diff --git a/backend/.nvmrc b/backend/.nvmrc
index 79bdb1b97..216afccff 100644
--- a/backend/.nvmrc
+++ b/backend/.nvmrc
@@ -1 +1 @@
-v18.7.0
+v18.20.7
diff --git a/backend/Dockerfile b/backend/Dockerfile
index b755ecd38..2375568e6 100644
--- a/backend/Dockerfile
+++ b/backend/Dockerfile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ##################################################################################
 # BASE ###########################################################################
 ##################################################################################
-FROM node:18.7.0-alpine3.16 as base
+FROM node:18.20.7-alpine3.21 as base
 
 # ENVs (available in production aswell, can be overwritten by commandline or env file)
 ## DOCKER_WORKDIR would be a classical ARG, but that is not multi layer persistent - shame
diff --git a/config/.nvmrc b/config/.nvmrc
index 79bdb1b97..216afccff 100644
--- a/config/.nvmrc
+++ b/config/.nvmrc
@@ -1 +1 @@
-v18.7.0
+v18.20.7
diff --git a/database/.nvmrc b/database/.nvmrc
index 02c4afe7d..5a0afb48b 100644
--- a/database/.nvmrc
+++ b/database/.nvmrc
@@ -1 +1 @@
-v18.7.0
\ No newline at end of file
+v18.20.7
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/database/Dockerfile b/database/Dockerfile
index e34a4dbb6..3e6be7dbc 100644
--- a/database/Dockerfile
+++ b/database/Dockerfile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ##################################################################################
 # BASE ###########################################################################
 ##################################################################################
-FROM node:18.7.0-alpine3.16 as base
+FROM node:18.20.7-alpine3.21 as base
 
 # ENVs (available in production aswell, can be overwritten by commandline or env file)
 ## DOCKER_WORKDIR would be a classical ARG, but that is not multi layer persistent - shame
diff --git a/deployment/bare_metal/start.sh b/deployment/bare_metal/start.sh
index 7b413d3ff..19ce3ffc9 100755
--- a/deployment/bare_metal/start.sh
+++ b/deployment/bare_metal/start.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,12 @@
 #!/bin/bash
+
+# helper functions
+log_step() {
+    local message="$1"
+    echo -e "\e[34m$message\e[0m" # blue in console
+    echo "<div color='blue'>$message</div>" >> "$UPDATE_HTML" # blue in html 
+}
+
 # check for parameter
 if [ -z "$1" ]; then
     echo "Usage: Please provide a branch name as the first argument."
@@ -75,18 +83,18 @@ TODAY=$(date +"%Y-%m-%d")
 exec > >(tee -a $UPDATE_HTML) 2>&1
 
 # configure nginx for the update-page
-echo 'Configuring nginx to serve the update-page' >> $UPDATE_HTML
+log_step 'Configuring nginx to serve the update-page'
 ln -sf $SCRIPT_DIR/nginx/sites-available/update-page.conf $SCRIPT_DIR/nginx/sites-enabled/default
 sudo /etc/init.d/nginx restart
 
 # stop all services
-echo 'Stop and delete all Gradido services' >> $UPDATE_HTML
+log_step "Stop and delete all Gradido services"
 pm2 delete all
 pm2 save
 
