diff --git a/.github/workflows/major-release.yml b/.github/workflows/major-release.yml
index b65917f89e74b2..1b15a00c8df162 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/major-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/major-release.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ name: Major Release
 
 on:
   schedule:
-    - cron: 0 0 15 2,8 *  # runs at midnight UTC every 15 February and 15 August
+    - cron: 0 0 15 2 *  # runs at midnight UTC every 15 February
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
diff --git a/doc/contributing/releases.md b/doc/contributing/releases.md
index 1f33d8f2771732..7749be36e6f6c7 100644
--- a/doc/contributing/releases.md
+++ b/doc/contributing/releases.md
@@ -358,6 +358,11 @@ already defined in `src/node_version.h`:
 #define NODE_MAJOR_VERSION x
 #define NODE_MINOR_VERSION y
 #define NODE_PATCH_VERSION z
+
+// And for alpha releases:
+#define NODE_ALPHA_MAJOR_VERSION a
+#define NODE_ALPHA_MINOR_VERSION b
+#define NODE_ALPHA_PATCH_VERSION c
 ```
 
 Set the `NODE_VERSION_IS_RELEASE` macro value to `1`. This causes the build to
@@ -367,6 +372,14 @@ be produced with a version string that does not have a trailing pre-release tag:
 #define NODE_VERSION_IS_RELEASE 1
 ```
 
+<details>
+<summary>Major version release</summary>
+
+Remove the `NODE_ALPHA_MAJOR_VERSION`, `NODE_ALPHA_MINOR_VERSION`, and
+`NODE_ALPHA_PATCH_VERSION` macros.
+
+</details>
+
 ### 4. Update the changelog
 
 #### Step 1: Collect the formatted list of changes
@@ -826,8 +839,8 @@ project README.
 
 On release proposal branch, edit `src/node_version.h` again and:
 
-* Increment `NODE_PATCH_VERSION` by one
-* Change `NODE_VERSION_IS_RELEASE` back to `0`
+* Increment `NODE_PATCH_VERSION` (or `NODE_ALPHA_PATCH_VERSION` for alpha releases) by one.
+* Change `NODE_VERSION_IS_RELEASE` back to `0`.
 
 Commit this change with the following commit message format:
 
@@ -894,9 +907,12 @@ git restore --source=upstream/main src/node_version.h
 On the main branch, instead of reverting changes made to `src/node_version.h`
 edit it instead and:
 
-* Increment `NODE_MAJOR_VERSION` by one
-* Reset `NODE_PATCH_VERSION` to `0`
-* Change `NODE_VERSION_IS_RELEASE` back to `0`
+* Increment `NODE_MAJOR_VERSION` by one.
+* Reset `NODE_PATCH_VERSION` and `NODE_MINOR_VERSION` to `0`.
+* Set `NODE_ALPHA_MAJOR_VERSION`, `NODE_ALPHA_MINOR_VERSION`, and
+  `NODE_ALPHA_PATCH_VERSION` back to `0` (`main` should already have this, the
+  release commit will have them removed).
+* Change `NODE_VERSION_IS_RELEASE` back to `0`.
 
 Amend the current commit to apply the changes:
 
@@ -1207,9 +1223,9 @@ git node release --prepare --startLTS
 To mark a release line as LTS, the following changes must be made to
 `src/node_version.h`:
 
-* The `NODE_MINOR_VERSION` macro must be incremented by one
-* The `NODE_PATCH_VERSION` macro must be set to `0`
-* The `NODE_VERSION_IS_LTS` macro must be set to `1`
+* The `NODE_MINOR_VERSION` macro must be incremented by one.
+* The `NODE_PATCH_VERSION` macro must be set to `0`.
+* The `NODE_VERSION_IS_LTS` macro must be set to `1`.
 * The `NODE_VERSION_LTS_CODENAME` macro must be set to the code name selected
   for the LTS release.
 
@@ -1278,15 +1294,15 @@ from cutting a minor or patch release.
 
 ### Schedule
 
-New Node.js Major releases happen twice per year:
+New Node.js Major releases happen once per year:
 
-* Even-numbered releases are cut in April.
-* Odd-numbered releases are cut in October.
+* Branch-off is in October.
+* Semver-major release is in April.
 
 Major releases should be targeted for the third Tuesday of the release month.
 
 A major release must not slip beyond the release month. In other words, major
-releases must not slip into May or November.
+releases must not slip into May.
 
