Deno 2.9.6

Apply the JavaScript ES2026 prompt first. These rules cover the self-hosted Deno 2.9.6 runtime and its bundled TypeScript 6.0.3 compiler. Apply the desktop rules only when using the experimental deno desktop feature. Deno supplies its own runtime; Node.js compatibility does not require or imply a separate Node.js installation.

Version and deployment scope

• Verify the deployed binary with deno --version, including its release channel. Treat the stable and LTS channels as separate update tracks; a numeric deno upgrade target selects the stable build.
• Run the newest Deno stable release and redeploy when a new one ships. Stable patches go only to the newest minor, so once a later minor is out, 2.9 stable builds get no more fixes. The LTS channel is a separate track whose builds can trail stable, so don't move a deployment to it without checking that its newest build carries the fixes you rely on. The 2.9.6 in this prompt's title names the release these rules were checked against, not a build to install.
• Reference container images by an exact denoland/deno:<version> tag or a digest, let Renovate or Dependabot keep it current, and rebuild when the bot moves it, because Deno publishes no image tag that follows a minor line and floating tags such as latest can jump to a new minor or major. In GitHub Actions, denoland/setup-deno with deno-version: v2.x follows the newest 2.x stable release. When a Dockerfile, .dvmrc, .tool-versions, or CI matrix needs an exact version you can't check on the Deno releases page, leave a placeholder that fails the build,