 # git
 BRANCH=$1
-echo "Starting with git pull - branch:$BRANCH" >> $UPDATE_HTML
+log_step "Starting with git pull - branch:$BRANCH"
 cd $PROJECT_ROOT
 # TODO: this overfetches alot, but ensures we can use start.sh with tags
 git fetch --all
@@ -99,7 +107,7 @@ export BUILD_COMMIT="$(git rev-parse HEAD)"
 # *** set FEDERATION_PORT from FEDERATION_COMMUNITY_APIS and create gradido-federation.conf file
 rm -f $NGINX_CONFIG_DIR/gradido.conf.tmp
 rm -f $NGINX_CONFIG_DIR/gradido-federation.conf.locations
-echo "====================================================================================================" >> $UPDATE_HTML
+log_step "===================================================================================================="
 IFS="," read -a API_ARRAY <<< $FEDERATION_COMMUNITY_APIS
 for api in "${API_ARRAY[@]}"
 do
@@ -109,18 +117,18 @@ do
   FEDERATION_PORT=${FEDERATION_COMMUNITY_API_PORT:-5000}
   FEDERATION_PORT=$(($FEDERATION_PORT + $port))
   export FEDERATION_PORT
-  echo "create ngingx config: location /api/$FEDERATION_APIVERSION  to  http://127.0.0.1:$FEDERATION_PORT" >> $UPDATE_HTML
+  log_step "create ngingx config: location /api/$FEDERATION_APIVERSION  to  http://127.0.0.1:$FEDERATION_PORT"
   envsubst '$FEDERATION_APIVERSION, $FEDERATION_PORT' < $NGINX_CONFIG_DIR/gradido-federation.conf.template >> $NGINX_CONFIG_DIR/gradido-federation.conf.locations
 done
 unset FEDERATION_APIVERSION
 unset FEDERATION_PORT
-echo "====================================================================================================" >> $UPDATE_HTML
+log_step "===================================================================================================="
 
 # *** 2nd read gradido-federation.conf file in env variable to be replaced in 3rd step
 export FEDERATION_NGINX_CONF=$(< $NGINX_CONFIG_DIR/gradido-federation.conf.locations)
 
 # *** 3rd generate gradido nginx config including federation modules per api-version
-echo 'Generate new gradido nginx config' >> $UPDATE_HTML
+log_step 'Generate new gradido nginx config'
 case "$URL_PROTOCOL" in
  'https') TEMPLATE_FILE="gradido.conf.ssl.template" ;;
        *) TEMPLATE_FILE="gradido.conf.template" ;;
@@ -132,18 +140,20 @@ rm $NGINX_CONFIG_DIR/gradido.conf.tmp
 rm $NGINX_CONFIG_DIR/gradido-federation.conf.locations
 
 # Generate update-page.conf from template
-echo 'Generate new update-page nginx config' >> $UPDATE_HTML
+log_step 'Generate new update-page nginx config'
 case "$URL_PROTOCOL" in
  'https') TEMPLATE_FILE="update-page.conf.ssl.template" ;;
        *) TEMPLATE_FILE="update-page.conf.template" ;;
 esac
 envsubst "$(env | sed -e 's/=.*//' -e 's/^/\$/g')" < $NGINX_CONFIG_DIR/$TEMPLATE_FILE > $NGINX_CONFIG_DIR/update-page.conf
 
+log_step 'Clean tmp and yarn cache'
 # Clean tmp folder - remove yarn files
 find /tmp -name "yarn--*" -exec rm -r {} \;
 # Clean user cache folder
 rm -Rf ~/.cache/yarn
 
+log_step 'Remove all node_modules and build folders'
 # Remove node_modules folders
 # we had problems with corrupted node_modules folder
 rm -Rf $PROJECT_ROOT/database/node_modules
@@ -164,6 +174,7 @@ rm -Rf $PROJECT_ROOT/admin/build
 rm -Rf $PROJECT_ROOT/dht-node/build
 rm -Rf $PROJECT_ROOT/federation/build
 
+log_step 'Regenerate .env files'
 # Regenerate .env files
 cp -f $PROJECT_ROOT/database/.env $PROJECT_ROOT/database/.env.bak
 cp -f $PROJECT_ROOT/backend/.env $PROJECT_ROOT/backend/.env.bak
@@ -179,7 +190,7 @@ envsubst "$(env | sed -e 's/=.*//' -e 's/^/\$/g')" < $PROJECT_ROOT/dht-node/.env
 envsubst "$(env | sed -e 's/=.*//' -e 's/^/\$/g')" < $PROJECT_ROOT/federation/.env.template > $PROJECT_ROOT/federation/.env
 
 # Install & build database
-echo 'Updating database' >> $UPDATE_HTML
+log_step 'Updating database'
 cd $PROJECT_ROOT/database
 yarn install
 yarn build
@@ -191,13 +202,13 @@ else
 fi
 
 # Install & build config
-echo 'Updating config' >> $UPDATE_HTML
+log_step 'Updating config'
 cd $PROJECT_ROOT/config
 yarn install
 yarn build
 
