diff --git a/.babelrc b/.babelrc
index e68d2fea..0171979d 100644
--- a/.babelrc
+++ b/.babelrc
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 {
+  "plugins": ["lodash"],
   "presets": ["es2015", "stage-2", "react"]
 }
diff --git a/.eslintrc.js b/.eslintrc.js
index 5dceb630..fb9325fb 100644
--- a/.eslintrc.js
+++ b/.eslintrc.js
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ module.exports = {
     "jest/no-focused-tests": "error",
     "jest/no-identical-title": "error",
     "jest/valid-expect": "error",
-    "no-confusing-arrow": ["error", {"allowParens": true}]
+    "no-confusing-arrow": ["error", {"allowParens": true}],
+    "no-plusplus": ["error", {"allowForLoopAfterthoughts": true}]
   },
   "plugins": [
     "jest",
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 8bc09423..4c5299a4 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -76,3 +76,4 @@ public/dist/
 
 # webstorm files
 .idea
+webpack-stats.json
diff --git a/Procfile b/Procfile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1d4a52e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Procfile
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+web: ./node_modules/.bin/forever build/app.js
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1bfd7f7b..7355bae2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ A phone banking solution powered by Twilio
 # local development (Mac)
 
 ## dev prerequisites
-- node v6.11.1
+- node v12.x
 - npm v3.10.10
 - postgres v9.6.3
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 41ce9502..a9197888 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
   "name": "phonebank",
   "version": "0.0.0",
   "private": true,
+  "engines": {
+    "node": "12.x"
+  },
   "scripts": {
     "babel": "babel --presets=env,es2015,stage-1 server --out-dir build",
     "db": "psql -U $PG_USER -d $PG_USER",
@@ -11,13 +14,16 @@
     "db:seed": "babel-node --presets env,es2015,stage-1 server/db/seed.js",
     "db:refresh": "npm run db:teardown && npm run db:setup && npm run db:seed",
     "lint": "eslint --ext js --ext jsx .",
-    "build": "webpack -d  --watch && cp public/index.html dist/index.html && webpack-dev-server --content-base src/ --inline",
-    "build:prod": "webpack -p && cp public/index.html dist/index.html",
+    "build": "webpack -d --watch",
+    "build:prod": "webpack -p",
+    "build:profile": "webpack --profile --json > webpack-stats.json",
     "start": "nodemon server/app.js --exec babel-node --presets env,es2015,stage-1",
     "test": "npm run lint && npm run test:server && npm run test:client",
     "test:client": "jest",
     "test:client:refresh": "jest --updateSnapshot",
-    "test:server": "PG_CONNECTION_STRING=$PG_CONNECTION_STRING_TEST DEBUG=true mocha './test/server' --recursive --compilers js:babel-core/register"
+    "test:server": "PG_CONNECTION_STRING=$PG_CONNECTION_STRING_TEST DEBUG=true mocha './test/server' --recursive --compilers js:babel-core/register",
+    "heroku-prebuild": "export NPM_CONFIG_PRODUCTION=false; npm install --only=dev",
+    "heroku-postbuild": "export NPM_CONFIG_PRODUCTION=true; npm run babel; npm run build:prod;"
   },
   "jest": {
     "verbose": true,
@@ -26,30 +32,32 @@
     }
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "axios": "^0.16.2",
+    "axios": "^0.20.0",
     "axios-mock-adapter": "^1.9.0",
-    "bcrypt": "^1.0.2",
-    "body-parser": "~1.17.1",
+    "bcrypt": "^5.0.0",
+    "body-parser": "^1.19.0",
     "bookshelf": "^0.10.4",
-    "bookshelf-bcrypt": "^2.1.0",
+    "bookshelf-bcrypt": "^3.0.2",
     "chai": "^4.1.0",
     "chai-as-promised": "^7.1.1",
     "chai-http": "^3.0.0",
-    "chart.js": "^2.7.0",
