From 3c14b11097c999106427f48090bd4f734f5554e4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2025 21:11:16 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 01/60] #92: removed quickstart as base image and
 TARGET_NETWORK, as now only uses an external rpc server url via
 TARGET_NETWORK_RPC_URL

---
 .github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml |  16 +--
 Dockerfile                       |  10 +-
 Dockerfile.core                  |   8 --
 Makefile                         | 170 ++-----------------------------
 README.md                        | 165 ++++++++----------------------
 start                            |  70 +------------
 6 files changed, 60 insertions(+), 379 deletions(-)
 delete mode 100644 Dockerfile.core

diff --git a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
index 62022d8..0b0b573 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
@@ -19,16 +19,10 @@ env:
   # the only time system test image needs to be defined for a push is when it's a non 'v' tag creation
   PUSH_ENABLED: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN && github.ref_type == 'tag' && startsWith(github.ref_name, 'v') != true && 'true' || 'false' }}
   IMAGE: ${{ format('{0}/{1}:{2}', secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN && 'docker.io' || 'ghcr.io', github.repository, github.ref_type == 'tag' && github.ref_name || github.event.ref || 'latest') }}
-  CORE_GIT_REF: https://github.com/stellar/stellar-core.git#master
-  STELLAR_RPC_GIT_REF: https://github.com/stellar/stellar-rpc.git#protocol-23
-  RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION: stable
   SOROBAN_CLI_GIT_REF: https://github.com/stellar/soroban-tools.git#main
-  QUICKSTART_GIT_REF: https://github.com/stellar/quickstart.git#main
   # leaving sdk npm version blank defaults to whatever npm has for latest version
   # rather than build from git source, which is fine for ci test build
   JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION:
-  RS_XDR_GIT_REPO: https://github.com/stellar/rs-stellar-xdr
-  RS_XDR_GIT_REF: main
 jobs:
   complete:
     if: always()
@@ -48,16 +42,10 @@ jobs:
         ref: ${{ env.HEAD_SHA }}
     - name: Build System Test Image
       run: |
-        make CORE_GIT_REF=${{ env.CORE_GIT_REF }} \
-             CORE_COMPILE_CONFIGURE_FLAGS="${{ env.CORE_COMPILE_CONFIGURE_FLAGS }}" \
-             STELLAR_RPC_GIT_REF=${{ env.STELLAR_RPC_GIT_REF }} \
-             RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=${{ env.RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION }} \
-             SOROBAN_CLI_GIT_REF=${{ env.SOROBAN_CLI_GIT_REF }} \
+        make SOROBAN_CLI_GIT_REF=${{ env.SOROBAN_CLI_GIT_REF }} \
              SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' && env.IMAGE || 'stellar/system-test:dev' }} \
              JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=${{ env.JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION }} \
-             RS_XDR_GIT_REPO=${{ env.RS_XDR_GIT_REPO }} \
-             RS_XDR_GIT_REF=${{ env.RS_XDR_GIT_REF }} \
-             QUICKSTART_GIT_REF=${{ env.QUICKSTART_GIT_REF }} build;
+             build;
     - if: ${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' }}
       name: Save Docker Image to file
       run: |
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 9b33967..988bce7 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-ARG QUICKSTART_IMAGE_REF=stellar/quickstart:soroban-dev
+ARG BASE_IMAGE_REF=ubuntu:24.04
 ARG STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF=stellar/system-test-soroban-cli:dev
 
 FROM golang:1.24 AS go
@@ -22,13 +22,13 @@ ADD features/dapp_develop/dapp_develop.feature ./bin
 ADD features/dapp_develop/soroban_config.exp ./bin
 
 FROM $STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF AS stellar-cli
-FROM $QUICKSTART_IMAGE_REF AS base
+FROM $BASE_IMAGE_REF AS base
 
 ARG RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION
 ARG NODE_VERSION
 
 ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
-RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y build-essential expect git libdbus-1-dev libudev-dev && apt-get clean
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y build-essential expect curl jq git libdbus-1-dev libudev-dev  && apt-get clean
 
 # Install Rust
 RUN ["mkdir", "-p", "/rust"]
@@ -38,14 +38,12 @@ ENV RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=$RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION
 ENV PATH="/usr/local/go/bin:$CARGO_HOME/bin:${PATH}"
 RUN curl https://sh.rustup.rs -sSf | sh -s -- -y --default-toolchain "$RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION"
 RUN rustup show active-toolchain || rustup toolchain install
-# Older toolchain to compile soroban examples
-RUN rustup toolchain install 1.81-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
 # Wasm toolchain to compile contracts
 RUN rustup target add wasm32v1-none
 
 # Use a non-root user
 ARG USERNAME=tester
-ARG USER_UID=1000
+ARG USER_UID=1018
 ARG USER_GID=$USER_UID
 RUN groupadd --gid $USER_GID $USERNAME \
     && useradd --uid $USER_UID --gid $USER_GID -m $USERNAME \
diff --git a/Dockerfile.core b/Dockerfile.core
deleted file mode 100644
index 41cca6d..0000000
--- a/Dockerfile.core
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-ARG CORE_IMAGE=
-
-FROM $CORE_IMAGE AS stellar-core
-
-FROM ubuntu
-ARG CORE_IMAGE_BIN_PATH=
-
-COPY --from=stellar-core ${CORE_IMAGE_BIN_PATH} /usr/local/bin/stellar-core
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 91c22f2..44b7daa 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2,39 +2,20 @@ SHELL:=/bin/bash
 MAKEFILE_DIR:=$(dir $(abspath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))
 
 .EXPORT_ALL_VARIABLES:
-.PHONY: build build-quickstart build-core build-friendbot build-horizon build-stellar-rpc
+.PHONY: build 
 
 SYSTEM_TEST_SHA=$(shell git rev-parse HEAD)
-QUICKSTART_STAGE_IMAGE=stellar/system-test-base:dev
-CORE_STAGE_IMAGE=stellar/system-test-core:dev
-HORIZON_STAGE_IMAGE=stellar/system-test-horizon:dev
-RS_XDR_STAGE_IMAGE=stellar/system-test-rs-xdr:dev
-FRIENDBOT_STAGE_IMAGE=stellar/system-test-friendbot:dev
-STELLAR_RPC_STAGE_IMAGE=stellar/system-test-stellar-rpc:dev
 STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE=stellar/system-test-stellar-cli:dev
-LAB_STAGE_IMAGE=stellar/system-test-stellar-laboratory:dev
 
 # The rest of these variables can be set as environment variables to the makefile
 # to modify how system test is built.
 
-# The default protocol version that the image should start with. Should
-# typically be set to the maximum supported protocol version of all components.
-# If not set will default to the core max supported protocol version in quickstart.
-PROTOCOL_VERSION_DEFAULT=23
-
 # variables to set for source code, can be any valid docker context url local
 # path github remote repo `https://github.com/repo#<ref>`
-CORE_GIT_REF=https://github.com/stellar/stellar-core.git\#master
-STELLAR_RPC_GIT_REF=https://github.com/stellar/stellar-rpc.git\#main
 STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF=https://github.com/stellar/stellar-cli.git\#main
-GO_GIT_REF=https://github.com/stellar/go.git\#master
-RS_XDR_GIT_REPO=https://github.com/stellar/rs-stellar-xdr
-RS_XDR_GIT_REF=main
-QUICKSTART_GIT_REF=https://github.com/stellar/quickstart.git\#main
 
-# specify the published npm repo version of soroban-client js library,
-# or you can specify gh git ref url as the version
-JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=https://github.com/stellar/js-stellar-sdk.git\#master
+# if crate version is set, then it overrides STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF, cli will be installed from this create instead
+STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION=
 
 # variables to set if wanting to use existing dockerhub images instead of compiling
 # image during build. if using this option, the image ref should provide a version for same
@@ -42,82 +23,20 @@ JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=https://github.com/stellar/js-stellar-sdk.git\#master
 #
 # image must have soroban cli bin at /usr/local/cargo/bin/soroban
 STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE=
-#
-# image must have soroban rpc bin at /bin/stellar-rpc
-STELLAR_RPC_IMAGE=
-#
-# image must have horizon bin at /go/bin/horizon
-HORIZON_IMAGE=
-#
-# image must have friendbot bin at /app/friendbot
-FRIENDBOT_IMAGE=
-#
-# image must have the bin at /usr/local/cargo/bin/stellar-xdr
-RS_XDR_IMAGE=
-#
-# image with stellar-core binary, assumes core bin at /usr/local/bin/stellar-core
-CORE_IMAGE=
-# define a custom path that core bin is located on CORE_IMAGE, other than /usr/local/bin/stellar-core
-CORE_IMAGE_BIN_PATH=
-#
-# a prebuilt 'soroban-dev' image from the quickstart repo, if this is supplied,
-# the other core, rpc, horizon, friendbot config settings are mostly ignored, since the quickstart image
-# has them compiled in already. the 'stellar/quickstart' images also support multi-arch, so the build will
-# work those images whether the build host is arm64 or amd64.
-QUICKSTART_IMAGE=
 
+# defauult node version to install in system test image
 NODE_VERSION?=20.19.4
 
-# if crate version is set, then it overrides STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF, cli will be installed from this create instead
-STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION=
+# specify the published npm repo version of soroban-client js library,
+# or you can specify gh git ref url as the version
+JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=https://github.com/stellar/js-stellar-sdk.git\#master
 
 # sets the rustc version in the system test image
 RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=stable
 
-# temporarily needed, builds core with soroban enabled features
-CORE_COMPILE_CONFIGURE_FLAGS=--disable-tests
-
 # the final image name that is created in local docker images store for system test
 SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=stellar/system-test:dev
 
-build-friendbot:
-	if [ -z "$(QUICKSTART_IMAGE)" ] && [ -z "$(FRIENDBOT_IMAGE)" ]; then \
-		SOURCE_URL="$(GO_GIT_REF)"; \
-		if [[ ! "$(GO_GIT_REF)" =~ \.git ]]; then \
-			pushd "$(GO_GIT_REF)"; \
-			SOURCE_URL=.; \
-		fi; \
-		docker build -t "$(FRIENDBOT_STAGE_IMAGE)" \
-		--build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
-		-f services/friendbot/docker/Dockerfile "$$SOURCE_URL"; \
-	fi
-
-build-rs-xdr:
-	if [ -z "$(QUICKSTART_IMAGE)" ] && [ -z "$(RS_XDR_IMAGE)" ]; then \
-		SOURCE_URL="$(QUICKSTART_GIT_REF)"; \
-		if [[ ! "$(QUICKSTART_GIT_REF)" =~ \.git ]]; then \
-			pushd "$(QUICKSTART_GIT_REF)"; \
-			SOURCE_URL=.; \
-		fi; \
-		docker build -t "$(RS_XDR_STAGE_IMAGE)" --target builder \
-		--build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
-		--build-arg REPO=$$RS_XDR_GIT_REPO \
-		--build-arg REF=$$RS_XDR_GIT_REF \
-		-f Dockerfile.xdr "$$SOURCE_URL"; \
-	fi
-
-build-stellar-rpc:
-	if [ -z "$(QUICKSTART_IMAGE)" ] && [ -z "$(STELLAR_RPC_IMAGE)" ]; then \
-		SOURCE_URL="$(STELLAR_RPC_GIT_REF)"; \
-		if [[ ! "$(STELLAR_RPC_GIT_REF)" =~ \.git ]]; then \
-			pushd "$(STELLAR_RPC_GIT_REF)"; \
-			SOURCE_URL=.; \
-		fi; \
-		docker build -t "$(STELLAR_RPC_STAGE_IMAGE)" --target build \
-		--build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
-		-f cmd/stellar-rpc/docker/Dockerfile "$$SOURCE_URL"; \
-	fi
-
 build-stellar-cli:
 	if [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ]; then \
 		DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION=rust:$$( [ "$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION)" = "stable" ] && echo "latest" || echo "$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION)"); \
@@ -128,83 +47,10 @@ build-stellar-cli:
 		-f- $(STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF) < $(MAKEFILE_DIR)Dockerfile.stellar-cli; \
 	fi
 