 # Install & build backend
-echo 'Updating backend' >> $UPDATE_HTML
+log_step 'Updating backend'
 cd $PROJECT_ROOT/backend
 # TODO maybe handle this differently?
 unset NODE_ENV
@@ -211,7 +222,7 @@ export NODE_ENV=production
 
 
 # Install & build frontend
-echo 'Updating frontend' >> $UPDATE_HTML
+log_step 'Updating frontend'
 cd $PROJECT_ROOT/frontend
 # TODO maybe handle this differently?
 unset NODE_ENV
@@ -224,7 +235,7 @@ yarn build
 export NODE_ENV=production
 
 # Install & build admin
-echo 'Updating admin' >> $UPDATE_HTML
+log_step 'Updating admin'
 cd $PROJECT_ROOT/admin
 # TODO maybe handle this differently?
 unset NODE_ENV
@@ -239,7 +250,7 @@ export NODE_ENV=production
 nvm use default
 
 # Install & build dht-node
-echo 'Updating dht-node' >> $UPDATE_HTML
+log_step 'Updating dht-node'
 cd $PROJECT_ROOT/dht-node
 # TODO maybe handle this differently?
 unset NODE_ENV
@@ -249,7 +260,7 @@ yarn build
 export NODE_ENV=production
 
 # Install & build federation
-echo 'Updating federation' >> $UPDATE_HTML
+log_step 'Updating federation'
 cd $PROJECT_ROOT/federation
 # TODO maybe handle this differently?
 unset NODE_ENV
@@ -268,34 +279,34 @@ if [ ! -z $FEDERATION_DHT_TOPIC ]; then
   pm2 start --name gradido-dht-node "yarn --cwd $PROJECT_ROOT/dht-node start" -l $GRADIDO_LOG_PATH/pm2.dht-node.$TODAY.log --log-date-format 'YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss.SSS'
   pm2 save
 else
-  echo "=====================================================================" >> $UPDATE_HTML
-  echo "WARNING: FEDERATION_DHT_TOPIC not configured. DHT-Node not started..."  >> $UPDATE_HTML
-  echo "=====================================================================" >> $UPDATE_HTML
-fi  
+  log_step "====================================================================="
+  log_step "WARNING: FEDERATION_DHT_TOPIC not configured. DHT-Node not started..."
+  log_step "====================================================================="
+fi
 
 # set FEDERATION_PORT from FEDERATION_COMMUNITY_APIS
 IFS="," read -a API_ARRAY <<< $FEDERATION_COMMUNITY_APIS
 for api in "${API_ARRAY[@]}"
 do
   export FEDERATION_API=$api
-  echo "FEDERATION_API=$FEDERATION_API" >> $UPDATE_HTML
+  log_step "FEDERATION_API=$FEDERATION_API"
   export MODULENAME=gradido-federation-$api
-  echo "MODULENAME=$MODULENAME" >> $UPDATE_HTML
+  log_step "MODULENAME=$MODULENAME"
   # calculate port by remove '_' and add value of api to baseport
   port=${api//_/}
   FEDERATION_PORT=${FEDERATION_COMMUNITY_API_PORT:-5000}
   FEDERATION_PORT=$(($FEDERATION_PORT + $port))
   export FEDERATION_PORT
-  echo "====================================================" >> $UPDATE_HTML
-  echo " start $MODULENAME listening on port=$FEDERATION_PORT" >> $UPDATE_HTML
-  echo "====================================================" >> $UPDATE_HTML
+  log_step "===================================================="
+  log_step " start $MODULENAME listening on port=$FEDERATION_PORT"
+  log_step "===================================================="
 #  pm2 delete $MODULENAME
   pm2 start --name $MODULENAME "yarn --cwd $PROJECT_ROOT/federation start" -l $GRADIDO_LOG_PATH/pm2.$MODULENAME.$TODAY.log --log-date-format 'YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss.SSS'
   pm2 save
 done
 