+    "chart.js": "^2.9.3",
     "concurrently": "^3.5.0",
     "cookie-parser": "~1.4.3",
+    "cryptiles": "^4.1.3",
     "csv-parse": "^1.2.1",
     "debug": "~2.6.3",
     "ejs": "^2.5.6",
-    "express": "~4.15.2",
+    "express": "^4.17.1",
     "express-fileupload": "^0.1.4",
     "faker": "^4.1.0",
+    "forever": "^0.15.3",
     "immutable": "^3.8.1",
     "jsonwebtoken": "^7.4.1",
-    "knex": "^0.13.0",
-    "lodash": "^4.17.4",
-    "moment": "^2.18.1",
-    "morgan": "~1.8.1",
+    "knex": "^0.21.5",
+    "lodash": "^4.17.20",
+    "moment": "^2.29.0",
+    "morgan": "^1.10.0",
     "passport": "^0.3.2",
     "passport-jwt": "^2.2.1",
     "passport-local": "^1.0.0",
@@ -70,20 +78,22 @@
     "redux-promise": "^0.5.3",
     "redux-promise-middleware": "^4.3.0",
     "redux-thunk": "^2.2.0",
-    "serve-favicon": "~2.4.2",
-    "twilio": "^3.6.5"
+    "serve-favicon": "^2.5.0",
+    "twilio": "^3.49.3"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
-    "babel-cli": "^6.24.1",
+    "babel-cli": "^6.26.0",
     "babel-core": "^6.25.0",
     "babel-jest": "^20.0.3",
     "babel-loader": "^7.1.1",
+    "babel-plugin-lodash": "^3.2.11",
     "babel-plugin-transform-runtime": "^6.23.0",
     "babel-preset-env": "^1.6.0",
     "babel-preset-es2015": "^6.24.1",
     "babel-preset-react": "^6.24.1",
     "babel-preset-stage-1": "^6.24.1",
-    "bootstrap": "^3.3.7",
+    "bootstrap": "^3.4.1",
+    "compression-webpack-plugin": "^1.0.0",
     "css-loader": "^0.28.4",
     "enzyme": "^2.9.1",
     "eslint": "^3.19.0",
@@ -94,6 +104,7 @@
     "eslint-plugin-react": "^7.1.0",
     "extract-text-webpack-plugin": "^3.0.0",
     "file-loader": "^0.11.2",
+    "html-webpack-plugin": "^2.30.1",
     "jest": "^20.0.4",
     "less": "^2.7.2",
     "less-loader": "^4.0.5",
@@ -104,7 +115,8 @@
     "request": "^2.81.0",
     "style-loader": "^0.18.2",
     "url-loader": "^0.5.9",
-    "webpack": "^3.3.0",
-    "webpack-dev-server": "^2.5.1"
+    "webpack": "^3.6.0",
+    "webpack-bundle-analyzer": "^2.9.0",
+    "webpack-dev-server": "^2.11.5"
   }
 }
diff --git a/public/index.html b/public/index.html
index 1ccfac1b..f674f973 100644
--- a/public/index.html
+++ b/public/index.html
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@
   </head>
   <body>
     <div id="root"></div>
-    <script src="/bundle.js"></script>
+    <% if (typeof htmlWebpackPlugin != "undefined") { for (var chunk in htmlWebpackPlugin.files.chunks) { %>
+    <script src="<%= htmlWebpackPlugin.files.chunks[chunk].entry %>"></script>
+    <% } } else { %>
+    <script src="/main.js"></script>
+    <% } %>
   </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/server/app.js b/server/app.js
index 46f5af67..2f2e1812 100644
--- a/server/app.js
+++ b/server/app.js
@@ -24,4 +24,10 @@ server.on('listening', errorHandle.onListening);
 middleware(app, express);
 // routes(app, express);
 
+app.get('*.js', (req, res, next) => {
+  req.url = `${req.url}.gz`;
+  res.set('Content-Encoding', 'gzip');
+  next();
+});
+
 export default server;
diff --git a/server/config/middleware.js b/server/config/middleware.js
index a1a95fc0..8f2963c0 100644
--- a/server/config/middleware.js
+++ b/server/config/middleware.js
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import logger from 'morgan';
 import bodyParser from 'body-parser';
 import path from 'path';
+import fs from 'fs';
+import ejs from 'ejs';
 import indexRouter from './routes/index';
 import scriptsRouter from './routes/scripts';
 import questionsRouter from './routes/questions';
@@ -18,7 +20,22 @@ export default function middleware(app, express) {
   app.use(bodyParser.json());
 