-build-horizon:
-	if [ -z "$(QUICKSTART_IMAGE)" ] && [ -z "$(HORIZON_IMAGE)" ]; then \
-		SOURCE_URL="$(GO_GIT_REF)"; \
-		if [[ ! "$(GO_GIT_REF)" =~ \.git ]]; then \
-			pushd "$(GO_GIT_REF)"; \
-			SOURCE_URL=.; \
-		fi; \
-		docker build -t "$(HORIZON_STAGE_IMAGE)" \
-		--build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
-		--target builder -f services/horizon/docker/Dockerfile.dev "$$SOURCE_URL"; \
-	fi
-
-build-core:
-	if [ -z "$(QUICKSTART_IMAGE)" ] && [ -z "$(CORE_IMAGE)" ]; then \
-		SOURCE_URL="$(CORE_GIT_REF)"; \
-		if [[ ! "$(CORE_GIT_REF)" =~ \.git ]]; then \
-			pushd "$(CORE_GIT_REF)"; \
-			SOURCE_URL=.; \
-		fi; \
-		docker build -t "$(CORE_STAGE_IMAGE)" \
-		--build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
-		--build-arg CONFIGURE_FLAGS="$(CORE_COMPILE_CONFIGURE_FLAGS)" \
-		-f docker/Dockerfile.testing "$$SOURCE_URL"; \
-	fi; \
-	if [ ! -z "$(CORE_IMAGE)" ] && [ ! -z "$(CORE_IMAGE_BIN_PATH)" ]; then \
-		docker build -t "$(CORE_STAGE_IMAGE)" \
-		--build-arg CORE_IMAGE="$(CORE_IMAGE)" \
-		--build-arg CORE_IMAGE_BIN_PATH="$(CORE_IMAGE_BIN_PATH)" \
-		-f Dockerfile.core .; \
-	fi
-
-build-lab:
-	# only build if we don't have a qs image
-	if [ -z "$(QUICKSTART_IMAGE)" ]; then \
-		SOURCE_URL="$(QUICKSTART_GIT_REF)"; \
-		if [[ ! "$(QUICKSTART_GIT_REF)" =~ \.git ]]; then \
-			pushd "$(QUICKSTART_GIT_REF)"; \
-			SOURCE_URL=.; \
-		fi; \
-		docker build -t "$(LAB_STAGE_IMAGE)" \
-			--build-arg NEXT_PUBLIC_COMMIT_HASH=main \
-			--build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
-			-f Dockerfile.lab "$$SOURCE_URL"; \
-	fi
-
-build-quickstart: build-lab build-core build-friendbot build-horizon build-rs-xdr build-stellar-rpc
-	if [ -z "$(QUICKSTART_IMAGE)" ]; then \
-		CORE_IMAGE_REF=$$( [[ -z "$(CORE_IMAGE)"  ||  ! -z "$(CORE_IMAGE_BIN_PATH)" ]] && echo "$(CORE_STAGE_IMAGE)" || echo "$(CORE_IMAGE)"); \
-		HORIZON_IMAGE_REF=$$( [ -z "$(HORIZON_IMAGE)" ] && echo "$(HORIZON_STAGE_IMAGE)" || echo "$(HORIZON_IMAGE)"); \
-		FRIENDBOT_IMAGE_REF=$$( [ -z "$(FRIENDBOT_IMAGE)" ] && echo "$(FRIENDBOT_STAGE_IMAGE)" || echo "$(FRIENDBOT_IMAGE)"); \
-		STELLAR_RPC_IMAGE_REF=$$( [ -z "$(STELLAR_RPC_IMAGE)" ] && echo "$(STELLAR_RPC_STAGE_IMAGE)" || echo "$(STELLAR_RPC_IMAGE)"); \
-		RS_XDR_IMAGE_REF=$$( [ -z "$(RS_XDR_IMAGE)" ] && echo "$(RS_XDR_STAGE_IMAGE)" || echo "$(RS_XDR_IMAGE)"); \
-		SOURCE_URL="$(QUICKSTART_GIT_REF)"; \
-		if [[ ! "$(QUICKSTART_GIT_REF)" =~ \.git ]]; then \
-			pushd "$(QUICKSTART_GIT_REF)"; \
-			SOURCE_URL=.; \
-		fi; \
-		docker build -t "$(QUICKSTART_STAGE_IMAGE)" \
-			--build-arg PROTOCOL_VERSION_DEFAULT=$$PROTOCOL_VERSION_DEFAULT \
-			--build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
-			--build-arg STELLAR_CORE_IMAGE_REF=$$CORE_IMAGE_REF \
-			--build-arg STELLAR_XDR_IMAGE_REF=$$RS_XDR_IMAGE_REF \
-			--build-arg CORE_SUPPORTS_ENABLE_SOROBAN_DIAGNOSTIC_EVENTS=true \
-			--build-arg CORE_SUPPORTS_TESTING_SOROBAN_HIGH_LIMIT_OVERRIDE=true \
-			--build-arg HORIZON_IMAGE_REF=$$HORIZON_IMAGE_REF \
-			--build-arg FRIENDBOT_IMAGE_REF=$$FRIENDBOT_IMAGE_REF \
-			--build-arg STELLAR_RPC_IMAGE_REF=$$STELLAR_RPC_IMAGE_REF \
-			--build-arg LAB_IMAGE_REF=$(LAB_STAGE_IMAGE) \
-			-f Dockerfile "$$SOURCE_URL"; \
-	fi
-
-build: build-quickstart build-stellar-cli
-	QUICKSTART_IMAGE_REF=$$( [ -z "$(QUICKSTART_IMAGE)" ] && echo "$(QUICKSTART_STAGE_IMAGE)" || echo "$(QUICKSTART_IMAGE)"); \
+build: build-stellar-cli
 	STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF=$$( [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ] && echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" || echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)"); \
 	docker build -t "$(SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE)" -f Dockerfile \
 	    --build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
-		--build-arg QUICKSTART_IMAGE_REF=$$QUICKSTART_IMAGE_REF \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION=$(STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION) \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF=$$STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF \
 		--build-arg RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION) \
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index abfa376..98541b4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,74 +2,33 @@
 
 ### Running system tests:
 
-Identify the system-test image you want to use for running tests:
+Identify the quickstart image you want to use as target for running tests. Quickstart contains the server stack of core, rpc:
 
 - Use a prebuilt system test image published as tags under
-  `dockerhub.io/stellar/system-test`
-- Build the system test docker image locally with specific versions of core,
-  horizon, soroban rpc, rust toolchain, stellar cli, this will create a docker
-  image named `stellar/system-test:dev`. All `GIT_REF` variables can refer to
+  `dockerhub.io/stellar/quickstart`
+- Or build the system test docker image locally with specific versions of cli and stellar-js-sdk,
+  this will create a docker image named `stellar/system-test:dev`. All `GIT_REF` variables can refer to
   either a fully qualified local path to checked out git repo, or a fully
   qualified github remote repo url `https://github.com/repo#<ref>`
 
 ```
 make
-     QUICKSTART_GIT_REF=? \
-     CORE_GIT_REF=? \
-     CORE_COMPILE_CONFIGURE_FLAGS=? \
-     STELLAR_RPC_GIT_REF=? \
      STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF=? \
-     GO_GIT_REF=? \
      RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=? \
      STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION=? \
      JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=? \
      NODE_VERSION=? \
-     PROTOCOL_VERSION_DEFAULT=? \
      build
 ```
 
-example of build using specific git refs, mainline from repos in this example,
-or use tags, branches, etc:
+all settings have defaults pre-set, and optionally be overriden, refer to the Makefile for the defaulted values.
 
-```
-make CORE_GIT_REF=https://github.com/stellar/stellar-core.git#f1dc39f0f146815e5e3a94ed162e2f0639cb433f \
-       CORE_COMPILE_CONFIGURE_FLAGS="--disable-tests --enable-next-protocol-version-unsafe-for-production" \
-       STELLAR_RPC_GIT_REF=https://github.com/stellar/soroban-tools.git#main \
-       RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=stable \
-       STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF=https://github.com/stellar/soroban-tools.git#main \
-       QUICKSTART_GIT_REF=https://github.com/stellar/quickstart.git#main \
-       JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=https://github.com/stellar/js-stellar-sdk.git#master \
-       build
-```
-
-example of build using an existing quickstart image, this can dramatically speed
-up the build time, as the existing quickstart image will provide the
-pre-compiled rpc, and core runtimes already:
-
-```
-make QUICKSTART_IMAGE=stellar/quickstart:soroban-dev \
-       RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=1.66.0 \
-       STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF=/Users/user/stellar-cli-build
-```
-
-some settings have defaults pre-set, and optionally be overriden:
+#### Optional Build Params
 
 ```
+# cli will be compiled from this git ref
 STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF=https://github.com/stellar/stellar-cli.git#main
-STELLAR_RPC_GIT_REF=https://github.com/stellar/stellar-rpc.git#main
-RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=stable
-QUICKSTART_GIT_REF=https://github.com/stellar/quickstart.git#main
-# the GO_GIT_REF provides the reference on the stellar/go repo from which
-# to build horizon
-GO_GIT_REF=https://github.com/stellar/go.git#master
-CORE_COMPILE_CONFIGURE_FLAGS="--disable-tests"
-CORE_GIT_REF=https://github.com/stellar/stellar-core.git#master
-JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=https://github.com/stellar/js-stellar-sdk.git#master
-```
 
-optional params to set:
-
-```
 # this will override STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF, and install stellar cli from crates repo instead
 STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION=0.4.0
 
@@ -86,42 +45,26 @@ JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=https://github.com/stellar/js-stellar-sdk.git#master
 # platform arch as the build host is running on, i.e. linux/amd64 or linux/arm64.
 # Otherwise, build will fail if image is not available for matching host platform.
 #
-# this will skip building from source for core(CORE_GIT_REF), rpc(STELLAR_RPC_GIT_REF) and quickstart(QUICKSTART_GIT_REF), instead
-# will use the versions already compiled in the existing quickstart docker image provided:
-QUICKSTART_IMAGE=<docker registry>/<docker image name>:<docker tag>
-
-# this will skip building core from CORE_GIT_REF and instead
-# will use the `stellar-core` by default at /usr/local/bin/stellar-core in the existing docker image provided:
-CORE_IMAGE=<docker registry>/<docker image name>:<docker tag>
-
-# define a custom path that `stellar-core` bin is located on CORE_IMAGE,
-# to override the default of /usr/local/bin/stellar-core
-CORE_IMAGE_BIN_PATH=
-
-# this will skip building stellar-rpc from STELLAR_RPC_GIT_REF and instead
-# will use the bin already compiled at /bin/stellar-rpc in the existing docker image provided:
-STELLAR_RPC_IMAGE=<docker registry>/<docker image name>:<docker tag>
 
 # this will skip building stellar-cli from STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF and instead
 # will use the bin already compiled at /usr/local/cargo/bin/soroban in the existing docker image provided:
 STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE=<docker registry>/<docker image name>:<docker tag>
+```
+
+#### Required runtime params
 
-# this will skip building horizon from GO_GIT_REF and instead
-# will use the bin already compiled at /go/bin/horizon in the existing docker image provided:
-HORIZON_IMAGE=<docker registry>/<docker image name>:<docker tag>
+Set the target network to test. This just needs to be the RPC server of the network. It can be from a running quickstart instance or testnet or pubnet:
+  `--TargetNetworkRPCURL {http://<rpc_host:rpc_port>/soroban/rpc}`
 
-# this will skip building friendbot from GO_GIT_REF and instead
-# will use the bin already compiled at /app/friendbot in the existing docker image provided:
-FRIENDBOT_IMAGE=<docker registry>/<docker image name>:<docker tag>
+Note - If you are running quickstart as a docker container on the same host machine, then specify the rpc url as `--TargetNetworkRPCURL http://host.docker.internal:8000/rpc` to use Docker's convention to reference host network. 
 
-# set the default network protocol version which the internal core runtime built from `CORE_GIT_REF` should start with.
-# Should typically be set to the maximum supported protocol version of all components.
-# If not set or set to empty, will default to the core max supported protocol version defined in quickstart.
-PROTOCOL_VERSION_DEFAULT=
-```
+#### Optional runtime params
 
-Optional parameters to pass when running the system-test image,
-`stellar/system-test:<tag>`:
+System test will by default use the network settings for `local` network from quickstart. 
+If `TargetNetworkRPCURL` is pointed at any stellar network other than a `local` network instance provided from quickstart, then you'll need to provide the network specifics. 
+`--TargetNetworkPassphrase "{passphrase}"`
+`--TargetNetworkTestAccountSecret "{your test account key pair info}"`
+`--TargetNetworkTestAccountPublic "{your test account key pair info}"`
 
 To specify git version of the smart contract source code used in soroban test
 fixtures. `--SorobanExamplesGitHash {branch, tag, git commit hash}`
@@ -134,46 +77,12 @@ scenario outline is postfixed with '#01', '#02', examples:
 or
 `--TestFilter "^TestDappDevelop$/^DApp developer compiles, deploys and invokes a contract#01$"`
 
-The default target network for system tests is a new/empty instance of local
-network hosted inside the docker container, tests will use the default root
-account already seeded into local network. Alternatively, can override the
-network settings for local and remote usages:
-
-- Tests will use an internally hosted core watcher node:
-  `--TargetNetwork {standalone|futurenet|testnet}`
-- Tests will use an external rpc instance and the container will not run core,
-  horizon, rpc services internally:
-  `--TargetNetworkRPCURL {http://<rpc_host:rpc_port>/soroban/rpc}`
-- Tests use these settings in either target network mode, and these are by
-  default set to work with local: `--TargetNetworkPassphrase "{passphrase}"`
-  `--TargetNetworkTestAccountSecret "{your test account key pair info}"`
-  `--TargetNetworkTestAccountPublic "{your test account key pair info}"`
-
-Debug mode, the docker container will exit with error code when any pre-setup or
-test fails to pass, you can enable DEBUG_MODE flag, and the container will stay
-running, prompting you for enter key before shutting down, make sure you invoke
-docker with `-it` so the prompt will reach your command line. While container is
-kept running, you can shell into it via `docker exec -it <container id or name>`
-and view log files of services in the stack such as core, rpc located in
-container at `/var/log/supervisor`. `--DebugMode=true`
+Set verbose logging output `--VerboseOutput true` 
 
-The docker run follows standard exit code conventions, so if all tests pass in
-the container run, exit code from command line execution will be 0, otherwise,
-if any failures in container or tests, then exit code will be greater than 0.
+#### Running Tests
 
-#### Running Test Examples
-
-- Run tests against an instance of core and rpc on a local network all running
-  in the test container:
-
-  ```
-  docker run --rm -t --name e2e_test stellar/system-test:<tag> \
-  --VerboseOutput true
-  ```
-
-- Run tests against a remote instance of rpc configured for testnet, this will
-  not run core or rpc instances locally in the test container. It requires you
-  provide a key pair of an account that is funded with Lumens on the target
+- Run tests against a remote instance of rpc hosted on a quickstart configured for testnet. 
+  The tests requires you provide a key pair of an account that is funded with Lumens on the target
   network for the tests to use as source account on transactions it will submit
   to target network:
 
@@ -184,9 +93,23 @@ if any failures in container or tests, then exit code will be greater than 0.
   --TargetNetworkPassphrase "Test SDF Network ; September 2015" \
   --TargetNetworkTestAccountSecret <your test account key pair info> \
   --TargetNetworkTestAccountPublic <your test account key pair info> \
-  --SorobanExamplesGitHash v20.0.0-rc2
+  --SorobanExamplesGitHash v22.0.1
   ```
 
