diff --git a/.dockerenv.example b/.dockerenv.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..324b7a5441
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.dockerenv.example
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+
+DOCKER_DEV_IMAGE=complat/dev:v1.10.3-37-ga95534401
+#DOCKER_PG_IMAGE=postgres:16
+## User another named volume for homedir (asdf, gems, etc)
+#VOLUME_NAME_HOMEDIR=homedir2
+#VOLUME_NAME_DB=database2
diff --git a/.tool-versions b/.tool-versions
index a2c2b48d42..10a935d975 100644
--- a/.tool-versions
+++ b/.tool-versions
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-nodejs 18.20.4 18.20.3
+nodejs 18.20.5 18.20.4
 ruby 2.7.8
diff --git a/Dockerfile.chemotion-dev b/Dockerfile.chemotion-dev
index 03022f78ef..626e418639 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.chemotion-dev
+++ b/Dockerfile.chemotion-dev
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 FROM --platform=linux/amd64 ubuntu:jammy
 
 ARG DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
+ARG FULL_BUILD=false
+ARG BRANCH=main
 
 RUN set -xe  && apt-get update -yqqq --fix-missing && apt-get upgrade -y
 RUN apt update && apt-get install -yqq --fix-missing bash ca-certificates wget apt-transport-https git gpg\
@@ -39,3 +41,27 @@ SHELL ["/bin/bash", "-c"]
 # Even if asdf and the related tools are only installed by running run-ruby-dev.sh, we set the PATH variables here, so when we enter the container via docker exec, we have the path set correctly
 ENV ASDF_DIR=/home/chemotion-dev/.asdf
 ENV PATH=/home/chemotion-dev/.asdf/shims:/home/chemotion-dev/.asdf/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin
+ENV NODE_PATH=/home/chemotion-dev/node_modules
+
+RUN git clone --single-branch --branch=$BRANCH https://github.com/complat/chemotion_ELN app
+
+# Install asdf if FULL_BUILD is set to true
+WORKDIR /home/chemotion-dev/app
+RUN if [ "$FULL_BUILD" = "true" ]; then \
+      ./prepare-asdf.sh; \
+    fi
+
+# Install ruby and nodejs if FULL_BUILD is set to true
+RUN if [ "$FULL_BUILD" = "true" ]; then \
+      ./prepare-rubygems.sh; \
+    fi
+
+# Install nodejs packages if FULL_BUILD is set to true
+RUN if [ "$FULL_BUILD" = "true" ]; then \
+      echo -e "--modules-folder ${NODE_PATH}\n" > /home/chemotion-dev/app/.yarnrc; \
+      ./prepare-nodejs.sh; \
+      ./prepare-nodejspkg.sh; \
+    fi
+
+WORKDIR /home/chemotion-dev
+RUN rm -rf /home/chemotion-dev/app
diff --git a/docker-compose.dev.yml b/docker-compose.dev.yml
index 54e5e8d198..85e0bf4a5b 100644
--- a/docker-compose.dev.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.dev.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #
 services:
   postgres:
-    image: 'postgres:14'
+    image: ${DOCKER_PG_IMAGE:-postgres:14}
     environment:
       - 'POSTGRES_HOST_AUTH_METHOD=trust'
     expose: # expose port to app container
@@ -19,12 +19,13 @@ services:
     ports: # expose port to host machine in case we want to use external db gui tools
       - '5432:5432'
     volumes:
-      - 'database:/var/lib/postgresql/data'
+      - ${VOLUME_NAME_DB:-database}:/var/lib/postgresql/data'
 