   // define where express should look for static assests
-  app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, '../../public/dist/src')));
+  const staticFilesDir = path.join(__dirname, '../../public/dist/src');
+  app.use(express.static(staticFilesDir));
+  app.get('/main.js', (req, res) => {
+    // redirect to latest build with content hash
+    try {
+      const files = fs.readdirSync(staticFilesDir);
+      for (let i = 0; i < files.length; i++) {
+        if (files[i].lastIndexOf('main') === 0) {
+          return res.redirect(files[i]);
+        }
+      }
+      return res.send('alert("No main.js found! You may need to run npm build.");');
+    } catch (error) {
+      return res.send('alert("No public/dist/src dir! You may need to run npm build.");');
+    }
+  });
 
   // use passport for authentication
   app.use(passport.initialize());
@@ -31,6 +48,8 @@ export default function middleware(app, express) {
   app.use('/users', usersRouter);
   app.use('/auth', authRouter);
   app.use('/campaigns', campaignsRouter);
+
+  app.engine('html', ejs.renderFile);
   app.use('*', indexRouter);
 
   // pass the logger
diff --git a/server/controllers/index.js b/server/controllers/index.js
index 85e570e7..9c6775a4 100644
--- a/server/controllers/index.js
+++ b/server/controllers/index.js
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 import path from 'path';
 
 export default function serveReactApp(req, res) {
-  res.sendFile(path.resolve(__dirname, '../../public/index.html'));
+  if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production') {
+    res.sendFile(path.resolve(__dirname, '../../public/dist/src/index.html'));
+  } else {
+    res.render(path.resolve(__dirname, '../../public/index.html'));
+  }
 }
diff --git a/server/db/db.js b/server/db/db.js
index 6440ad6d..dd6a0a12 100644
--- a/server/db/db.js
+++ b/server/db/db.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import knexModule from 'knex';
 
 const config = {
   client: 'pg',
-  connection: process.env.PG_CONNECTION_STRING,
+  connection: process.env.PG_CONNECTION_STRING || process.env.DATABASE_URL,
   debug: process.env.DEBUG
 };
 const knex = knexModule(config);
diff --git a/webpack.config.js b/webpack.config.js
index 328c48fd..9cbe2852 100644
--- a/webpack.config.js
+++ b/webpack.config.js
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 const path = require('path');
+const webpack = require('webpack');
 
 const SRC_DIR = path.resolve(__dirname, 'public');
 const DIST_DIR = path.resolve(__dirname, 'public/dist');
 
+const HtmlWebpackPlugin = require('html-webpack-plugin');
 const ExtractTextPlugin = require('extract-text-webpack-plugin');
+const CompressionPlugin = require('compression-webpack-plugin');
 
 const extractSass = new ExtractTextPlugin({
   filename: '[name].[contenthash].css',
@@ -14,7 +17,7 @@ module.exports = {
   entry: `${SRC_DIR}/src/index.jsx`,
   output: {
     path: `${DIST_DIR}/src/`,
-    filename: 'bundle.js',
+    filename: '[name].[chunkhash:8].js',
     publicPath: '/'
   },
   resolve: {
@@ -28,6 +31,7 @@ module.exports = {
         exclude: /node_modules/,
         loader: 'babel-loader',
         query: {
+          plugins: ['lodash'],
           presets: ['react', 'es2015', 'stage-1', 'env']
         }
       },
@@ -57,7 +61,21 @@ module.exports = {
     ]
   },
   plugins: [
-    new ExtractTextPlugin('style.css')
+    new HtmlWebpackPlugin({
+      inject: false,
+      template: 'public/index.html',
+    }),
+    new ExtractTextPlugin('style.css'),
+    new webpack.ContextReplacementPlugin(/moment[\/\\]locale$/, /en/), // add more locales here if needed
+    new webpack.optimize.UglifyJsPlugin(),
+    new webpack.optimize.AggressiveMergingPlugin(),
+    new CompressionPlugin({
+      asset: "[path].gz[query]",
+      algorithm: "gzip",
+      test: /\.js$|\.css$|\.html$/,
+      threshold: 10240,
+      minRatio: 0.8
+    })
   ]
 
 };