+#### Debug test failures
+Use `--VerboseOutput true` and may need to check the lops of the rpc server instance if you have access to those at same time.
+
+The docker container will exit with error code when any pre-setup or
+test fails to pass, you can enable DEBUG_MODE flag, and the container will stay
+running, prompting you for depressing enter key before shutting down, make sure you invoke
+docker with `-it` so the prompt will reach your command line. While container is
+kept running, you can shell into it via `docker exec -it <container id or name>`
+and manually re-run tests in container, check local outputs. 
+
+The docker run follows standard exit code conventions, so if all tests pass in
+the container run, exit code from command line execution will be 0, otherwise,
+if any failures in container or tests, then exit code will be greater than 0.
+
 ### Development mode and running tests directly from checked out system-test repo.
 
 This approach allows to run the tests from source code directly on host as go
@@ -200,17 +123,11 @@ tests, no docker image is used.
     https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install
 3.  `stellar` cli, compile or install via cargo crate a version of stellar cli
     onto your machine and accessible from PATH.
-4.  target network stack for the tests to access stellar-rpc instance. You can
-    use an existing/running instance if reachable or can use the quickstart
-    image `stellar/quickstart:testing` from dockerhub to run the latest stable
-    target network stack locally, or build quickstart with specific versions of
-    core, horizon and soroban rpc first
-    [following these instructions](https://github.com/stellar/quickstart#building-custom-images)
-    and run `stellar/quickstart:dev` locally.
+4.  run an instance of RPC locally by running quickstart on a local network such as `stellar/quickstart:latest`.
     ```
-    docker run --rm -it -p 8000:8000 --name stellar stellar/quickstart:dev --local --enable rpc
+    docker run --rm -it -p 8000:8000 --name stellar stellar/quickstart:latest --local 
     ```
-5.  locally checkout stellar/system-test GH repo and go into top folder -
+5.  locally checkout stellar/system-test 
     `git clone https://github.com/stellar/system-test.git;cd system-test`
 
 #### Running tests locally as go programs
diff --git a/start b/start
index 8102a0a..ec09084 100755
--- a/start
+++ b/start
@@ -5,17 +5,14 @@ set -o pipefail
 # the versions of software that tests will use
 SOROBAN_EXAMPLES_GIT_HASH="main"
 SOROBAN_EXAMPLES_REPO_URL="https://github.com/stellar/soroban-examples.git"
-DEBUG_MODE=
+DEBUG_MODE=false
 
 # the target network under test
-TARGET_NETWORK=
+# defaults to local quickstart network settings
 TARGET_NETWORK_PASSPHRASE="Standalone Network ; February 2017"
 TARGET_NETWORK_SECRET_KEY="SC5O7VZUXDJ6JBDSZ74DSERXL7W3Y5LTOAMRF7RQRL3TAGAPS7LUVG3L"
 TARGET_NETWORK_PUBLIC_KEY="GBZXN7PIRZGNMHGA7MUUUF4GWPY5AYPV6LY4UV2GL6VJGIQRXFDNMADI"
-TARGET_NETWORK_RPC_URL=
-QUICKSTART_LOG_FILE=/var/log/system-test-quickstart.log
-LOCAL_CORE=false
-ENABLE_SOROBAN_DIAGNOSTIC_EVENTS=--enable-soroban-diagnostic-events
+TARGET_NETWORK_RPC_URL="http://host.docker.internal:8000/rpc"
 
 # example filter for all combos of one scenario outline: ^TestDappDevelop$/^DApp developer compiles, deploys and invokes a contract.*$
 # each row in example data for a scenario outline is postfixed with '#01', '#02', example:
@@ -41,15 +38,6 @@ printout() {
 
 trap finish EXIT
 function finish {
-  if [ -z "$TARGET_NETWORK_RPC_URL" ] && [ $? -ne 0 ] && [ "$VERBOSE_OUTPUT" != "true" ]; then
-    # dump the local server logs if they were running in container.
-    echo "" >&2
-    echo "" >&2
-    echo "dumping system log output $QUICKSTART_LOG_FILE ..." >&2
-    echo "" >&2
-    echo "" >&2
-    cat $QUICKSTART_LOG_FILE >&2
-  fi  
   
   CANCELLED=true
   if [ "$DEBUG_MODE" = "true" ]; then
@@ -61,56 +49,17 @@ function finish {
 function main() {
   process_args "$@"
 
-  if [ ! -z "$TARGET_NETWORK_RPC_URL" ] && [ ! -z "$TARGET_NETWORK" ]; then
-      echo "Invalid TargetNetwork config, must set TargetNetwork or TargetNetworkRPCURL, aborting test ..." >&2
-      exit 1
-  fi  
-
-  if [ -z "$TARGET_NETWORK_RPC_URL" ] && \
-     [ "$TARGET_NETWORK" != "standalone" ] && \
-     [ "$TARGET_NETWORK" != "local" ] && \
-     [ "$TARGET_NETWORK" != "futurenet" && ] && \
-     [ "$TARGET_NETWORK" != "testnet" && ]; then
-      echo "Invalid TargetNetwork, must be one of: standalone or local(both mean the same), futurenet, or testnet, aborting test ..." >&2
+  if [ -z "$TARGET_NETWORK_RPC_URL" ]; then
+      echo "Invalid, TargetNetworkRPCUrl must be set" >&2
       exit 1
   fi  
 
-  if [ -z "$TARGET_NETWORK_RPC_URL" ]; then
-
-    TARGET_NETWORK_RPC_URL=http://localhost:8000/rpc
-    LOCAL_CORE=true
-    print_screen_output "starting target stack on $TARGET_NETWORK with following server versions:"
-    print_screen_output "  CORE VERSION=$(stellar-core version 2>/dev/null || echo "n/a")"
-    print_screen_output "  HORIZON VERSION=$(stellar-horizon version 2>/dev/null || echo "n/a")"
-    print_screen_output "  STELLAR RPC VERSION=$(stellar-rpc version 2>/dev/null || echo "n/a")"
-      
-    if [ "$TARGET_NETWORK" = "futurenet" ]; then
-        TARGET_NETWORK_PASSPHRASE="Test SDF Future Network ; October 2022"
-    fi       
-
-    if [ "$VERBOSE_OUTPUT" = "true" ]; then
-        # redirects all quickstart output to console during test execution
-        /start --$TARGET_NETWORK --enable rpc $ENABLE_SOROBAN_DIAGNOSTIC_EVENTS --logs 2>&1 &
-    else
-        # don't show any quickstart output on console during test execution
-        # all quickstart output is redirected(buffering disabled) to log file, which will be dumped to
-        # console if tests fail.
-        stdbuf -o0 -e0 /start --$TARGET_NETWORK --enable rpc $ENABLE_SOROBAN_DIAGNOSTIC_EVENTS --logs >> $QUICKSTART_LOG_FILE 2>&1 &
-    fi
-  fi
-
   stellar_rpc_status
 
-  # quickstart runs horizon, but sys tests don't need it.
-  if [ "$LOCAL_CORE" = "true" ]; then
-      supervisorctl stop horizon
-  fi  
-
   print_screen_output "  RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=$(rustc --version 2>/dev/null || echo"n/a" )"
   print_screen_output "  SOROBAN_CLI_CRATE_VERSION=$(soroban version 2>/dev/null || echo "n/a" )"
   print_screen_output "  SOROBAN_EXAMPLES_GIT_HASH=$SOROBAN_EXAMPLES_GIT_HASH"
   print_screen_output "  SOROBAN_EXAMPLES_REPO_URL=$SOROBAN_EXAMPLES_REPO_URL"
-  print_screen_output "  TARGET_NETWORK=$TARGET_NETWORK"
   print_screen_output "  TARGET_NETWORK_PASSPHRASE=$TARGET_NETWORK_PASSPHRASE"
   print_screen_output "  TARGET_NETWORK_SECRET_KEY=$TARGET_NETWORK_SECRET_KEY"
   print_screen_output "  TARGET_NETWORK_PUBLIC_KEY=$TARGET_NETWORK_PUBLIC_KEY"
@@ -127,7 +76,6 @@ function main() {
   export TargetNetworkPublicKey=${TARGET_NETWORK_PUBLIC_KEY}
   export TargetNetworkRPCURL=${TARGET_NETWORK_RPC_URL}
   export VerboseOutput=${VERBOSE_OUTPUT}
-  export LocalCore=${LOCAL_CORE}
   export FeaturePath=${FEATURE_PATH}
 
   for file in ./*;
@@ -170,10 +118,6 @@ function process_args() {
       VERBOSE_OUTPUT="$1"
       shift
       ;;  
-    --TargetNetwork)
-      TARGET_NETWORK="$1"
-      shift
-      ;;  
     --TargetNetworkPassphrase) 
       TARGET_NETWORK_PASSPHRASE="$1"
       shift
@@ -193,10 +137,6 @@ function process_args() {
     *)
     esac
   done
-
-  if [ -z "$TARGET_NETWORK_RPC_URL" ] && [ -z "$TARGET_NETWORK" ]; then
-      TARGET_NETWORK=local
-  fi 
 }
 
 function stellar_rpc_status () {

From edd58db43b2fad08f6545edca7b1553c6a182702 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2025 15:25:22 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 02/60] #92: added callable workflow using qs pipeline from
 system-test

---
 .github/workflows/test_ng.yml | 317 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 317 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 .github/workflows/test_ng.yml

