chore(deps): harmonize Node.js to 22.19.0 from CircleCI image

[MikeMcC399]

Situation

CircleCI, GitHub Actions and local environments are not tied to a consistent Node.js version. If Node.js 24.11.0 Active LTS is used, npm install and markdown-link-check behave differently compared to running with Node.js 20.x or 22.x.

The CircleCI image ubuntu-2404:2025.09.1 is the latest available Ubuntu 24.04 machine image from CircleCI and which is built on Node.js 22.19.0, released Aug 28, 2025. This version of Node.js is now in Maintenance LTS status.

GitHub Actions, using the runner image ubuntu-24.04, sets Node.js 20.19.5 as default. This version of Node.js was released on Sept 3, 2025 and is in Maintenance LTS status, with planned end-of-life on April 30, 2026.

The Node.js Active LTS version is 24.11.0.

Environment	Image or other definition for Node.js	Default Node.js version
CircleCI	ubuntu-2404:2025.09.1	22.19.0
GitHub Actions	ubuntu-24.04	20.19.5
local clone	-	undefined

Differences and issues are seen if Node.js 24.11.0 is used:

Command \ Node.js version	20.19.5	22.19.0	24.11.0
npm install	no change	no change	peer added
npm run check:markdown	pass	pass	Node.js DEP0176 reported
npm run format:check	pass	pass	pass
npm run lint	pass	pass	pass

Change

To harmonize the use of Node.js related to using npm dependencies across different environments:

1. Add .node-version and .nvmrc with 22.19.0 to the repo root, aligning with the version of Node.js defined by the CircleCI machine image ubuntu-2404:2025.09.1.

2. Add actions/setup-node to each job of the GitHub Actions workflows

   • .github/workflows/example-cypress-github-action.yml
   • .github/workflows/example-tests.yml

   For consistency with other actions, use the node20 version (actions/setup-node@v4) until other actions are ready to be updated to node24.

3. Add information to the CONTRIBUTING.md document about using and maintaining the Node.js version in the repo.

Verification

n auto # or nvm use
npm install
git diff # confirm no changes made
npm run check:markdown # confirm no errors or deprecation message
npm run format:check # confirm no errors reported
npm run lint # confirm no errors reported

[cypress-app-bot]

• Create a Draft Pull Request if your PR is not ready for review. Mark the PR as Ready for Review when you're ready for a Cypress team member to review the PR.

[jennifer-shehane]

Sounds good, thanks!