[cheenamalhotra]

Summary

• Update README installation and getting-started guidance for Node.js 22+, including a connection example and platform-specific links.
• Document TDS 8.0 configuration and certificate validation behavior in the README and API option docs.
• Refresh the PR checklist and benchmark build instructions to match current scripts.

Validation

• git diff --check passed.

cc @arthurschreiber @saurabh500 @David-Engel

[codecov]

Codecov Report

✅ All modified and coverable lines are covered by tests.
✅ Project coverage is 83.72%. Comparing base (fd1149d) to head (814a141).

Additional details and impacted files

@@            Coverage Diff             @@
##           master    #1800      +/-   ##
==========================================
- Coverage   84.49%   83.72%   -0.77%     
==========================================
  Files          96       96              
  Lines        4720     4720              
  Branches      884      884              
==========================================
- Hits         3988     3952      -36     
- Misses        468      511      +43     
+ Partials      264      257       -7     

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