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2badb90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,317 @@
+name: Systems test workflow, next gen, uses quickstart pipelines
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      runner:
+        description: "GitHub runner to use"
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: "ubuntu-latest"
+
+      system-test-git-ref:
+        description: "the git ref (branch, tag, sha) to use for system-test"
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: master   
+
+      stellar-cli-ref:
+        description: |
+          the soroban CLI source code to compile and run from system test
+          refers to checked out source of current GitHub ref context or branch
+        required: false
+        type: string
+
+      stellar-cli-version:
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: "23.0.0"
+
+      test-filter:
+        description: |
+          example filter for all combos of one scenario outline: ^TestDappDevelop$/^DApp developer compiles, deploys and invokes a contract.*$
+          each row in example data for a scenario outline is postfixed with '#01', '#02', example:
+          TestDappDevelop/DApp developer compiles, deploys and invokes a contract#01
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: "^TestDappDevelop$/^.*$"
+
+      js-stellar-sdk-npm-version:
+        description: |
+          set the version of js-stellar-sdk to use, need to choose one of either
+          resolution options, using npm release or a gh ref:
+          option #1, set the version of stellar-sdk based on a npm release version
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: 14.0.0-rc.3
+
+      js-stellar-sdk-gh-repo:
+        description: |
+          option #2, set the version of stellar-sdk based on a gh repo, e.g. stellar/js-stellar-sdk
+          if set, takes precedence over js-stellar-sdk-npm-version
+        required: false
+        type: string
+
+      js-stellar-sdk-gh-ref:
+        description: "The git ref (branch, tag, sha) to use for js-stellar-sdk if using gh repo option"
+        required: false
+        type: string  
+
+      stellar-xdr-version:
+        description: "Version of stellar-xdr to use"
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: "v23.0.0"
+
+      stellar-core-version:
+        description: "Version of stellar-core to use"
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: "v23.0.1"
+
+      horizon-version:
+        description: "Version of horizon to use"
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: "horizon-v23.0.0"
+
+      lab-version:
+        description: "Version of stellar laboratory to use"
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: "main"
+
+      protocol-version:
+        description: "Protocol version to use"
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: "23"
+
+      rust-toolchain-version:
+        description: "Version of Rust toolchain to use in test runtime environment"
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: "stable"
+
+      verbose-output:
+        required: false
+        type: boolean
+        default: true
+
+      soroban-examples-git-hash:
+        description: "The git ref (branch, tag, sha) to use for soroban-examples"
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: "v22.0.1"
+        
+      soroban-examples-repo-url:
+        description: "The git repo URL to use for soroban-examples"
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: "https://github.com/stellar/soroban-examples"
+
+env:
+  SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: ${{ github.repository }}:system-test
+  SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE_CACHE_REGISTRY: ghcr.io
+  
+jobs:
+  prepare-config:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      images-config: ${{ steps.set-config.outputs.images }}
+      system-test-image-cache-registry: ${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE_CACHE_REGISTRY }}
+      system-test-image-cached: "${{ steps.set-image-name.outputs.base-image }}_${{ steps.set-cache-key.outputs.cache-key }}"
+      should-push-to-registry: ${{ steps.check-fork.outputs.should-push }}
+    steps:
+      - id: check-fork
+        name: Check if should push to registry
+        run: |
+          if [ "${{ github.event_name }}" != "pull_request" ] || [ "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.repo.fork }}" == "false" ]; then
+            echo "should-push=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          else
+            echo "should-push=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          fi
+      
+      - id: set-image-name
+        name: Set system test image name with optional registry prefix
+        run: |
+          if [ "${{ steps.check-fork.outputs.should-push }}" == "true" ]; then
+            IMAGE_NAME="${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE_CACHE_REGISTRY }}/${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE }}"
+          else
+            IMAGE_NAME="${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE }}"
+          fi
+          echo "base-image=${IMAGE_NAME}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "Using image name: ${IMAGE_NAME}"
+      
+      - id: set-cache-key
+        run: |
+          # Fetch commit SHAs for each dependency repo
+          SYSTEM_TEST_SHA="${{ github.sha }}"
+
+          # Parse STELLAR_CLI_REF which is in format: URL\#ref
+          CLI_URL_REF="${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}"
+          CLI_URL="${CLI_URL_REF%\\#*}"
+          CLI_REF="${CLI_URL_REF##*\\#}"
+          STELLAR_CLI_SHA=$(git ls-remote "$CLI_URL" "$CLI_REF" | awk '{print $1}')
+          if [ -z "$STELLAR_CLI_SHA" ]; then
+            echo "Error: Could not find ref $CLI_REF in $CLI_URL"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          # Handle JS Stellar SDK
+          if [ -n "${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-repo }}" ]; then
+            JS_SDK_PART=$(git ls-remote https://github.com/${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-repo }} ${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-ref }} | awk '{print $1}')
+            if [ -z "$JS_SDK_PART" ]; then
+              echo "Error: Could not find ref ${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-ref }} in ${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-repo }}"
+              exit 1
+            fi
+          else
+            JS_SDK_PART="${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-npm-version }}"
+          fi
+
+          # Create cache key by hashing all components
+          CACHE_INPUT="${SYSTEM_TEST_SHA}${STELLAR_CLI_SHA}${JS_SDK_PART}"
+          CACHE_KEY=$(echo -n "$CACHE_INPUT" | sha256sum | cut -c1-16)
+          echo "cache-key=${CACHE_KEY}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "Generated cache key: ${CACHE_KEY}"
+
+      - id: set-config
+        run: |
+          cat <<EOF >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          images<<DELIMITER
+          [
+            {
+              "tag": "rpc-custom",
+              "config": {
+                "protocol_version_default": ${{ inputs.protocol-version }}
+              },
+              "deps": [
+                { "name": "xdr", "repo": "stellar/rs-stellar-xdr", "ref": "${{ inputs.stellar-xdr-version }}" },
+                { "name": "core", "repo": "stellar/stellar-core", "ref": "${{ inputs.stellar-core-version }}", "options": { "configure_flags": "--disable-tests" } },
+                { "name": "rpc", "repo": "${{ github.repository }}", "ref": "${{ github.ref }}" },
+                { "name": "horizon", "repo": "stellar/go", "ref": "${{ inputs.horizon-version }}" },
+                { "name": "friendbot", "repo": "stellar/go", "ref": "${{ inputs.horizon-version }}" },
+                { "name": "lab", "repo": "stellar/laboratory", "ref": "${{ inputs.lab-version }}" }
+              ],
+              "additional-tests": []
+            }
+          ]
+          DELIMITER
+          EOF
+  build-quickstart:
+      needs: prepare-config
+      uses: stellar/quickstart/.github/workflows/build.yml@main
+      with:
+        images: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.images-config }}
+        archs: '["amd64"]'
+
+  check-system-test-cache:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: prepare-config
+    outputs:
+      cache-hit: ${{ steps.check.outputs.exists }}
+    steps:
+      - id: check
+        name: Check if cached system-test image exists
+        run: |
+          if docker manifest inspect ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cached }} > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+            echo "Image exists in registry"
+            echo "exists=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          else
+            echo "Image not found in registry"
+            echo "exists=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          fi
+
+  build-system-test:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest-4-cores
+    needs: [prepare-config, check-system-test-cache]
+    if: needs.check-system-test-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+    env:
+      SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cached }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ inputs.system-test-git-ref }}
+          path: system-test
+
+      - if: inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-repo != ''
+        name: prepare local js-stellar-sdk
+        run: |
+          rm -rf $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/system-test/js-stellar-sdk;
+
+      - if: inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-repo != ''
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          repository: ${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-repo }}
+          ref: ${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-ref }}
+          path: system-test/js-stellar-sdk
+
+      - uses: stellar/actions/rust-cache@main
+
+      - name: Build system test with component versions
+        run: |
+          cd $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/system-test
+          if [ -z "${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-repo }}" ]; then \
+            JS_STELLAR_SDK_REF="${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-npm-version }}"; \
+          else \
+            JS_STELLAR_SDK_REF="file:/home/tester/js-stellar-sdk"; \
+          fi
+          make \
+            STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF=${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }} \
+            RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=${{ inputs.rust-toolchain-version }} \
+            JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=$JS_STELLAR_SDK_REF \
+            SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=$SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE \
+            build
+      - name: login to ghcr
+        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.should-push-to-registry == 'true'
+        uses: docker/login-action@f054a8b539a109f9f41c372932f1ae047eff08c9
+        with:
+          registry: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}
+          username: ${{ github.actor }}
+          password: ${{ github.token }}
+      - name: Publish system-test image
+        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.should-push-to-registry == 'true'
+        run: |
+          docker push $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE
+
+  integration:
+    name: System tests
+    needs: [build-system-test, build-quickstart, prepare-config]
+    # Run if build-system-test succeeded OR was skipped because image is already in built(cache hit)
+    if: needs.build-system-test.result == 'success' || needs.build-system-test.result == 'skipped'
+    
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        scenario-filter: ["${{ inputs.test-filter }}"]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    env:
+      SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cached }}
+    steps:
+      - name: login to ghcr
+        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.should-push-to-registry == 'true'
+        uses: docker/login-action@f054a8b539a109f9f41c372932f1ae047eff08c9
+        with:
+          registry: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}
+          username: ${{  github.actor }}
+          password: ${{ github.token }}
+
+      - name: download system-test image
+        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.should-push-to-registry == 'true'
+        run: |
+          docker pull $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE
+      - name: Start quickstart with rpc
+        uses: stellar/quickstart@main
+        with:
+          artifact: image-quickstart-rpc-custom-amd64.tar
+          tag: rpc-custom-amd64
+          enable: core,rpc
+
+      - name: Run system test scenarios
+        run: |
+          docker run \
+          --rm -t --name e2e_test $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE \
+          --VerboseOutput ${{ inputs.verbose-output }}  \
+          --TargetNetworkRPCURL http://host.docker.internal:8000/rpc \
+          --TestFilter "${{ matrix.scenario-filter }}" \
+          --SorobanExamplesGitHash ${{ inputs.soroban-examples-git-hash }} \
+          --SorobanExamplesRepoURL ${{ inputs.soroban-examples-repo-url }}
\ No newline at end of file

From fef8f6b23062be6560863f21a8951850f00f0af9 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2025 16:02:20 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 03/60] #92: fixed cli ref url parsing for sha lookup

---
 .github/workflows/test_ng.yml | 6 +++---
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
index 2badb90..1201b85 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
@@ -148,10 +148,10 @@ jobs:
           # Fetch commit SHAs for each dependency repo
           SYSTEM_TEST_SHA="${{ github.sha }}"
 
-          # Parse STELLAR_CLI_REF which is in format: URL\#ref
+          # Parse STELLAR_CLI_REF which is in format: URL#ref
           CLI_URL_REF="${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}"
-          CLI_URL="${CLI_URL_REF%\\#*}"
-          CLI_REF="${CLI_URL_REF##*\\#}"
+          CLI_URL="${CLI_URL_REF%#*}"
+          CLI_REF="${CLI_URL_REF##*#}"
           STELLAR_CLI_SHA=$(git ls-remote "$CLI_URL" "$CLI_REF" | awk '{print $1}')
           if [ -z "$STELLAR_CLI_SHA" ]; then
             echo "Error: Could not find ref $CLI_REF in $CLI_URL"

From 625411e9826673735b8329f41cf840d906595035 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2025 16:18:18 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 04/60] #92: fixed cli ref url parse with delimeter

---
 .github/workflows/test_ng.yml | 21 +++++++++++++++------
 1 file changed, 15 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
index 1201b85..1d2561c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
@@ -150,12 +150,21 @@ jobs:
 
           # Parse STELLAR_CLI_REF which is in format: URL#ref
           CLI_URL_REF="${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}"
-          CLI_URL="${CLI_URL_REF%#*}"
-          CLI_REF="${CLI_URL_REF##*#}"
-          STELLAR_CLI_SHA=$(git ls-remote "$CLI_URL" "$CLI_REF" | awk '{print $1}')
-          if [ -z "$STELLAR_CLI_SHA" ]; then
-            echo "Error: Could not find ref $CLI_REF in $CLI_URL"
-            exit 1
+          
+          # Only fetch if stellar-cli-ref is provided
+          if [ -n "$CLI_URL_REF" ]; then
+            # Split on # to get URL and ref
+            CLI_URL=$(echo "$CLI_URL_REF" | cut -d'#' -f1)
+            CLI_REF=$(echo "$CLI_URL_REF" | cut -d'#' -f2)
+            
+            STELLAR_CLI_SHA=$(git ls-remote "$CLI_URL" "$CLI_REF" | awk '{print $1}')
+            if [ -z "$STELLAR_CLI_SHA" ]; then
+              echo "Error: Could not find ref $CLI_REF in $CLI_URL"
+              exit 1
+            fi
+          else
+            # If no CLI ref provided
+            STELLAR_CLI_SHA="${{ inputs.stellar-cli-version }}"
           fi
 
           # Handle JS Stellar SDK

From e62f762b3a1973fa45d5ff9bfb2e9e62c5f5b5f1 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2025 16:34:39 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 05/60] #92: fixed system test checkout to workspace in job

---
 .github/workflows/test_ng.yml | 1 +
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
index 1d2561c..c29813f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
@@ -240,6 +240,7 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
+          repository: stellar/system-test
           ref: ${{ inputs.system-test-git-ref }}
           path: system-test
 

From 5a0766e1e79217da1bb93c146fc1c3dfec2ea17b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2025 16:55:22 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 06/60] get the proper commit sha for system test git ref job
 parameter

