diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
index 6313b56c57..21d328d7be 100644
--- a/.gitattributes
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -1 +1,4 @@
 * text=auto eol=lf
+/*/**/Dockerfile            linguist-generated
+/*/**/docker-entrypoint.sh  linguist-generated
+/Dockerfile*.template        linguist-language=Dockerfile
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-test.yml b/.github/workflows/build-test.yml
index 4b1c51ed1a..2736b06e90 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-test.yml
@@ -68,6 +68,16 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
+      - name: Build core base image
+        if: ${{ endsWith(matrix.variant, '-core') }}
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v5
+        with:
+          push: false
+          load: true
+          context: .
+          file: ./${{ steps.short-version.outputs.result }}/${{ matrix.base }}/Dockerfile
+          tags: node:${{ matrix.version }}-${{ matrix.base }}
+
       - name: Build image
         uses: docker/build-push-action@v5
         with:
@@ -91,7 +101,9 @@ jobs:
           [ "${output}" = 'success' ]
 
       - name: Test for npm
+        if: ${{ ! endsWith(matrix.variant, '-core') }}
         run: docker run --rm node:${{ matrix.version }}-${{ matrix.variant }} npm --version
 
       - name: Test for yarn
+        if: ${{ ! endsWith(matrix.variant, '-core') }}
         run: docker run --rm node:${{ matrix.version }}-${{ matrix.variant }} yarn --version
diff --git a/18/bookworm-core/Dockerfile b/18/bookworm-core/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d019f77cb0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/18/bookworm-core/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+FROM debian:bookworm-slim
+
+RUN groupadd --gid 1000 node \
+  && useradd --uid 1000 --gid node --shell /bin/bash --create-home node
+
+ENV NODE_VERSION 18.20.1
+
+COPY --from=node:18.20.1-bookworm-slim --link /usr/local/bin/ /usr/local/bin/
+COPY --from=node:18.20.1-bookworm-slim --link /usr/local/include/node/ /usr/local/include/node/
+
+ENTRYPOINT ["docker-entrypoint.sh"]
+
+CMD [ "node" ]
diff --git a/18/bookworm-core/docker-entrypoint.sh b/18/bookworm-core/docker-entrypoint.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..1b3116e53b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/18/bookworm-core/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+# Run command with node if the first argument contains a "-" or is not a system command. The last
+# part inside the "{}" is a workaround for the following bug in ash/dash:
+# https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=874264
+if [ "${1#-}" != "${1}" ] || [ -z "$(command -v "${1}")" ] || { [ -f "${1}" ] && ! [ -x "${1}" ]; }; then
+  set -- node "$@"
+fi
+
+exec "$@"
diff --git a/18/bullseye-core/Dockerfile b/18/bullseye-core/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9c8434005a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/18/bullseye-core/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+FROM debian:bullseye-slim
+
+RUN groupadd --gid 1000 node \
+  && useradd --uid 1000 --gid node --shell /bin/bash --create-home node
+
+ENV NODE_VERSION 18.20.1
+
+COPY --from=node:18.20.1-bullseye-slim --link /usr/local/bin/ /usr/local/bin/
+COPY --from=node:18.20.1-bullseye-slim --link /usr/local/include/node/ /usr/local/include/node/
+
+ENTRYPOINT ["docker-entrypoint.sh"]
+
+CMD [ "node" ]
diff --git a/18/bullseye-core/docker-entrypoint.sh b/18/bullseye-core/docker-entrypoint.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..1b3116e53b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/18/bullseye-core/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+# Run command with node if the first argument contains a "-" or is not a system command. The last
+# part inside the "{}" is a workaround for the following bug in ash/dash:
+# https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=874264
+if [ "${1#-}" != "${1}" ] || [ -z "$(command -v "${1}")" ] || { [ -f "${1}" ] && ! [ -x "${1}" ]; }; then
+  set -- node "$@"
+fi
+
+exec "$@"
diff --git a/18/buster-core/Dockerfile b/18/buster-core/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..602b19e1c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/18/buster-core/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+FROM debian:buster-slim
