Local deployment setup: should support fast building

Author: olesho

Dockerfile.devtools

@@ -48,6 +48,16 @@ RUN /workspace/depot_tools/ensure_bootstrap
 # Build standard DevTools first (cached)
 RUN npm run build
 
+# Add Browser Operator fork and checkout main branch
+# This ensures the base has all Browser Operator customizations (ai_chat panel, etc.)
+RUN git remote add upstream https://github.com/BrowserOperator/browser-operator-core.git
+RUN git fetch upstream
+RUN git checkout upstream/main
+
+# Build Browser Operator version to ensure everything works
+# This catches any build issues in the base layer
+RUN npm run build
+
 # Create marker file to indicate base is built
 RUN touch /workspace/.devtools-base-built
 
@@ -56,21 +66,18 @@ RUN touch /workspace/.devtools-base-built
 # ==============================================================================
 FROM devtools-base AS devtools-local
 
-WORKDIR /workspace/devtools/devtools-frontend
-
-# Add Browser Operator fork
-RUN git remote add upstream https://github.com/BrowserOperator/browser-operator-core.git
-RUN git fetch upstream
-RUN git checkout upstream/main
+# Copy local changes from browser-operator-core submodule FIRST
+# This happens before checking out upstream, so we copy over the upstream code
+COPY browser-operator-core/front_end /workspace/devtools/devtools-frontend/front_end
+COPY browser-operator-core/eval-server /workspace/devtools/devtools-frontend/eval-server
 
-# This is where local changes would be copied in development mode
-# When building from submodule, copy local changes here:
-# COPY will be added by build script if browser-operator-core/ exists locally
+WORKDIR /workspace/devtools/devtools-frontend
 
 # Force automated mode
 RUN sed -i 's/AUTOMATED_MODE: false/AUTOMATED_MODE: true/' front_end/panels/ai_chat/core/BuildConfig.ts || true
 
-# Build Browser Operator version with current changes
+# Build Browser Operator version with local changes
+# This build is much faster since we're only building the changed files
 RUN npm run build
 
 # Create marker file

Makefile

@@ -43,10 +43,19 @@ build-devtools: init-devtools ## Build DevTools image (smart: uses cache)
 	docker build -f Dockerfile.devtools --target devtools-server -t browser-operator-devtools:latest .
 	@echo "✅ DevTools built: browser-operator-devtools:latest"
 
-rebuild-devtools: ## Force rebuild DevTools (use after code changes)
-	@echo "🔄 Force rebuilding DevTools..."
+rebuild-devtools: ## Fast rebuild DevTools with local changes (recommended)
+	@echo "🔄 Rebuilding DevTools with local changes (using cached base)..."
+	@if ! docker images | grep -q "browser-operator-devtools.*base"; then \
+		echo "❌ DevTools base not found. Building base first..."; \
+		$(MAKE) --no-print-directory build-devtools-base; \
+	fi
+	docker build -f Dockerfile.devtools --target devtools-server -t browser-operator-devtools:latest .
+	@echo "✅ DevTools rebuilt with your local changes"
+
+rebuild-devtools-full: ## Force complete rebuild from scratch (slow, rarely needed)
+	@echo "🔄 Force rebuilding DevTools from scratch (this will take ~30 minutes)..."
 	docker build -f Dockerfile.devtools --no-cache --target devtools-server -t browser-operator-devtools:latest .
-	@echo "✅ DevTools rebuilt"
+	@echo "✅ DevTools completely rebuilt"
 
 build: init build-devtools ## Build extended image with DevTools frontend
 	@echo "🔨 Building extended kernel-browser with DevTools frontend..."