---
 .github/workflows/test_ng.yml | 9 +++++++--
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
index c29813f..1d3bc57 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ on:
         default: "https://github.com/stellar/soroban-examples"
 
 env:
-  SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: ${{ github.repository }}:system-test
+  SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: stellar/system-test:cache
   SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE_CACHE_REGISTRY: ghcr.io
   
 jobs:
@@ -146,7 +146,12 @@ jobs:
       - id: set-cache-key
         run: |
           # Fetch commit SHAs for each dependency repo
-          SYSTEM_TEST_SHA="${{ github.sha }}"
+
+          SYSTEM_TEST_SHA=$(git ls-remote https://github.com/stellar/system-test ${{ inputs.system-test-git-ref }} | awk '{print $1}')
+          if [ -z "$SYSTEM_TEST_SHA" ]; then
+            echo "Error: Could not find ref ${{ inputs.system-test-git-ref }} in stellar/system-test"
+            exit 1
+          fi
 
           # Parse STELLAR_CLI_REF which is in format: URL#ref
           CLI_URL_REF="${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}"

From bf2c832e8ed7c7fb7605d944efac0dff8b49d62c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2025 17:32:53 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 07/60] use artifacts for image across jobs on forked prs

---
 .github/workflows/test_ng.yml | 41 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++--------
 1 file changed, 32 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
index 1d3bc57..644b7ce 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
@@ -121,21 +121,21 @@ jobs:
       images-config: ${{ steps.set-config.outputs.images }}
       system-test-image-cache-registry: ${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE_CACHE_REGISTRY }}
       system-test-image-cached: "${{ steps.set-image-name.outputs.base-image }}_${{ steps.set-cache-key.outputs.cache-key }}"
-      should-push-to-registry: ${{ steps.check-fork.outputs.should-push }}
+      ghcr_allowed: ${{ steps.check-fork.outputs.ghcr-allowed }}
     steps:
       - id: check-fork
-        name: Check if should push to registry
+        name: Check if GHCR access is allowed
         run: |
           if [ "${{ github.event_name }}" != "pull_request" ] || [ "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.repo.fork }}" == "false" ]; then
-            echo "should-push=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            echo "ghcr-allowed=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           else
-            echo "should-push=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            echo "ghcr-allowed=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           fi
       
       - id: set-image-name
         name: Set system test image name with optional registry prefix
         run: |
-          if [ "${{ steps.check-fork.outputs.should-push }}" == "true" ]; then
+          if [ "${{ steps.check-fork.outputs.ghcr-allowed }}" == "true" ]; then
             IMAGE_NAME="${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE_CACHE_REGISTRY }}/${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE }}"
           else
             IMAGE_NAME="${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE }}"
@@ -278,17 +278,28 @@ jobs:
             SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=$SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE \
             build
       - name: login to ghcr
-        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.should-push-to-registry == 'true'
+        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.ghcr_allowed == 'true'
         uses: docker/login-action@f054a8b539a109f9f41c372932f1ae047eff08c9
         with:
           registry: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}
           username: ${{ github.actor }}
           password: ${{ github.token }}
       - name: Publish system-test image
-        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.should-push-to-registry == 'true'
+        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.ghcr_allowed == 'true'
         run: |
           docker push $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE
 
+      - name: extract image to artifact when no gchr
+        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.ghcr_allowed != 'true'
+        run: |
+          docker save $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE -o $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/system-test/image.tar     
+      - name: save to artifact when no ghcr
+        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.ghcr_allowed != 'true'
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: image-system-test    
+          path: $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/system-test/image.tar
+
   integration:
     name: System tests
     needs: [build-system-test, build-quickstart, prepare-config]
@@ -303,7 +314,7 @@ jobs:
       SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cached }}
     steps:
       - name: login to ghcr
-        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.should-push-to-registry == 'true'
+        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.ghcr_allowed == 'true'
         uses: docker/login-action@f054a8b539a109f9f41c372932f1ae047eff08c9
         with:
           registry: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}
@@ -311,9 +322,21 @@ jobs:
           password: ${{ github.token }}
 
       - name: download system-test image
-        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.should-push-to-registry == 'true'
+        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.ghcr_allowed == 'true'
         run: |
           docker pull $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE
+
+      - name: download artifact if no ghcr 
+        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.ghcr_allowed != 'true'
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: image-system-test
+          path: /tmp/
+
+      - name: load system-test image if no ghcr
+        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.ghcr_allowed != 'true'
+        run: |
+          docker load -i /tmp/image.tar
       - name: Start quickstart with rpc
         uses: stellar/quickstart@main
         with:

From 6ff551392753431b0e2a8afa2a00d99d2348a63c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2025 17:53:58 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 08/60] use tmp for artifact path

---
 .github/workflows/test_ng.yml | 6 +++---
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
index 644b7ce..89eb7cc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
@@ -292,13 +292,13 @@ jobs:
       - name: extract image to artifact when no gchr
         if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.ghcr_allowed != 'true'
         run: |
-          docker save $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE -o $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/system-test/image.tar     
+          docker save $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE -o /tmp/image.tar
       - name: save to artifact when no ghcr
         if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.ghcr_allowed != 'true'
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
-          name: image-system-test    
-          path: $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/system-test/image.tar
+          name: image-system-test
+          path: /tmp/image.tar
 
   integration:
     name: System tests

From 100b62ce2554f8699c4f01dddec6661504d45839 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2025 18:17:00 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 09/60] use docker.io for image cache

---
 .github/workflows/test_ng.yml | 75 +++++++++++++++--------------------
 1 file changed, 31 insertions(+), 44 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
index 89eb7cc..9ff4adc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@ name: Systems test workflow, next gen, uses quickstart pipelines
 
 on:
   workflow_call:
+    secrets:
+      DOCKERHUB_USERNAME:
+        required: false
+      DOCKERHUB_TOKEN:
+        required: false
     inputs:
       runner:
         description: "GitHub runner to use"
@@ -112,7 +117,7 @@ on:
 
 env:
   SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: stellar/system-test:cache
-  SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE_CACHE_REGISTRY: ghcr.io
+  SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE_CACHE_REGISTRY: docker.io
   
 jobs:
   prepare-config:
@@ -120,29 +125,17 @@ jobs:
     outputs:
       images-config: ${{ steps.set-config.outputs.images }}
       system-test-image-cache-registry: ${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE_CACHE_REGISTRY }}
-      system-test-image-cached: "${{ steps.set-image-name.outputs.base-image }}_${{ steps.set-cache-key.outputs.cache-key }}"
-      ghcr_allowed: ${{ steps.check-fork.outputs.ghcr-allowed }}
+      system-test-image-cached: "${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE}}_${{ steps.set-cache-key.outputs.cache-key }}"
+      registry_allowed: ${{ steps.check-fork.outputs.registry-allowed }}
     steps:
       - id: check-fork
-        name: Check if GHCR access is allowed
+        name: Check if registry access is allowed
         run: |
           if [ "${{ github.event_name }}" != "pull_request" ] || [ "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.repo.fork }}" == "false" ]; then
-            echo "ghcr-allowed=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          else
-            echo "ghcr-allowed=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          fi
-      
-      - id: set-image-name
-        name: Set system test image name with optional registry prefix
-        run: |
-          if [ "${{ steps.check-fork.outputs.ghcr-allowed }}" == "true" ]; then
-            IMAGE_NAME="${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE_CACHE_REGISTRY }}/${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE }}"
+            echo "registry-allowed=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           else
-            IMAGE_NAME="${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE }}"
-          fi
-          echo "base-image=${IMAGE_NAME}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          echo "Using image name: ${IMAGE_NAME}"
-      
+            echo "registry-allowed=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          fi 
       - id: set-cache-key
         run: |
           # Fetch commit SHAs for each dependency repo
@@ -228,7 +221,7 @@ jobs:
       - id: check
         name: Check if cached system-test image exists
         run: |
-          if docker manifest inspect ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cached }} > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+          if docker manifest inspect ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}/${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cached }} > /dev/null 2>&1; then
             echo "Image exists in registry"
             echo "exists=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           else
@@ -277,24 +270,25 @@ jobs:
             JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=$JS_STELLAR_SDK_REF \
             SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=$SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE \
             build
-      - name: login to ghcr
-        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.ghcr_allowed == 'true'
+      - name: login to registry
+        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.registry_allowed == 'true'
         uses: docker/login-action@f054a8b539a109f9f41c372932f1ae047eff08c9
         with:
           registry: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}
-          username: ${{ github.actor }}
-          password: ${{ github.token }}
+          username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME || github.actor }}
+          password: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN || github.token }}
       - name: Publish system-test image
-        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.ghcr_allowed == 'true'
+        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.registry_allowed == 'true'
         run: |
-          docker push $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE
+          dockder tag $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}/$SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE
+          docker push ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}/$SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE
 
-      - name: extract image to artifact when no gchr
-        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.ghcr_allowed != 'true'
+      - name: extract image to artifact when no registry
+        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.registry_allowed != 'true'
         run: |
           docker save $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE -o /tmp/image.tar
-      - name: save to artifact when no ghcr
-        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.ghcr_allowed != 'true'
+      - name: save to artifact when no registry
+        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.registry_allowed != 'true'
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: image-system-test
@@ -313,28 +307,21 @@ jobs:
     env:
       SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cached }}
     steps:
-      - name: login to ghcr
-        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.ghcr_allowed == 'true'
-        uses: docker/login-action@f054a8b539a109f9f41c372932f1ae047eff08c9
-        with:
-          registry: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}
-          username: ${{  github.actor }}
-          password: ${{ github.token }}
-
       - name: download system-test image
-        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.ghcr_allowed == 'true'
+        if: needs.build-system-test.result == 'skipped'
         run: |
-          docker pull $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE
+          docker pull ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}/$SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE
+          docker tag ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}/$SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE
 
-      - name: download artifact if no ghcr 
-        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.ghcr_allowed != 'true'
+      - name: download artifact if no registry
+        if: needs.build-system-test.result != 'skipped' && needs.prepare-config.outputs.registry_allowed != 'true'
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: image-system-test
           path: /tmp/
 
-      - name: load system-test image if no ghcr
-        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.ghcr_allowed != 'true'
+      - name: load system-test image if no registry
+        if: needs.build-system-test.result != 'skipped' && needs.prepare-config.outputs.registry_allowed != 'true'
         run: |
           docker load -i /tmp/image.tar
       - name: Start quickstart with rpc

From f6efb85646ca4483fd765501549dda60bc93cc9b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2025 18:22:33 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 10/60] add some debug output on artifact upload

---
 .github/workflows/test_ng.yml | 4 +++-
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
index 9ff4adc..e02e86b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Publish system-test image
         if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.registry_allowed == 'true'
         run: |
-          dockder tag $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}/$SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE
+          docker tag $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}/$SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE
           docker push ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}/$SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE
 
       - name: extract image to artifact when no registry
@@ -324,6 +324,8 @@ jobs:
         if: needs.build-system-test.result != 'skipped' && needs.prepare-config.outputs.registry_allowed != 'true'
         run: |
           docker load -i /tmp/image.tar
+          docker images | grep system-test || true
+          
       - name: Start quickstart with rpc
         uses: stellar/quickstart@main
         with:

From f6f73246fc15804e669818e593bafd9dfcade92c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2025 19:03:04 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 11/60] add more debug output

---
 .github/workflows/test_ng.yml | 1 +
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
index e02e86b..4393450 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
@@ -335,6 +335,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Run system test scenarios
         run: |
+          docker images | grep system-test || true
           docker run \
           --rm -t --name e2e_test $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE \
           --VerboseOutput ${{ inputs.verbose-output }}  \

From 2c18c7f3b6de616a75df78676a3b0c1ba5a4504e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2025 20:13:59 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 12/60] run quickstart first as it resets docker context, then
 load system test to docker

---
 .github/workflows/test_ng.yml | 15 ++++++---------
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
index 4393450..1859c4a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
@@ -307,6 +307,12 @@ jobs:
     env:
       SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cached }}
     steps:
+      - name: Start quickstart with rpc
+        uses: stellar/quickstart@main
+        with:
+          artifact: image-quickstart-rpc-custom-amd64.tar
+          tag: rpc-custom-amd64
+          enable: core,rpc
       - name: download system-test image
         if: needs.build-system-test.result == 'skipped'
         run: |
@@ -324,18 +330,9 @@ jobs:
         if: needs.build-system-test.result != 'skipped' && needs.prepare-config.outputs.registry_allowed != 'true'
         run: |
           docker load -i /tmp/image.tar
-          docker images | grep system-test || true
           
-      - name: Start quickstart with rpc
-        uses: stellar/quickstart@main
-        with:
-          artifact: image-quickstart-rpc-custom-amd64.tar
-          tag: rpc-custom-amd64
-          enable: core,rpc
-
       - name: Run system test scenarios
         run: |
-          docker images | grep system-test || true
           docker run \
           --rm -t --name e2e_test $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE \
           --VerboseOutput ${{ inputs.verbose-output }}  \

From 786126cf1b93ee7bd47a17556e0e5d3992e0800b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2025 23:09:03 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 13/60] add ddebug out on startup