 # let nginx showing gradido
-echo 'Configuring nginx to serve gradido again' >> $UPDATE_HTML
+log_step 'Configuring nginx to serve gradido again'
 ln -sf $SCRIPT_DIR/nginx/sites-available/gradido.conf $SCRIPT_DIR/nginx/sites-enabled/default
 sudo /etc/init.d/nginx restart
 
diff --git a/deployment/hetzner_cloud/install.sh b/deployment/hetzner_cloud/install.sh
index 1be3548cc..ac43c6421 100755
--- a/deployment/hetzner_cloud/install.sh
+++ b/deployment/hetzner_cloud/install.sh
@@ -124,11 +124,11 @@ sudo systemctl daemon-reload
 # setup https with certbot
 certbot certonly --nginx --non-interactive --agree-tos --domains $COMMUNITY_HOST --email $COMMUNITY_SUPPORT_MAIL
 
-# Install node 16. with nvm, with nodesource is depracted
+# Install node 18
 sudo -u gradido bash -c 'curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.7/install.sh | bash'
 # Close and reopen your terminal to start using nvm or run the following to use it now:
 sudo -u gradido bash -c 'export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm" && [ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && \. "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"'
-sudo -u gradido bash -c '. $HOME/.nvm/nvm.sh && nvm install 16' # first installed version will be set to default automatic
+sudo -u gradido bash -c '. $HOME/.nvm/nvm.sh && nvm install v18.20.7' # first installed version will be set to default automatic
 
 # Install yarn
 sudo -u gradido bash -c '. $HOME/.nvm/nvm.sh && npm i -g yarn'
diff --git a/deployment/hetzner_cloud/migration/2_5_1-2_5_2/README.md b/deployment/hetzner_cloud/migration/2_5_1-2_5_2/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7534ce060
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deployment/hetzner_cloud/migration/2_5_1-2_5_2/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+## Migrate from Gradido Version 2.5.1 to 2.5.2
+### What
+We need to upgrade the used nodejs version in deployment. Until now for pm2, backend, dht-node, federation nodejs 16 was used,
+but some newer npm libs don't work with this old nodejs version so we upgrade to nodejs 18.20.7
+
+### What you can do now
+You need to only run this [upgradeNodeJs.sh](upgradeNodeJs.sh) with `release-2_5_2-beta` as parameter
+```bash
+cd /home/gradido/gradido/deployment/hetzner_cloud/migration/2_5_1-2_5_2
+sudo ./upgradeNodeJs.sh `release-2_5_2-beta`
+```
+
+It will stop pm2, install new nodejs version + pm2 + yarn, remove nodejs 16.
+Then it will call start.sh with first parameter of ./upgradeNodeJs.sh as his first parameter
+
diff --git a/deployment/hetzner_cloud/migration/2_5_1-2_5_2/upgradeNodeJs.sh b/deployment/hetzner_cloud/migration/2_5_1-2_5_2/upgradeNodeJs.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..baef7550d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deployment/hetzner_cloud/migration/2_5_1-2_5_2/upgradeNodeJs.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# check for parameter
+if [ -z "$1" ]; then
+    echo "Usage: Please provide a branch name as the first argument."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# stop all services
+pm2 delete all
+pm2 save
+
+# upgrade node js version
+nvm install 18.20.7
+nvm use 18.20.7
+nvm alias default 18.20.7
+npm install -g pm2 yarn
+nvm uninstall 16
+
+# Start gradido
+sudo -u gradido $SCRIPT_PATH/start.sh $1
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/federation/.nvmrc b/federation/.nvmrc
index 02c4afe7d..5a0afb48b 100644
--- a/federation/.nvmrc
+++ b/federation/.nvmrc
@@ -1 +1 @@
-v18.7.0
\ No newline at end of file
+v18.20.7
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/federation/Dockerfile b/federation/Dockerfile
index 26c83ad7b..0227f8da7 100644
--- a/federation/Dockerfile
+++ b/federation/Dockerfile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ##################################################################################
 # BASE ###########################################################################
 ##################################################################################
-FROM node:18.7.0-alpine3.16 as base
+FROM node:18.20.7-alpine3.21 as base
 
 # ENVs (available in production aswell, can be overwritten by commandline or env file)
 ## DOCKER_WORKDIR would be a classical ARG, but that is not multi layer persistent - shame