   app:
     build:
       context: '.'
       dockerfile: 'Dockerfile.chemotion-dev'
+    image: ${DOCKER_DEV_IMAGE:-}
     depends_on:
       - 'postgres'
     healthcheck:
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ services:
     ports: # expose default rails port to host machine
       - "3000:3000"
     volumes:
-      - 'homedir:/home/chemotion-dev/'
+      - ${VOLUME_NAME_HOMEDIR:-homedir}:/home/chemotion-dev/
       - '.:/home/chemotion-dev/app'
     working_dir: "/home/chemotion-dev/app"
     command: "./run-ruby-dev.sh"
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ services:
     build:
       context: '.'
       dockerfile: 'Dockerfile.chemotion-dev'
+    image: ${DOCKER_DEV_IMAGE:-}
     depends_on:
       app:
         condition: service_healthy
@@ -56,7 +58,7 @@ services:
       - 'SHAKAPACKER_DEV_SERVER_PORT=3035'
     env_file: ./.env
     volumes:
-      - 'homedir:/home/chemotion-dev/'
+      - ${VOLUME_NAME_HOMEDIR:-homedir}:/home/chemotion-dev/
       - '.:/home/chemotion-dev/app'
     ports: # expose webpacker dev server port to app container
       - '3035:3035'
diff --git a/prepare-nodejs.sh b/prepare-nodejs.sh
index 85f85087e5..d71ea0df67 100755
--- a/prepare-nodejs.sh
+++ b/prepare-nodejs.sh
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 set -e
 
+echo '>>> check nodejs version as set in package.json: install if mismatch, and correct .tool-versions'
 # Get the currently installed Node.js version using asdf
 CURRENT_NODE_VERSION=$(asdf current nodejs 2>/dev/null | awk '{print $2}')
 
diff --git a/prepare-nodejspkg.sh b/prepare-nodejspkg.sh
index 3811d13989..9d4f285a11 100755
--- a/prepare-nodejspkg.sh
+++ b/prepare-nodejspkg.sh
@@ -24,5 +24,4 @@ fi
 
 echo '>>> Installing JS packages...'
 yarn install --production=false
-yarn install
 
diff --git a/prepare-ruby-dev.sh b/prepare-ruby-dev.sh
index 280b54ed73..dfe3e47dfb 100755
--- a/prepare-ruby-dev.sh
+++ b/prepare-ruby-dev.sh
@@ -5,17 +5,14 @@
 # asdf-vm installation with ruby and nodejs plugins
 export ASDF_BRANCH=v0.14.0
 echo '>>> checking asdf installation'
-./prepare-asdf.sh
 
-# check nodejs version as set in package.json: install if mismatch, and correct .tool-versions'
-echo '>>> check nodejs version as set in package.json: install if mismatch, and correct .tool-versions'
-./prepare-nodejs.sh
+./prepare-asdf.sh
 
 # ruby gems installation
 ./prepare-rubygems.sh
 
 # node packages installation
-./prepare-nodejspkg.sh
+# ./prepare-nodejspkg.sh
 
 # prepare rails server
 rm -f tmp/pids/server.pid
diff --git a/run-js-dev.sh b/run-js-dev.sh
index a7d4005bf7..e38605f8c1 100755
--- a/run-js-dev.sh
+++ b/run-js-dev.sh
@@ -1,14 +1,19 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-if command -v yarn; then
-    echo '>>> yarn is installed -> continue'
+
+# if NODE_PATH is set, add --modules-folder option to .yarnrc and create a symlink to the node_modules folder
+if [ -z "$NODE_PATH" ]; then
+    echo ">>> NODE_PATH is not set"
 else
-    echo '>>> Missing yarn. Installing...'
-    npm install -g yarn
+    echo ">>> NODE_PATH is set to $NODE_PATH"
+#    echo ">>> Adding --modules-folder option to .yarnrc"
+#    echo -e "--modules-folder $NODE_PATH" > .yarnrc
+# create a symlink unless it already exists
+    [ -L "${HOME}/app/node_modules" ] || ln -s  "${NODE_PATH}/" "${HOME}/app/node_modules" 
 fi
 
-echo '>>> Installing JS packages...'
-yarn install
+
+./prepare-nodejspkg.sh
 
 echo "=========================================================================================================="
 echo "THIS WILL FAIL UNTIL THE RUBY GEMS ARE INSTALLED BY run-ruby-dev.sh. JUST TRY AGAIN AFTER INSTALLING THEM."