---
 start | 10 ++++++++++
 1 file changed, 10 insertions(+)

diff --git a/start b/start
index ec09084..9a28408 100755
--- a/start
+++ b/start
@@ -151,6 +151,16 @@ function stellar_rpc_status () {
         
     }' | jq --exit-status '.result.status == "healthy"' 2>/dev/null | grep -o true || echo false ); 
   do
+
+    curl --location --request POST "$TARGET_NETWORK_RPC_URL" \
+    --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
+    --data-raw '{
+        "jsonrpc": "2.0",
+        "id": 10235,
+        "method": "getHealth"
+        
+    }'
+
     if [ $(expr $COUNTER % 12) -eq 0 ]; then 
       print_screen_output "waited $(expr $COUNTER / 12) minutes for Stellar RPC to report ready state..."
     fi

From e844ce2c1ae9542fdeda1a71f967c42286d5014f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2025 23:17:54 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 14/60] use add-host to reference quickstart container ports
 from system test container

---
 .github/workflows/test_ng.yml |  1 +
 start                         | 12 +-----------
 2 files changed, 2 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
index 1859c4a..17cd653 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml
@@ -334,6 +334,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Run system test scenarios
         run: |
           docker run \
+          --add-host=host.docker.internal:host-gateway \
           --rm -t --name e2e_test $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE \
           --VerboseOutput ${{ inputs.verbose-output }}  \
           --TargetNetworkRPCURL http://host.docker.internal:8000/rpc \
diff --git a/start b/start
index 9a28408..aed88b6 100755
--- a/start
+++ b/start
@@ -151,22 +151,12 @@ function stellar_rpc_status () {
         
     }' | jq --exit-status '.result.status == "healthy"' 2>/dev/null | grep -o true || echo false ); 
   do
-
-    curl --location --request POST "$TARGET_NETWORK_RPC_URL" \
-    --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-    --data-raw '{
-        "jsonrpc": "2.0",
-        "id": 10235,
-        "method": "getHealth"
-        
-    }'
-
     if [ $(expr $COUNTER % 12) -eq 0 ]; then 
       print_screen_output "waited $(expr $COUNTER / 12) minutes for Stellar RPC to report ready state..."
     fi
     COUNTER=$[$COUNTER +1]  
 
-    if [ $COUNTER -gt 900 ]; then
+    if [ $COUNTER -gt 180 ]; then
       echo "Waited longer than 15 minutes for Stellar RPC, cancelling and exit."
       exit 1
     fi  

From e8ce9e8824d70575f59c6fe063e5b88a6446c853 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2025 11:01:50 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 15/60] #92: renamed new workflow to test-workflow

---
 .github/workflows/{test_ng.yml => test-workflow.yml} | 0
 1 file changed, 0 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)
 rename .github/workflows/{test_ng.yml => test-workflow.yml} (100%)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_ng.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from .github/workflows/test_ng.yml
rename to .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml

From 4355789ff7d30cd57d53af5b6f7ce05f812002bd Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2025 12:52:59 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 16/60] #92: refined registry allowed check for dockerhub

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 10 +++++-----
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index 17cd653..e647ca3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -126,12 +126,12 @@ jobs:
       images-config: ${{ steps.set-config.outputs.images }}
       system-test-image-cache-registry: ${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE_CACHE_REGISTRY }}
       system-test-image-cached: "${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE}}_${{ steps.set-cache-key.outputs.cache-key }}"
-      registry_allowed: ${{ steps.check-fork.outputs.registry-allowed }}
+      registry_allowed: ${{ steps.check-registry.outputs.registry-allowed }}
     steps:
-      - id: check-fork
+      - id: check-registry
         name: Check if registry access is allowed
         run: |
-          if [ "${{ github.event_name }}" != "pull_request" ] || [ "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.repo.fork }}" == "false" ]; then
+          if [ "${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}" ]; then
             echo "registry-allowed=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           else
             echo "registry-allowed=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
@@ -275,8 +275,8 @@ jobs:
         uses: docker/login-action@f054a8b539a109f9f41c372932f1ae047eff08c9
         with:
           registry: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}
-          username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME || github.actor }}
-          password: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN || github.token }}
+          username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME  }}
+          password: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN  }}
       - name: Publish system-test image
         if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.registry_allowed == 'true'
         run: |

From d83626d4205097f4d9f9118827007ff5467f1e6e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2025 13:47:02 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 17/60] #92: fix check for absent docker creds

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 6 +++---
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index e647ca3..cf71ce4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -131,10 +131,10 @@ jobs:
       - id: check-registry
         name: Check if registry access is allowed
         run: |
-          if [ "${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}" ]; then
-            echo "registry-allowed=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          else
+          if [ -z "${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}" ]; then
             echo "registry-allowed=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          else
+            echo "registry-allowed=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           fi 
       - id: set-cache-key
         run: |

From 9305bc366a0adf3202cc3a1c9d6d7b8d5a14cb27 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2025 11:51:51 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 18/60] fixed job filter to check for skipped due to image
 cache or success on image build when running tests

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index cf71ce4..75553a9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ jobs:
     name: System tests
     needs: [build-system-test, build-quickstart, prepare-config]
     # Run if build-system-test succeeded OR was skipped because image is already in built(cache hit)
-    if: needs.build-system-test.result == 'success' || needs.build-system-test.result == 'skipped'
+    if: always() && (needs.build-system-test.result == 'success' || needs.build-system-test.result == 'skipped')
     
     strategy:
       matrix:

From 68bf3978acbc17693f82e435f0189b9b65a28873 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2025 13:43:16 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 19/60] #92: make rpc version an input variable and all input
 component names use ref term

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 12 +++++++++++-
 1 file changed, 11 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index 75553a9..8174c22 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -73,7 +73,17 @@ on:
         required: false
         type: string
         default: "v23.0.1"
+      stellar-rpc-repo:
+        description: "The git repo URL to use for stellar-rpc"
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: "stellar/stellar-rpc"
 
+      stellar-rpc-version:
+        description: "Version of stellar-rpc to use"
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: ""  
       horizon-version:
         description: "Version of horizon to use"
         required: false
@@ -195,7 +205,7 @@ jobs:
               "deps": [
                 { "name": "xdr", "repo": "stellar/rs-stellar-xdr", "ref": "${{ inputs.stellar-xdr-version }}" },
                 { "name": "core", "repo": "stellar/stellar-core", "ref": "${{ inputs.stellar-core-version }}", "options": { "configure_flags": "--disable-tests" } },
-                { "name": "rpc", "repo": "${{ github.repository }}", "ref": "${{ github.ref }}" },
+                { "name": "rpc", "repo": "${{ inputs.stellar-rpc-repo }}", "ref": "${{ inputs.stellar-rpc-version }}" },
                 { "name": "horizon", "repo": "stellar/go", "ref": "${{ inputs.horizon-version }}" },
                 { "name": "friendbot", "repo": "stellar/go", "ref": "${{ inputs.horizon-version }}" },
                 { "name": "lab", "repo": "stellar/laboratory", "ref": "${{ inputs.lab-version }}" }

From c71f463f70852211bb360715734a8cf090a20d8a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2025 13:57:43 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 20/60] #92: allow cli crate version input variable on workflow

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 105 ++++++++++++++--------------
 1 file changed, 53 insertions(+), 52 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index 8174c22..4b8b37c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -18,19 +18,24 @@ on:
         description: "the git ref (branch, tag, sha) to use for system-test"
         required: false
         type: string
-        default: master   
+        default: master
 
+      stellar-cli-repo:
+        description: "The git repo for stellar-cli"
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: "stellar/stellar-cli"
       stellar-cli-ref:
         description: |
-          the soroban CLI source code to compile and run from system test
-          refers to checked out source of current GitHub ref context or branch
+          git ref of stellar cli software version to build
         required: false
         type: string
 
-      stellar-cli-version:
+      stellar-cli-crate-version:
+        description: |
+          version of stellar-cli crate to use, if not using git ref and repo
         required: false
         type: string
-        default: "23.0.0"
 
       test-filter:
         description: |
@@ -44,15 +49,13 @@ on:
       js-stellar-sdk-npm-version:
         description: |
           set the version of js-stellar-sdk to use, need to choose one of either
-          resolution options, using npm release or a gh ref:
-          option #1, set the version of stellar-sdk based on a npm release version
+          resolution options, using this for npm release or a gh ref using js-stellar-sdk-gh-ref:
         required: false
         type: string
-        default: 14.0.0-rc.3
 
       js-stellar-sdk-gh-repo:
         description: |
-          option #2, set the version of stellar-sdk based on a gh repo, e.g. stellar/js-stellar-sdk
+          set the version of stellar-sdk based on a gh repo, e.g. stellar/js-stellar-sdk
           if set, takes precedence over js-stellar-sdk-npm-version
         required: false
         type: string
@@ -62,62 +65,55 @@ on:
         required: false
         type: string  
 
-      stellar-xdr-version:
-        description: "Version of stellar-xdr to use"
-        required: false
+      stellar-xdr-ref:
+        description: "git ref of stellar-xdr to use"
+        required: true
         type: string
-        default: "v23.0.0"
 
-      stellar-core-version:
-        description: "Version of stellar-core to use"
-        required: false
+      stellar-core-ref:
+        description: "git ref of stellar-core to use"
+        required: true
         type: string
-        default: "v23.0.1"
       stellar-rpc-repo:
-        description: "The git repo URL to use for stellar-rpc"
+        description: "The git repo to use for stellar-rpc"
         required: false
         type: string
         default: "stellar/stellar-rpc"
 
-      stellar-rpc-version:
-        description: "Version of stellar-rpc to use"
-        required: false
+      stellar-rpc-ref:
+        description: "git ref of stellar-rpc to use"
+        required: true
         type: string
-        default: ""  
-      horizon-version:
-        description: "Version of horizon to use"
-        required: false
+
+      horizon-ref:
+        description: "git ref of horizon to use"
+        required: true
         type: string
-        default: "horizon-v23.0.0"
 
-      lab-version:
-        description: "Version of stellar laboratory to use"
-        required: false
+      lab-ref:
+        description: "git ref of stellar laboratory to use"
+        required: true
         type: string
-        default: "main"
 
       protocol-version:
         description: "Protocol version to use"
-        required: false
+        required: true
         type: string
-        default: "23"
 
       rust-toolchain-version:
         description: "Version of Rust toolchain to use in test runtime environment"
-        required: false
+        required: true
         type: string
-        default: "stable"
 
       verbose-output:
         required: false
         type: boolean
         default: true
 
-      soroban-examples-git-hash:
+      soroban-examples-ref:
         description: "The git ref (branch, tag, sha) to use for soroban-examples"
-        required: false
+        required: true
         type: string
-        default: "v22.0.1"
         
       soroban-examples-repo-url:
         description: "The git repo URL to use for soroban-examples"
@@ -156,14 +152,12 @@ jobs:
             exit 1
           fi
 
-          # Parse STELLAR_CLI_REF which is in format: URL#ref
-          CLI_URL_REF="${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}"
+          CLI_REF="${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}"
+          CLI_REPO="${{ inputs.stellar-cli-repo }}"
           
-          # Only fetch if stellar-cli-ref is provided
-          if [ -n "$CLI_URL_REF" ]; then
-            # Split on # to get URL and ref
-            CLI_URL=$(echo "$CLI_URL_REF" | cut -d'#' -f1)
-            CLI_REF=$(echo "$CLI_URL_REF" | cut -d'#' -f2)
+          # Only fetch if stellar-cli-ref and repo is provided
+          if [ -n "$CLI_REF" ] && [ -n "$CLI_REPO" ]; then
+            CLI_URL=https://github.com/$CLI_REPO
             
             STELLAR_CLI_SHA=$(git ls-remote "$CLI_URL" "$CLI_REF" | awk '{print $1}')
             if [ -z "$STELLAR_CLI_SHA" ]; then
@@ -172,7 +166,7 @@ jobs:
             fi
           else
             # If no CLI ref provided
-            STELLAR_CLI_SHA="${{ inputs.stellar-cli-version }}"
+            STELLAR_CLI_SHA="${{ inputs.stellar-cli-crate-version }}"
           fi
 
