feat: upgrade Node.js from 8.15.1+ to 18.20.8 LTS

[devin-ai-integration]

feat: upgrade Node.js from 8.15.1+ to 18.20.8 LTS

Summary

Upgrades the Node.js version requirement from 8.15.1+ to 18.20.8 LTS to modernize the development environment and improve security. This is a significant version jump that required testing webpack 4.x compatibility with newer Node.js versions.

Key Changes:

• Updated .nvmrc from "lts/dubnium" (Node 10.x) to "18.20.8"
• Updated package.json engines field from ">=8.15.1" to ">=18.0.0"
• Updated README.md system requirements from "v12.18+" to "v18.20+"

Compatibility Notes:

• Requires NODE_OPTIONS="--openssl-legacy-provider" for webpack 4.x compatibility with Node 18+
• All existing dependencies install successfully with Node 18.20.8
• Development and production builds complete successfully with the OpenSSL legacy provider flag

Review & Testing Checklist for Human

🔴 Critical (3 items):

• Test banking application end-to-end functionality - Login, dashboard, transactions, Redux state management, and Redux-Saga effects all work correctly
• Verify build scripts work consistently - Test yarn start, yarn build, and yarn test with NODE_OPTIONS="--openssl-legacy-provider" in different environments
• Check for runtime errors or performance regressions - Monitor browser console and application performance during normal banking operations

Test Plan:

1. Switch to Node 18.20.8 using nvm use 18.20.8
2. Install dependencies with yarn install
3. Start development server with export NODE_OPTIONS="--openssl-legacy-provider" && yarn start
4. Test core banking workflows: login, account overview, transactions, settings
5. Build for production with export NODE_OPTIONS="--openssl-legacy-provider" && yarn build
6. Verify all Redux actions, sagas, and Ant Design components work correctly

---

Diagram

%%{ init : { "theme" : "default" }}%%
graph TD
    A[".nvmrc<br/>(Node 18.20.8)"]:::major-edit
    B["package.json<br/>(engines: >=18.0.0)"]:::major-edit
    C["README.md<br/>(v18.20+ requirement)"]:::minor-edit
    
    D["webpack.base.babel.js<br/>(build configuration)"]:::context
    E["webpack.dev.babel.js<br/>(dev server)"]:::context
    F["webpack.prod.babel.js<br/>(production build)"]:::context
    
    G["yarn.lock<br/>(dependencies)"]:::context
    H["babel.config.js<br/>(transpilation)"]:::context
    
    A --> D
    B --> G
    G --> D
    D --> E
    D --> F
    H --> E
    H --> F
    
    subgraph Legend
        L1["Major Edit"]:::major-edit
        L2["Minor Edit"]:::minor-edit  
        L3["Context/No Edit"]:::context
    end
    
    classDef major-edit fill:#90EE90
    classDef minor-edit fill:#87CEEB
    classDef context fill:#FFFFFF

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Notes

• OpenSSL Legacy Provider Required: The NODE_OPTIONS="--openssl-legacy-provider" flag is necessary because webpack 4.x uses legacy OpenSSL algorithms that were removed in Node.js 17+. This is a known compatibility issue.
• Testing Limitations: Could not run the complete Jest test suite due to pre-existing linting issues (119 errors), but the test infrastructure works with Node 18.
• No CI/CD Updates Found: No GitHub Actions or other CI configurations were found that would need Node version updates.
• Future Considerations: Consider upgrading to webpack 5.x in a future PR to eliminate the need for the OpenSSL legacy provider flag.

Link to Devin run: https://app.devin.ai/sessions/a21bbed4d897417c9ae368473d68c6fd
Requested by: Arthur Poon (@akkp-windsurf)

[devin-ai-integration]

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