fix: remove use-node-version + update devops docs (#49636)

* fix: drop use-node-version + explain npmrc config

* docs(devops): go back to installing node directly

* docs(devops): update scripts + cleanup

* docs: add note about updating node

---------

Co-authored-by: Mrugesh Mohapatra <1884376+raisedadead@users.noreply.github.com>

.npmrc

@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
+# Install peers for convenience
 auto-install-peers=true
+# Particularly since we're installing them automatically, we want to know about
+# any conflicts
 strict-peer-dependencies=true
-# TODO: consider reworking the scripts to avoid usage of pre/post scripts
+# A lot of our scripts rely on pre and post scripts, so this is necessary for
+# now
 enable-pre-post-scripts=true
-use-node-version=18.14.2

docs/devops.md

@@ -450,48 +450,48 @@ sudo apt install build-essential
 
 Provisioning VMs with the Code
 
-1. Install `pnpm` globally.
+1. Install Node LTS.
 
-   ```console
-   curl -fsSL https://get.pnpm.io/install.sh | sh -
-   ```
+2. Install pnpm globally.
 
-2. Clone freeCodeCamp, setup env and keys.
+```console
+npm install -g pnpm
+```
 
-   ```console
-   git clone https://github.com/freeCodeCamp/freeCodeCamp.git
-   cd freeCodeCamp
-   git checkout prod-current # or any other branch to be deployed
-   ```
+3. Clone freeCodeCamp, setup env and keys.
 
-3. Create the `.env` from the secure credentials storage.
+```console
+git clone https://github.com/freeCodeCamp/freeCodeCamp.git
+cd freeCodeCamp
+git checkout prod-current # or any other branch to be deployed
+```
 
-4. Create the `google-credentials.json` from the secure credentials storage.
+4. Create the `.env` from the secure credentials storage.
 
 5. Install dependencies
 
-   ```console
-   pnpm install
-   ```
+```console
+pnpm install
+```
 
 6. Setup pm2 `logrotate` and startup on boot
   
-   ```console
-   pnpm pm2 install pm2-logrotate
-   pnpm pm2 startup
-   ```
+```console
+pnpm pm2 install pm2-logrotate
+pnpm pm2 startup
+```
 
 7. Build the server
 
-   ```console
-   pnpm prebuild && pnpm build:curriculum && pnpm build:server
-   ```
+```console
+pnpm prebuild && pnpm build:curriculum && pnpm build:server
+```
 
 8.  Start Instances
 
-   ```console
-   pnpm start:server
-   ```
+```console
+pnpm start:server
+```
 
 ### Logging and Monitoring
 
@@ -529,7 +529,7 @@ pnpm install
 3. Build the server
 
 ```console
-pnpm run create:config && pnpm run build:curriculum && pnpm run build:server
+pnpm create:config && pnpm build:curriculum && pnpm build:server
 ```
 
 4. Start Instances
@@ -541,12 +541,22 @@ pnpm start:server && pnpm pm2 logs
 #### 2. Rolling updates - Used for logical changes to code.
 
 ```console
-pnpm pm2 reload api-server/ecosystem.config.js && pnpm pm2 logs
+pnpm reload:server && pnpm pm2 logs
 ```
 
 > [!NOTE] We are handling rolling updates to code, logic, via pipelines. You
 > should not need to run these commands. These are here for documentation.
 
+#### 3. Updating Node
+
+1. Install new Node version
+
+2. Update pm2 to use the new version
+
+```console
+pnpm pm2 update
+```
+
 ## Work on Client Instances
 
 1. Install build tools for node binaries (`node-gyp`) etc.

package.json

@@ -74,13 +74,14 @@
     "lint:js": "eslint --max-warnings 0 .",
     "lint:ts": "tsc && tsc -p config && tsc -p tools/ui-components && tsc -p utils",
     "lint:prettier": "prettier --list-different .",
+    "reload:server": "pm2 reload api-server/ecosystem.config.js",
     "seed": "cross-env DEBUG=fcc:* node ./tools/scripts/seed/seed-demo-user",
     "seed:certified-user": "cross-env DEBUG=fcc:* node ./tools/scripts/seed/seed-demo-user certified-user",
     "serve:client": "cd ./client && pnpm run serve",
     "serve:client-ci": "cd ./client && pnpm run serve-ci",
     "start": "npm-run-all create:* -p develop:server serve:client",
     "start-ci": "npm-run-all create:* -p start:server serve:client-ci",
-    "start:server": "pnpm pm2 start api-server/ecosystem.config.js",
+    "start:server": "pm2 start api-server/ecosystem.config.js",
     "storybook": "cd ./tools/ui-components && pnpm run storybook",
     "test": "run-s create:* build:curriculum build-workers test:*",
     "test:source": "jest",