           # Handle JS Stellar SDK
@@ -203,12 +197,12 @@ jobs:
                 "protocol_version_default": ${{ inputs.protocol-version }}
               },
               "deps": [
-                { "name": "xdr", "repo": "stellar/rs-stellar-xdr", "ref": "${{ inputs.stellar-xdr-version }}" },
-                { "name": "core", "repo": "stellar/stellar-core", "ref": "${{ inputs.stellar-core-version }}", "options": { "configure_flags": "--disable-tests" } },
-                { "name": "rpc", "repo": "${{ inputs.stellar-rpc-repo }}", "ref": "${{ inputs.stellar-rpc-version }}" },
-                { "name": "horizon", "repo": "stellar/go", "ref": "${{ inputs.horizon-version }}" },
-                { "name": "friendbot", "repo": "stellar/go", "ref": "${{ inputs.horizon-version }}" },
-                { "name": "lab", "repo": "stellar/laboratory", "ref": "${{ inputs.lab-version }}" }
+                { "name": "xdr", "repo": "stellar/rs-stellar-xdr", "ref": "${{ inputs.stellar-xdr-ref }}" },
+                { "name": "core", "repo": "stellar/stellar-core", "ref": "${{ inputs.stellar-core-ref }}", "options": { "configure_flags": "--disable-tests" } },
+                { "name": "rpc", "repo": "${{ inputs.stellar-rpc-repo }}", "ref": "${{ inputs.stellar-rpc-ref }}" },
+                { "name": "horizon", "repo": "stellar/go", "ref": "${{ inputs.horizon-ref }}" },
+                { "name": "friendbot", "repo": "stellar/go", "ref": "${{ inputs.horizon-ref }}" },
+                { "name": "lab", "repo": "stellar/laboratory", "ref": "${{ inputs.lab-ref }}" }
               ],
               "additional-tests": []
             }
@@ -274,8 +268,15 @@ jobs:
           else \
             JS_STELLAR_SDK_REF="file:/home/tester/js-stellar-sdk"; \
           fi
+          if [ -n "${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}" ] && [ -n "${{ inputs.stellar-cli-repo }}" ]; then \
+            STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF="https://github.com/${{ inputs.stellar-cli-repo }}#${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}"; \
+          else \
+            STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION="${{ inputs.stellar-cli-crate-version }}"; \
+          fi
+           
           make \
-            STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF=${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }} \
+            STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF=$STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF \
+            STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION=$STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION \
             RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=${{ inputs.rust-toolchain-version }} \
             JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=$JS_STELLAR_SDK_REF \
             SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=$SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE \

From 77445f4a7f2961452876e030a1a6ed8ba919076c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2025 14:03:36 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 21/60] #92: consistent js stellar sdk gh input var names

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 22 +++++++++++-----------
 1 file changed, 11 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index 4b8b37c..09faea4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -49,18 +49,18 @@ on:
       js-stellar-sdk-npm-version:
         description: |
           set the version of js-stellar-sdk to use, need to choose one of either
-          resolution options, using this for npm release or a gh ref using js-stellar-sdk-gh-ref:
+          resolution options, using this for npm release or a gh ref using js-stellar-sdk-ref:
         required: false
         type: string
 
-      js-stellar-sdk-gh-repo:
+      js-stellar-sdk-repo:
         description: |
           set the version of stellar-sdk based on a gh repo, e.g. stellar/js-stellar-sdk
           if set, takes precedence over js-stellar-sdk-npm-version
         required: false
         type: string
 
-      js-stellar-sdk-gh-ref:
+      js-stellar-sdk-ref:
         description: "The git ref (branch, tag, sha) to use for js-stellar-sdk if using gh repo option"
         required: false
         type: string  
@@ -170,10 +170,10 @@ jobs:
           fi
 
           # Handle JS Stellar SDK
-          if [ -n "${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-repo }}" ]; then
-            JS_SDK_PART=$(git ls-remote https://github.com/${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-repo }} ${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-ref }} | awk '{print $1}')
+          if [ -n "${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-repo }}" ]; then
+            JS_SDK_PART=$(git ls-remote https://github.com/${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-repo }} ${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-ref }} | awk '{print $1}')
             if [ -z "$JS_SDK_PART" ]; then
-              echo "Error: Could not find ref ${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-ref }} in ${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-repo }}"
+              echo "Error: Could not find ref ${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-ref }} in ${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-repo }}"
               exit 1
             fi
           else
@@ -246,16 +246,16 @@ jobs:
           ref: ${{ inputs.system-test-git-ref }}
           path: system-test
 
-      - if: inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-repo != ''
+      - if: inputs.js-stellar-sdk-repo != ''
         name: prepare local js-stellar-sdk
         run: |
           rm -rf $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/system-test/js-stellar-sdk;
 
-      - if: inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-repo != ''
+      - if: inputs.js-stellar-sdk-repo != ''
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
-          repository: ${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-repo }}
-          ref: ${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-ref }}
+          repository: ${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-repo }}
+          ref: ${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-ref }}
           path: system-test/js-stellar-sdk
 
       - uses: stellar/actions/rust-cache@main
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build system test with component versions
         run: |
           cd $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/system-test
-          if [ -z "${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-gh-repo }}" ]; then \
+          if [ -z "${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-repo }}" ]; then \
             JS_STELLAR_SDK_REF="${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-npm-version }}"; \
           else \
             JS_STELLAR_SDK_REF="file:/home/tester/js-stellar-sdk"; \

From ab61d6d6ada77704ec7cb83b72ed7c52f970a10e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2025 14:19:55 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 22/60] #92: consistent input variable names for soroban
 examples repo/ref

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 10 +++++-----
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index 09faea4..6c83239 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -115,11 +115,11 @@ on:
         required: true
         type: string
         
-      soroban-examples-repo-url:
-        description: "The git repo URL to use for soroban-examples"
+      soroban-examples-repo:
+        description: "The git repo to use for soroban-examples"
         required: false
         type: string
-        default: "https://github.com/stellar/soroban-examples"
+        default: "stellar/soroban-examples"
 
 env:
   SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: stellar/system-test:cache
@@ -350,5 +350,5 @@ jobs:
           --VerboseOutput ${{ inputs.verbose-output }}  \
           --TargetNetworkRPCURL http://host.docker.internal:8000/rpc \
           --TestFilter "${{ matrix.scenario-filter }}" \
-          --SorobanExamplesGitHash ${{ inputs.soroban-examples-git-hash }} \
-          --SorobanExamplesRepoURL ${{ inputs.soroban-examples-repo-url }}
\ No newline at end of file
+          --SorobanExamplesGitHash ${{ inputs.soroban-examples-ref }} \
+          --SorobanExamplesRepoURL https://github.com/${{ inputs.soroban-examples-repo }}
\ No newline at end of file

From f396c7aedb3feab06bf11c1f745a81defeddfb65 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2025 14:38:28 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 23/60] #92: fixed cli repo docker git url for context format

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index 6c83239..b5a85d8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ jobs:
             JS_STELLAR_SDK_REF="file:/home/tester/js-stellar-sdk"; \
           fi
           if [ -n "${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}" ] && [ -n "${{ inputs.stellar-cli-repo }}" ]; then \
-            STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF="https://github.com/${{ inputs.stellar-cli-repo }}#${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}"; \
+            STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF="https://github.com/${{ inputs.stellar-cli-repo }}.git#${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}"; \
           else \
             STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION="${{ inputs.stellar-cli-crate-version }}"; \
           fi

From 6f8fddd4ab099153d79391952ee553b70f8f09c9 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2025 16:28:35 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 24/60] #92: use gha caches for docker build layer caching

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 88 +++++++----------------------
 Makefile                            | 17 +++++-
 2 files changed, 35 insertions(+), 70 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index b5a85d8..68d65b1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -2,11 +2,6 @@ name: Systems test workflow, next gen, uses quickstart pipelines
 
 on:
   workflow_call:
-    secrets:
-      DOCKERHUB_USERNAME:
-        required: false
-      DOCKERHUB_TOKEN:
-        required: false
     inputs:
       runner:
         description: "GitHub runner to use"
@@ -123,25 +118,14 @@ on:
 
 env:
   SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: stellar/system-test:cache
-  SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE_CACHE_REGISTRY: docker.io
-  
+
 jobs:
   prepare-config:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     outputs:
       images-config: ${{ steps.set-config.outputs.images }}
-      system-test-image-cache-registry: ${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE_CACHE_REGISTRY }}
       system-test-image-cached: "${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE}}_${{ steps.set-cache-key.outputs.cache-key }}"
-      registry_allowed: ${{ steps.check-registry.outputs.registry-allowed }}
     steps:
-      - id: check-registry
-        name: Check if registry access is allowed
-        run: |
-          if [ -z "${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}" ]; then
-            echo "registry-allowed=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          else
-            echo "registry-allowed=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          fi 
       - id: set-cache-key
         run: |
           # Fetch commit SHAs for each dependency repo
@@ -216,27 +200,9 @@ jobs:
         images: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.images-config }}
         archs: '["amd64"]'
 
-  check-system-test-cache:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: prepare-config
-    outputs:
-      cache-hit: ${{ steps.check.outputs.exists }}
-    steps:
-      - id: check
-        name: Check if cached system-test image exists
-        run: |
-          if docker manifest inspect ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}/${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cached }} > /dev/null 2>&1; then
-            echo "Image exists in registry"
-            echo "exists=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          else
-            echo "Image not found in registry"
-            echo "exists=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          fi
-
   build-system-test:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest-4-cores
-    needs: [prepare-config, check-system-test-cache]
-    if: needs.check-system-test-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+    needs: [prepare-config]
     env:
       SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cached }}
     steps:
@@ -275,34 +241,20 @@ jobs:
           fi
            
           make \
+            USE_GHA_CACHE=true \
             STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF=$STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF \
             STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION=$STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION \
             RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=${{ inputs.rust-toolchain-version }} \
             JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=$JS_STELLAR_SDK_REF \
             SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=$SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE \
             build
-      - name: login to registry
-        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.registry_allowed == 'true'
-        uses: docker/login-action@f054a8b539a109f9f41c372932f1ae047eff08c9
-        with:
-          registry: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}
-          username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME  }}
-          password: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN  }}
-      - name: Publish system-test image
-        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.registry_allowed == 'true'
-        run: |
-          docker tag $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}/$SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE
-          docker push ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}/$SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE
-
-      - name: extract image to artifact when no registry
-        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.registry_allowed != 'true'
+      - name: extract image to file
         run: |
           docker save $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE -o /tmp/image.tar
-      - name: save to artifact when no registry
-        if: needs.prepare-config.outputs.registry_allowed != 'true'
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+      - name: save file to cache
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
         with:
-          name: image-system-test
+          key: ${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE }}
           path: /tmp/image.tar
 
   integration:
@@ -324,21 +276,19 @@ jobs:
           artifact: image-quickstart-rpc-custom-amd64.tar
           tag: rpc-custom-amd64
           enable: core,rpc
-      - name: download system-test image
-        if: needs.build-system-test.result == 'skipped'
-        run: |
-          docker pull ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}/$SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE
-          docker tag ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-registry }}/$SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE
-
-      - name: download artifact if no registry
-        if: needs.build-system-test.result != 'skipped' && needs.prepare-config.outputs.registry_allowed != 'true'
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+      - name: Get system-test image from cache
+        id: get-system-test-image
+        uses: actions/cache/restore/v4
         with:
-          name: image-system-test
-          path: /tmp/
-
-      - name: load system-test image if no registry
-        if: needs.build-system-test.result != 'skipped' && needs.prepare-config.outputs.registry_allowed != 'true'
+          key: ${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE }}
+          path: /tmp/image.tar  
+      - name: Fail if cache not found
+        run: |
+          if [ "${{ steps.get-system-test-image.outputs.cache-hit }}" != "true" ]; then
+            echo "Required cache key $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE not found, failing job."
+            exit 1
+          fi 
+      - name: load system-test image from cache file
         run: |
           docker load -i /tmp/image.tar
           
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 44b7daa..ad3524a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -37,6 +37,19 @@ RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=stable
 # the final image name that is created in local docker images store for system test
 SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=stellar/system-test:dev
 
+# set to true to enable github actions cache for layer caching during build
+USE_GHA_CACHE=false
+
+# github actions cache arguments for docker build
+GHA_CACHE_ARGS=--cache-from=type=gha --cache-to=type=gha,mode=max,compression=zstd
+
+# set cache args based on USE_GHA_CACHE flag
+ifeq ($(USE_GHA_CACHE),true)
+	CACHE_ARGS=$(GHA_CACHE_ARGS)
+else
+	CACHE_ARGS=
+endif
+
 build-stellar-cli:
 	if [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ]; then \
 		DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION=rust:$$( [ "$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION)" = "stable" ] && echo "latest" || echo "$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION)"); \
@@ -44,6 +57,7 @@ build-stellar-cli:
 		--build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
 		--build-arg DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION="$$DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION" \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION="$(STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION)" \
+		$(CACHE_ARGS) \
 		-f- $(STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF) < $(MAKEFILE_DIR)Dockerfile.stellar-cli; \
 	fi
 