+
+RUN groupadd --gid 1000 node \
+  && useradd --uid 1000 --gid node --shell /bin/bash --create-home node
+
+ENV NODE_VERSION 18.20.1
+
+COPY --from=node:18.20.1-buster-slim --link /usr/local/bin/ /usr/local/bin/
+COPY --from=node:18.20.1-buster-slim --link /usr/local/include/node/ /usr/local/include/node/
+
+ENTRYPOINT ["docker-entrypoint.sh"]
+
+CMD [ "node" ]
diff --git a/18/buster-core/docker-entrypoint.sh b/18/buster-core/docker-entrypoint.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..1b3116e53b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/18/buster-core/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+# Run command with node if the first argument contains a "-" or is not a system command. The last
+# part inside the "{}" is a workaround for the following bug in ash/dash:
+# https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=874264
+if [ "${1#-}" != "${1}" ] || [ -z "$(command -v "${1}")" ] || { [ -f "${1}" ] && ! [ -x "${1}" ]; }; then
+  set -- node "$@"
+fi
+
+exec "$@"
diff --git a/20/bookworm-core/Dockerfile b/20/bookworm-core/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..338b9ad649
--- /dev/null
+++ b/20/bookworm-core/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+FROM debian:bookworm-slim
+
+RUN groupadd --gid 1000 node \
+  && useradd --uid 1000 --gid node --shell /bin/bash --create-home node
+
+ENV NODE_VERSION 20.12.1
+
+COPY --from=node:20.12.1-bookworm-slim --link /usr/local/bin/ /usr/local/bin/
+COPY --from=node:20.12.1-bookworm-slim --link /usr/local/include/node/ /usr/local/include/node/
+
+ENTRYPOINT ["docker-entrypoint.sh"]
+
+CMD [ "node" ]
diff --git a/20/bookworm-core/docker-entrypoint.sh b/20/bookworm-core/docker-entrypoint.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..1b3116e53b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/20/bookworm-core/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+# Run command with node if the first argument contains a "-" or is not a system command. The last
+# part inside the "{}" is a workaround for the following bug in ash/dash:
+# https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=874264
+if [ "${1#-}" != "${1}" ] || [ -z "$(command -v "${1}")" ] || { [ -f "${1}" ] && ! [ -x "${1}" ]; }; then
+  set -- node "$@"
+fi
+
+exec "$@"
diff --git a/20/bullseye-core/Dockerfile b/20/bullseye-core/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fe3bbf69e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/20/bullseye-core/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+FROM debian:bullseye-slim
+
+RUN groupadd --gid 1000 node \
+  && useradd --uid 1000 --gid node --shell /bin/bash --create-home node
+
+ENV NODE_VERSION 20.12.1
+
+COPY --from=node:20.12.1-bullseye-slim --link /usr/local/bin/ /usr/local/bin/
+COPY --from=node:20.12.1-bullseye-slim --link /usr/local/include/node/ /usr/local/include/node/
+
+ENTRYPOINT ["docker-entrypoint.sh"]
+
+CMD [ "node" ]
diff --git a/20/bullseye-core/docker-entrypoint.sh b/20/bullseye-core/docker-entrypoint.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..1b3116e53b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/20/bullseye-core/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+# Run command with node if the first argument contains a "-" or is not a system command. The last
+# part inside the "{}" is a workaround for the following bug in ash/dash:
+# https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=874264
+if [ "${1#-}" != "${1}" ] || [ -z "$(command -v "${1}")" ] || { [ -f "${1}" ] && ! [ -x "${1}" ]; }; then
+  set -- node "$@"
+fi
+
+exec "$@"
diff --git a/20/buster-core/Dockerfile b/20/buster-core/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8acab8c271
--- /dev/null
+++ b/20/buster-core/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+FROM debian:buster-slim
+
+RUN groupadd --gid 1000 node \
+  && useradd --uid 1000 --gid node --shell /bin/bash --create-home node
+
+ENV NODE_VERSION 20.12.1
+
+COPY --from=node:20.12.1-buster-slim --link /usr/local/bin/ /usr/local/bin/
+COPY --from=node:20.12.1-buster-slim --link /usr/local/include/node/ /usr/local/include/node/
+
+ENTRYPOINT ["docker-entrypoint.sh"]
+
+CMD [ "node" ]
