. If validation fails, you see the failure in the Runtime Upgrades UI and must manually fix and upgrade.

Need help?

If you encounter issues during the upgrade process:

1. Check the Runtime Upgrades UI in your Synthetics Nerdlet for specific error messages
2. Review your monitor scripts for unhandled promises and open connections
3. Test your scripts locally with Node.js 22 before upgrading
4. Contact New Relic Support for assistance troubleshooting validation failures

Related documentation:

• Introduction to scripted browser monitors
• Scripted monitor runtime environment
• Runtime upgrade UI