 The @nodejs/releasers make a call for releasers 3 months in advance.
 Currently, this call is automated in the `#nodejs-release-private`
@@ -1296,15 +1312,15 @@ The release date for the next major release should be announced immediately
 following the current release (e.g. the release date for 13.0.0 should be
 announced immediately following the release of 12.0.0).
 
-### Release branch
+### Branch-off (October)
 
-Approximately two months before a major release, new `vN.x` and
-`vN.x-staging` branches (where `N` indicates the major release) should be
-created as forks of the `main` branch. Up until the cut-off date announced by
-the releaser, these must be kept in sync with `main`.
+#### Release branch
 
-The `vN.x` and `vN.x-staging` branches must be kept in sync with one another
-up until the date of the release.
+Approximately six months before a major release, new `vN.x` and
+`vN.x-staging` branches (where `N` indicates the major release) should be
+created as forks of the `main` branch. Alpha releases should be released picking
+up commits from `main`. Target the first alpha release to be released the same
+day as the previous release line is graduated to LTS status.
 
 If a `SEMVER-MAJOR` pull request lands on the default branch within one month
 prior to the major release date, it must not be included on the new major
@@ -1312,10 +1328,9 @@ staging branch, unless there is consensus from the Node.js releasers team to
 do so. This measure aims to ensure better stability for the release candidate
 (RC) phase, which begins approximately two weeks prior to the official release.
 By restricting `SEMVER-MAJOR` commits in this period, we provide more time for
-thorough testing and reduce the potential for major breakages, especially in
-LTS lines.
+thorough testing and reduce the potential for major breakages.
 
-### Create release labels
+#### Create release labels
 
 The following issue labels must be created:
 
@@ -1330,9 +1345,9 @@ The label description can be copied from existing labels of previous releases.
 The label color must be the same for all new labels, but different from the
 labels of previous releases.
 
-### Release proposal
+#### Initial Alpha Release proposal
 
-A draft release proposal should be created 6 weeks before the release. A
+A draft release proposal should be created before the release. A
 separate `vN.x-proposal` branch should be created that tracks the `vN.x`
 branch. This branch will contain the draft release commit (with the draft
 changelog).
@@ -1340,21 +1355,7 @@ changelog).
 Notify the `@nodejs/npm` team in the release proposal PR to inform them of the
 upcoming release.
 
-To keep the branch in sync until the release date, it can be as simple as
-doing the following:
-
-> Make sure to check that there are no PRs with the label `dont-land-on-vX.x`.
-
-```bash
-git checkout vN.x
-git reset --hard upstream/main
-git checkout vN.x-staging
-git reset --hard upstream/main
-git push upstream vN.x
-git push upstream vN.x-staging
-```
-
-### Update `NODE_MODULE_VERSION`
+##### Update `NODE_MODULE_VERSION`
 
 This macro in `src/node_version.h` is used to signal an ABI version for native
 addons. It currently has two common uses in the community:
@@ -1384,24 +1385,12 @@ see a need to bump `NODE_MODULE_VERSION` outside of a major release then
 you should consult the TSC. Commits may need to be reverted or a major
 version bump may need to happen.
 
-### Test releases and release candidates
-
-Test builds should be generated from the `vN.x-proposal` branch starting at
-about 6 weeks before the release.
-
-Release Candidates should be generated from the `vN.x-proposal` branch starting
-at about 4 weeks before the release, with a target of one release candidate
-per week.
-
-Always run test releases and release candidates through the Canary in the
-Goldmine tool for additional testing.
-
-### Changelogs
+##### Changelogs
 
 Generating major release changelogs is a bit more involved than minor and patch
 changelogs.
 
-#### Create the changelog file
+###### Create the changelog file
 
 In the `doc/changelogs` directory, create a new `CHANGELOG_V{N}.md` file where
 `{N}` is the major version of the release. Follow the structure of the existing
@@ -1413,7 +1402,7 @@ updated to account for the new `CHANGELOG_V{N}.md` file.
 Once the file is created, the root `CHANGELOG.md` file must be updated to
 reference the newly-created major release `CHANGELOG_V{N}.md`.
 