diff --git a/20/buster-core/docker-entrypoint.sh b/20/buster-core/docker-entrypoint.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..1b3116e53b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/20/buster-core/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+# Run command with node if the first argument contains a "-" or is not a system command. The last
+# part inside the "{}" is a workaround for the following bug in ash/dash:
+# https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=874264
+if [ "${1#-}" != "${1}" ] || [ -z "$(command -v "${1}")" ] || { [ -f "${1}" ] && ! [ -x "${1}" ]; }; then
+  set -- node "$@"
+fi
+
+exec "$@"
diff --git a/21/bookworm-core/Dockerfile b/21/bookworm-core/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d33896b960
--- /dev/null
+++ b/21/bookworm-core/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+FROM debian:bookworm-slim
+
+RUN groupadd --gid 1000 node \
+  && useradd --uid 1000 --gid node --shell /bin/bash --create-home node
+
+ENV NODE_VERSION 21.7.2
+
+COPY --from=node:21.7.2-bookworm-slim --link /usr/local/bin/ /usr/local/bin/
+COPY --from=node:21.7.2-bookworm-slim --link /usr/local/include/node/ /usr/local/include/node/
+
+ENTRYPOINT ["docker-entrypoint.sh"]
+
+CMD [ "node" ]
diff --git a/21/bookworm-core/docker-entrypoint.sh b/21/bookworm-core/docker-entrypoint.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..1b3116e53b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/21/bookworm-core/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+# Run command with node if the first argument contains a "-" or is not a system command. The last
+# part inside the "{}" is a workaround for the following bug in ash/dash:
+# https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=874264
+if [ "${1#-}" != "${1}" ] || [ -z "$(command -v "${1}")" ] || { [ -f "${1}" ] && ! [ -x "${1}" ]; }; then
+  set -- node "$@"
+fi
+
+exec "$@"
diff --git a/21/bullseye-core/Dockerfile b/21/bullseye-core/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1b7376ec32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/21/bullseye-core/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+FROM debian:bullseye-slim
+
+RUN groupadd --gid 1000 node \
+  && useradd --uid 1000 --gid node --shell /bin/bash --create-home node
+
+ENV NODE_VERSION 21.7.2
+
+COPY --from=node:21.7.2-bullseye-slim --link /usr/local/bin/ /usr/local/bin/
+COPY --from=node:21.7.2-bullseye-slim --link /usr/local/include/node/ /usr/local/include/node/
+
+ENTRYPOINT ["docker-entrypoint.sh"]
+
+CMD [ "node" ]
diff --git a/21/bullseye-core/docker-entrypoint.sh b/21/bullseye-core/docker-entrypoint.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..1b3116e53b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/21/bullseye-core/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+# Run command with node if the first argument contains a "-" or is not a system command. The last
+# part inside the "{}" is a workaround for the following bug in ash/dash:
+# https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=874264
+if [ "${1#-}" != "${1}" ] || [ -z "$(command -v "${1}")" ] || { [ -f "${1}" ] && ! [ -x "${1}" ]; }; then
+  set -- node "$@"
+fi
+
+exec "$@"
diff --git a/Dockerfile-debian-core.template b/Dockerfile-debian-core.template
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ad5966deac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dockerfile-debian-core.template
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+FROM debian:name-slim
+
+RUN groupadd --gid 1000 node \
+  && useradd --uid 1000 --gid node --shell /bin/bash --create-home node
+
+ENV NODE_VERSION 0.0.0
+
+COPY --from=node:0.0.0-slim --link /usr/local/bin/ /usr/local/bin/
+COPY --from=node:0.0.0-slim --link /usr/local/include/node/ /usr/local/include/node/
+
+ENTRYPOINT ["docker-entrypoint.sh"]
+
+CMD [ "node" ]
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b86c29ca71..4eb8c31d5f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ The official Node.js docker image, made with love by the node community.
   - [`node:bullseye`](#nodebullseye)
   - [`node:bookworm`](#nodebookworm)
   - [`node:slim`](#nodeslim)
+  - [`node:core`](#nodecore)
 - [License](#license)
 - [Supported Docker versions](#supported-docker-versions)
 - [Supported Node.js versions](#supported-nodejs-versions)
@@ -223,6 +224,10 @@ in an environment where *only* the Node.js image will be deployed and you have
 space constraints, we highly recommend using the default image of this
 repository.
 
