diff --git a/Dockerfile_ui b/Dockerfile_ui
index 1b1c4bcbe..3a94a8643 100644
--- a/Dockerfile_ui
+++ b/Dockerfile_ui
@@ -1,50 +1,44 @@
-# Multi-stage build for Taco UI
-FROM node:20-alpine AS builder
+# syntax=docker/dockerfile:1.7
+
+########### Builder: compile Vite/TypeScript/etc. ###########
+FROM node:22-alpine AS builder
 
 WORKDIR /app
 
-# Copy package files
+# Install ALL dependencies (including devDeps) — required for Vite, tsc, plugins, etc.
 COPY ui/package.json ui/package-lock.json ./
 
-# Install dependencies first
-# npm will automatically install correct platform-specific binaries (amd64 or arm64)
 RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/root/.npm \
-    npm ci && \
-    npm cache clean --force
+    npm ci
 
-# Copy source code (node_modules excluded via .dockerignore)
+# Copy source (node_modules should be excluded via .dockerignore)
 COPY ui/ ./
 
-# Build the application (with node adapter)
+# Build the app
 RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/root/.npm \
     npm run build
 
-# Production stage
-FROM node:20-alpine
+
+########### Runtime: minimal production image ###########
+FROM node:22-alpine AS runner
 
 WORKDIR /app
 
-# Copy package file
+# Set env before install so some libs can optimize for production
+ENV NODE_ENV=production
+ENV PORT=3030
+ENV HOST=0.0.0.0
+
+# Install only production deps
 COPY ui/package.json ui/package-lock.json ./
 
-# Install production dependencies only
-# npm will automatically install correct platform-specific binaries (amd64 or arm64)
 RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/root/.npm \
-    npm ci --omit=dev && \
-    npm cache clean --force
+    npm ci --omit=dev
 
-# Copy built application and server entry from builder
+# Bring in built assets and server entry from builder
 COPY --from=builder /app/dist ./dist
 COPY --from=builder /app/server-start.js ./
 
-# Expose port
 EXPOSE 3030
 
-# Set environment variables
-ENV NODE_ENV=production
-ENV PORT=3030
-ENV HOST=0.0.0.0
-
-# Start the Node.js production server
 CMD ["node", "server-start.js"]
-