-#### Generate the changelog
+###### Generate the changelog
 
 To generate a proper major release changelog, use the `branch-diff` tool to
 compare the `vN.x` branch against the `vN-1.x` branch (e.g. for Node.js 12.0,
@@ -1432,14 +1421,7 @@ $ branch-diff upstream/vN-1.x upstream/vN.x --require-label=semver-minor --group
 $ branch-diff upstream/vN-1.x upstream/vN.x --exclude-label=semver-major,semver-minor --group --filter-release --markdown # get all patches
 ```
 
-#### Generate the notable changes
-
-For a major release, all SEMVER-MAJOR commits that are not strictly internal,
-test, or doc-related are to be listed as notable changes. Some SEMVER-MINOR
-commits may be listed as notable changes on a case-by-case basis. Use your
-judgment there.
-
-### Update the expected assets
+##### Update the expected assets
 
 The promotion script does a basic check that the expected files are present.
 Open a pull request in the Build repository to add the list of expected files
@@ -1448,6 +1430,39 @@ version of the release), in the [expected assets][] folder. The change will
 need to be deployed onto the web server by a member of the [build-infra team][]
 before the release is promoted.
 
+### Semver-major release (April)
+
+#### Release proposal
+
+A draft release proposal should be created 6 weeks before the release. A
+separate `vN.x-proposal` branch should be created that tracks the `vN.x`
+branch. This branch will contain the draft release commit (with the draft
+changelog).
+
+Notify the `@nodejs/npm` team in the release proposal PR to inform them of the
+upcoming release.
+
+Major release proposal should contain a single commit, the release one. All
+semver-major changes must have landed in a alpha version before the major is
+released. Semver-major changes that have missed the alpha period will be included
+in the next major release line.
+
+##### Marking a release line as "out of Alpha"
+
+To mark a release line as stable, the following changes must be made to
+`src/node_version.h`:
+
+* Remove `NODE_ALPHA_MAJOR_VERSION`, `NODE_ALPHA_MINOR_VERSION`, and
+  `NODE_ALPHA_PATCH_VERSION`.
+
+#### Generate the notable changes
+
+For a major release, all SEMVER-MAJOR commits that are not strictly internal,
+test, or doc-related are to be listed as notable changes. Some SEMVER-MINOR
+commits may be listed as notable changes on a case-by-case basis. Use your
+judgment there.
+Include the notable changes from the Alpha versions where it applies.
+
 ### Snap
 
 The Node.js [Snap][] package has a "default" for installs where the user hasn't
diff --git a/src/node_version.h b/src/node_version.h
index 4c18037fc8c88a..8c94ce8ec7f34d 100644
--- a/src/node_version.h
+++ b/src/node_version.h
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@
 
 #define NODE_VERSION_IS_RELEASE 0
 
+#define NODE_ALPHA_MAJOR_VERSION 0
+#define NODE_ALPHA_MINOR_VERSION 0
+#define NODE_ALPHA_PATCH_VERSION 0
+
 #ifndef NODE_STRINGIFY
 #define NODE_STRINGIFY(n) NODE_STRINGIFY_HELPER(n)
 #define NODE_STRINGIFY_HELPER(n) #n
@@ -41,18 +45,24 @@
 #endif
 
 #ifndef NODE_TAG
-# if NODE_VERSION_IS_RELEASE
-#  define NODE_TAG ""
-# else
-#  define NODE_TAG "-pre"
-# endif
+#if NODE_VERSION_IS_RELEASE
+#ifdef NODE_ALPHA_MAJOR_VERSION
+#define NODE_TAG                                                               \
+  "-alpha." NODE_STRINGIFY(NODE_ALPHA_MAJOR_VERSION) "." NODE_STRINGIFY(       \
+      NODE_ALPHA_MINOR_VERSION) "." NODE_STRINGIFY(NODE_ALPHA_PATCH_VERSION)
 #else
+#define NODE_TAG ""
+#endif  // NODE_ALPHA_MAJOR_VERSION
+#else   // NODE_VERSION_IS_RELEASE
+#define NODE_TAG "-pre"
+#endif  // NODE_VERSION_IS_RELEASE
+#else   // NODE_TAG
 // NODE_TAG is passed without quotes when rc.exe is run from msbuild
 # define NODE_EXE_VERSION NODE_STRINGIFY(NODE_MAJOR_VERSION) "." \
                           NODE_STRINGIFY(NODE_MINOR_VERSION) "." \
                           NODE_STRINGIFY(NODE_PATCH_VERSION)     \
                           NODE_STRINGIFY(NODE_TAG)
-#endif
+#endif  // NODE_TAG
 
 # define NODE_VERSION_STRING  NODE_STRINGIFY(NODE_MAJOR_VERSION) "." \
                               NODE_STRINGIFY(NODE_MINOR_VERSION) "." \