+### `node:core`
+
+This image is a variant of the slim image without npm or Yarn.
+
 ## License
 
 [License information](https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/master/LICENSE) for
diff --git a/architectures b/architectures
index 1ef81e6bb2..3bfdefa406 100644
--- a/architectures
+++ b/architectures
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 bashbrew-arch  variants
-amd64          alpine3.18,alpine3.19,bookworm,bookworm-slim,bullseye,bullseye-slim,buster,buster-slim
+amd64          alpine3.18,alpine3.19,bookworm,bookworm-slim,bookworm-core,bullseye,bullseye-slim,bullseye-core,buster,buster-slim,buster-core
 arm32v6        alpine3.18,alpine3.19
-arm32v7        alpine3.18,alpine3.19,bookworm,bookworm-slim,bullseye,bullseye-slim,buster,buster-slim
-arm64v8        alpine3.18,alpine3.19,bookworm,bookworm-slim,bullseye,bullseye-slim,buster,buster-slim
+arm32v7        alpine3.18,alpine3.19,bookworm,bookworm-slim,bookworm-core,bullseye,bullseye-slim,bullseye-core,buster,buster-slim,buster-core
+arm64v8        alpine3.18,alpine3.19,bookworm,bookworm-slim,bookworm-core,bullseye,bullseye-slim,bullseye-core,buster,buster-slim,buster-core
 i386           alpine3.18,alpine3.19
-ppc64le        alpine3.18,alpine3.19,bookworm,bookworm-slim,bullseye,bullseye-slim,buster,buster-slim
-s390x          alpine3.18,alpine3.19,bookworm,bookworm-slim,bullseye,bullseye-slim,buster,buster-slim
+ppc64le        alpine3.18,alpine3.19,bookworm,bookworm-slim,bookworm-core,bullseye,bullseye-slim,bullseye-core,buster,buster-slim,buster-core
+s390x          alpine3.18,alpine3.19,bookworm,bookworm-slim,bookworm-core,bullseye,bullseye-slim,bullseye-core,buster,buster-slim,buster-core
diff --git a/functions.sh b/functions.sh
index df1883f732..a50502e374 100755
--- a/functions.sh
+++ b/functions.sh
@@ -193,6 +193,20 @@ function is_debian_slim() {
   return 1
 }
 
+function is_debian_core() {
+  local variant
+  variant=$1
+  shift
+
+  IFS=' ' read -ra debianVersions <<< "$(get_config "./" "debian_versions")"
+  for d in "${debianVersions[@]}"; do
+    if [ "${d}-core" = "${variant}" ]; then
+      return 0
+    fi
+  done
+  return 1
+}
+
 function get_fork_name() {
   local version
   version=$1
diff --git a/genMatrix.js b/genMatrix.js
index 9f57ea5096..2d7f20f371 100644
--- a/genMatrix.js
+++ b/genMatrix.js
@@ -60,6 +60,17 @@ const getDockerfileMatrixEntry = (file) => {
 
   const version = getFullNodeVersionFromDockerfile(file);
 
+  // Specify the base image that needs to be built before the core one
+  if (variant.endsWith('-core')) {
+    const base = variant.replace('-core', '-slim')
+
+    return {
+      version,
+      variant,
+      base,
+    }
+  }
+
   return {
     version,
     variant,
diff --git a/update.sh b/update.sh
index 9a321c800c..f8e1fa3a41 100755
--- a/update.sh
+++ b/update.sh
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ function update_node_version() {
 
     sed -Ei -e 's/^FROM (.*)/FROM '"$fromprefix"'\1/' "${dockerfile}-tmp"
     sed -Ei -e 's/^(ENV NODE_VERSION ).*/\1'"${nodeVersion}"'/' "${dockerfile}-tmp"
+    sed -Ei -e 's/^(COPY --from=node:)[^-]*/\1'"${nodeVersion}-${variant%'-core'}"'/' "${dockerfile}-tmp"
 
     currentYarnVersion="$(grep "ENV YARN_VERSION" "${dockerfile}" | cut -d' ' -f3)"
     sed -Ei -e 's/^(ENV YARN_VERSION ).*/\1'"${currentYarnVersion}"'/' "${dockerfile}-tmp"
@@ -167,6 +168,8 @@ function update_node_version() {
       sed -Ei -e "s/(buildpack-deps:)name/\\1${variant}/" "${dockerfile}-tmp"
     elif is_debian_slim "${variant}"; then
       sed -Ei -e "s/(debian:)name-slim/\\1${variant}/" "${dockerfile}-tmp"
+    elif is_debian_core "${variant}"; then
+      sed -Ei -e "s/(debian:)name-slim/\\1${variant%"-core"}-slim/" "${dockerfile}-tmp"
     fi
 
     if diff -q "${dockerfile}-tmp" "${dockerfile}" > /dev/null; then
@@ -221,6 +224,8 @@ for version in "${versions[@]}"; do
       template_file="${parentpath}/Dockerfile-debian.template"
     elif is_debian_slim "${variant}"; then
       template_file="${parentpath}/Dockerfile-slim.template"
+    elif is_debian_core "${variant}"; then
+      template_file="${parentpath}/Dockerfile-debian-core.template"
     elif is_alpine "${variant}"; then
       template_file="${parentpath}/Dockerfile-alpine.template"
     fi
diff --git a/versions.json b/versions.json
index 15e45e5f37..97f9fd11b8 100644
--- a/versions.json
+++ b/versions.json
@@ -38,6 +38,13 @@
         "ppc64le",
         "s390x"
       ],
+      "bookworm-core": [
+        "amd64",
+        "arm32v7",
+        "arm64v8",
+        "ppc64le",
+        "s390x"
+      ],
       "bullseye": [
         "amd64",
         "arm32v7",
@@ -51,6 +58,13 @@
         "arm64v8",
         "ppc64le",
         "s390x"
+      ],
+      "bullseye-core": [
+        "amd64",
+        "arm32v7",
+        "arm64v8",
+        "ppc64le",
+        "s390x"
       ]
     }
   },
@@ -93,6 +107,13 @@
         "ppc64le",
         "s390x"
       ],
+      "bookworm-core": [
+        "amd64",
+        "arm32v7",
+        "arm64v8",
+        "ppc64le",
+        "s390x"
+      ],
       "bullseye": [
         "amd64",
         "arm32v7",
@@ -107,6 +128,13 @@
         "ppc64le",
         "s390x"
       ],
+      "bullseye-core": [
+        "amd64",
+        "arm32v7",
+        "arm64v8",
+        "ppc64le",
+        "s390x"
+      ],
       "buster": [
         "amd64",
         "arm32v7",
@@ -116,6 +144,11 @@
         "amd64",
         "arm32v7",
         "arm64v8"
+      ],
+      "buster-core": [
+        "amd64",
+        "arm32v7",
+        "arm64v8"
       ]
     }
   },
@@ -158,6 +191,13 @@
         "ppc64le",
         "s390x"
       ],
+      "bookworm-core": [
+        "amd64",
+        "arm32v7",
+        "arm64v8",
+        "ppc64le",
+        "s390x"
+      ],
       "bullseye": [
         "amd64",
         "arm32v7",
@@ -172,6 +212,13 @@
         "ppc64le",
         "s390x"
       ],
+      "bullseye-core": [
+        "amd64",
+        "arm32v7",
+        "arm64v8",
+        "ppc64le",
+        "s390x"
+      ],
       "buster": [
         "amd64",
         "arm32v7",
@@ -181,6 +228,11 @@
         "amd64",
         "arm32v7",
         "arm64v8"
+      ],
+      "buster-core": [
+        "amd64",
+        "arm32v7",
+        "arm64v8"
       ]
     }
   }