@@ -56,4 +70,5 @@ build: build-stellar-cli
 		--build-arg RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION) \
 		--build-arg NODE_VERSION=$(NODE_VERSION) \
 		--build-arg JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=$(JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION) \
-		--label org.opencontainers.image.revision="$(SYSTEM_TEST_SHA)" .;
+		--label org.opencontainers.image.revision="$(SYSTEM_TEST_SHA)" \
+		$(CACHE_ARGS) .;

From ac79f9ff349656e2478603fd89ffd4c5fe5c1695 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2025 16:51:37 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 25/60] #92: fix gha cache verstion syntax on step

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index 68d65b1..3d5afc1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ jobs:
           enable: core,rpc
       - name: Get system-test image from cache
         id: get-system-test-image
-        uses: actions/cache/restore/v4
+        uses: actions/cache/restore@v4
         with:
           key: ${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE }}
           path: /tmp/image.tar  

From 60f098c6dfb02800a0ff02ae076a81218a7f783c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2025 17:34:08 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 26/60] #92: remove unnecessary cache key creation

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 50 ++---------------------------
 Makefile                            |  2 +-
 2 files changed, 4 insertions(+), 48 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index 3d5afc1..5caf8cf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -124,52 +124,8 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     outputs:
       images-config: ${{ steps.set-config.outputs.images }}
-      system-test-image-cached: "${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE}}_${{ steps.set-cache-key.outputs.cache-key }}"
+      system-test-image: "${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE}}"
     steps:
-      - id: set-cache-key
-        run: |
-          # Fetch commit SHAs for each dependency repo
-
-          SYSTEM_TEST_SHA=$(git ls-remote https://github.com/stellar/system-test ${{ inputs.system-test-git-ref }} | awk '{print $1}')
-          if [ -z "$SYSTEM_TEST_SHA" ]; then
-            echo "Error: Could not find ref ${{ inputs.system-test-git-ref }} in stellar/system-test"
-            exit 1
-          fi
-
-          CLI_REF="${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}"
-          CLI_REPO="${{ inputs.stellar-cli-repo }}"
-          
-          # Only fetch if stellar-cli-ref and repo is provided
-          if [ -n "$CLI_REF" ] && [ -n "$CLI_REPO" ]; then
-            CLI_URL=https://github.com/$CLI_REPO
-            
-            STELLAR_CLI_SHA=$(git ls-remote "$CLI_URL" "$CLI_REF" | awk '{print $1}')
-            if [ -z "$STELLAR_CLI_SHA" ]; then
-              echo "Error: Could not find ref $CLI_REF in $CLI_URL"
-              exit 1
-            fi
-          else
-            # If no CLI ref provided
-            STELLAR_CLI_SHA="${{ inputs.stellar-cli-crate-version }}"
-          fi
-
-          # Handle JS Stellar SDK
-          if [ -n "${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-repo }}" ]; then
-            JS_SDK_PART=$(git ls-remote https://github.com/${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-repo }} ${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-ref }} | awk '{print $1}')
-            if [ -z "$JS_SDK_PART" ]; then
-              echo "Error: Could not find ref ${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-ref }} in ${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-repo }}"
-              exit 1
-            fi
-          else
-            JS_SDK_PART="${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-npm-version }}"
-          fi
-
-          # Create cache key by hashing all components
-          CACHE_INPUT="${SYSTEM_TEST_SHA}${STELLAR_CLI_SHA}${JS_SDK_PART}"
-          CACHE_KEY=$(echo -n "$CACHE_INPUT" | sha256sum | cut -c1-16)
-          echo "cache-key=${CACHE_KEY}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          echo "Generated cache key: ${CACHE_KEY}"
-
       - id: set-config
         run: |
           cat <<EOF >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
@@ -204,7 +160,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest-4-cores
     needs: [prepare-config]
     env:
-      SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cached }}
+      SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
@@ -268,7 +224,7 @@ jobs:
         scenario-filter: ["${{ inputs.test-filter }}"]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     env:
-      SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cached }}
+      SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image }}
     steps:
       - name: Start quickstart with rpc
         uses: stellar/quickstart@main
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ad3524a..45040fa 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ build-stellar-cli:
 
 build: build-stellar-cli
 	STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF=$$( [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ] && echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" || echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)"); \
-	docker build -t "$(SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE)" -f Dockerfile \
+	docker buildx build -t "$(SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE)" -f Dockerfile \
 	    --build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION=$(STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION) \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF=$$STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF \

From 405dab956e86fce934d1f4b5f822ff383cadcda6 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2025 13:02:43 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 27/60] #92: use artifacts instead of cache for interim docker
 image for system test

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 23 ++++++++---------------
 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 15 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index 5caf8cf..46e8c0c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -207,10 +207,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: extract image to file
         run: |
           docker save $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE -o /tmp/image.tar
-      - name: save file to cache
-        uses: actions/cache@v4
+      - name: save file to artifact
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
-          key: ${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE }}
+          name: image-system-test
           path: /tmp/image.tar
 
   integration:
@@ -232,19 +232,12 @@ jobs:
           artifact: image-quickstart-rpc-custom-amd64.tar
           tag: rpc-custom-amd64
           enable: core,rpc
-      - name: Get system-test image from cache
-        id: get-system-test-image
-        uses: actions/cache/restore@v4
+      - name: Download system-test image artifact
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
-          key: ${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE }}
-          path: /tmp/image.tar  
-      - name: Fail if cache not found
-        run: |
-          if [ "${{ steps.get-system-test-image.outputs.cache-hit }}" != "true" ]; then
-            echo "Required cache key $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE not found, failing job."
-            exit 1
-          fi 
-      - name: load system-test image from cache file
+          name: image-system-test
+          path: /tmp/
+      - name: load system-test image from artifact file
         run: |
           docker load -i /tmp/image.tar
           

From 34febf8d2492fa0194240eaee4fd25cd2360acdb Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2025 12:45:32 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 28/60] #92: specify system-test repo for gha cache ownership

---
 Makefile | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 45040fa..62a0113 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=stellar/system-test:dev
 USE_GHA_CACHE=false
 
 # github actions cache arguments for docker build
-GHA_CACHE_ARGS=--cache-from=type=gha --cache-to=type=gha,mode=max,compression=zstd
+GHA_CACHE_ARGS=--cache-from=type=gha,repository=stellar/system-test,scope=system-test-layer-cache --cache-to=type=gha,repository=stellar/system-test,scope=system-test-layer-cache,mode=max,compression=zstd
 
 # set cache args based on USE_GHA_CACHE flag
 ifeq ($(USE_GHA_CACHE),true)

From 202124c0b71d69ca009d9e444b6aaaf21e803d91 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2025 13:19:35 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 29/60] #92: enable plain logging on docker build to see
 caching activity

---
 Makefile | 4 ++--
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 62a0113..2d611e2 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ endif
 build-stellar-cli:
 	if [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ]; then \
 		DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION=rust:$$( [ "$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION)" = "stable" ] && echo "latest" || echo "$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION)"); \
-		docker buildx build -t "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" --target builder \
+		docker buildx build --progress=plain -t "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" --target builder \
 		--build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
 		--build-arg DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION="$$DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION" \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION="$(STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION)" \
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ build-stellar-cli:
 
 build: build-stellar-cli
 	STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF=$$( [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ] && echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" || echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)"); \
-	docker buildx build -t "$(SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE)" -f Dockerfile \
+	docker buildx build --progress=plain -t "$(SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE)" -f Dockerfile \
 	    --build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION=$(STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION) \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF=$$STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF \

From eb1c902df1f491168a45c9825e16334ac91d6321 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2025 13:59:04 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 30/60] #92: dont' use repository param in gha caching, not
 effective

---
 Makefile | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2d611e2..7a5949b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=stellar/system-test:dev
 USE_GHA_CACHE=false
 
 # github actions cache arguments for docker build
-GHA_CACHE_ARGS=--cache-from=type=gha,repository=stellar/system-test,scope=system-test-layer-cache --cache-to=type=gha,repository=stellar/system-test,scope=system-test-layer-cache,mode=max,compression=zstd
+GHA_CACHE_ARGS=--cache-from=type=gha,scope=system-test-layer-cache --cache-to=type=gha,scope=system-test-layer-cache,mode=max,compression=zstd
 
 # set cache args based on USE_GHA_CACHE flag
 ifeq ($(USE_GHA_CACHE),true)

From ada2d32fa4ed618082ac8d6c10ed8fff38264c96 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2025 16:20:51 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 31/60] #92: dont' use gha docker buildx action

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 1 +
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index 46e8c0c..13362fe 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ jobs:
           path: system-test/js-stellar-sdk
 
       - uses: stellar/actions/rust-cache@main
+      - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
 
       - name: Build system test with component versions
         run: |

From f2edf874a895c81f153bc6ad1bcc5acd3c83712f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2025 16:40:04 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 32/60] #92: need --load for docker buildx to save to local
 repo

---
 Makefile | 4 ++--
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7a5949b..9b1fc53 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ endif
 build-stellar-cli:
 	if [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ]; then \
 		DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION=rust:$$( [ "$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION)" = "stable" ] && echo "latest" || echo "$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION)"); \
-		docker buildx build --progress=plain -t "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" --target builder \
+		docker buildx build --progress=plain --load -t "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" --target builder \
 		--build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
 		--build-arg DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION="$$DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION" \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION="$(STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION)" \
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ build-stellar-cli:
 
 build: build-stellar-cli
 	STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF=$$( [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ] && echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" || echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)"); \
-	docker buildx build --progress=plain -t "$(SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE)" -f Dockerfile \
+	docker buildx build --progress=plain --load -t "$(SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE)" -f Dockerfile \
 	    --build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION=$(STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION) \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF=$$STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF \

From b19e8bdd9f51ee2ab116ab48964e818b1f668ab0 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2025 18:06:53 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 33/60] #92: specify docker driver for buildx

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 2 ++
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index 13362fe..b639f61 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -182,6 +182,8 @@ jobs:
 
       - uses: stellar/actions/rust-cache@main
       - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+        with:
+          driver: docker  # Use docker driver instead of default docker-container
 
       - name: Build system test with component versions
         run: |

From 6509db3bb8e23ad2d09df33d0e60a32c0c8d884d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2025 20:06:02 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 34/60] #92: use gha cache on ci test build

---
 .github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml | 5 ++++-
 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
index 0b0b573..5f88b6f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
@@ -40,9 +40,12 @@ jobs:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       with:
         ref: ${{ env.HEAD_SHA }}
+    - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+      with:
+        driver: docker  # Use docker driver instead of default docker-container    
     - name: Build System Test Image
       run: |
-        make SOROBAN_CLI_GIT_REF=${{ env.SOROBAN_CLI_GIT_REF }} \
+        make USE_GHA_CACHE=true \
              SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' && env.IMAGE || 'stellar/system-test:dev' }} \
              JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=${{ env.JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION }} \
              build;

From 6df0d5ce3a87be481d0bf50ba7997731fd45fa8e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2025 20:51:39 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 35/60] #92: added debug on buildx

---
 Makefile | 4 ++--
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9b1fc53..52cea84 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ endif
 build-stellar-cli:
 	if [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ]; then \
 		DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION=rust:$$( [ "$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION)" = "stable" ] && echo "latest" || echo "$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION)"); \
-		docker buildx build --progress=plain --load -t "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" --target builder \
+		docker buildx build --progress=plain --debug --load -t "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" --target builder \
 		--build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
 		--build-arg DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION="$$DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION" \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION="$(STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION)" \
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ build-stellar-cli:
 
 build: build-stellar-cli
 	STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF=$$( [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ] && echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" || echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)"); \
-	docker buildx build --progress=plain --load -t "$(SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE)" -f Dockerfile \
+	docker buildx build --progress=plain --debug --load -t "$(SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE)" -f Dockerfile \
 	    --build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION=$(STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION) \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF=$$STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF \

From 272cc86f29eb2d4e3c218f9aaec364fca74d4aba Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2025 20:59:03 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 36/60] #92: corrected debug on buildx

---
 .github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml | 2 +-
 Makefile                         | 4 ++--
 2 files changed, 3 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
index 5f88b6f..4fd5c53 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ jobs:
         driver: docker  # Use docker driver instead of default docker-container    
     - name: Build System Test Image
       run: |
-        make USE_GHA_CACHE=true \
+        make BUILDX_DEBUG=1 USE_GHA_CACHE=true \
              SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' && env.IMAGE || 'stellar/system-test:dev' }} \
              JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=${{ env.JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION }} \
              build;
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 52cea84..9b1fc53 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ endif
 build-stellar-cli:
 	if [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ]; then \
 		DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION=rust:$$( [ "$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION)" = "stable" ] && echo "latest" || echo "$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION)"); \
-		docker buildx build --progress=plain --debug --load -t "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" --target builder \
+		docker buildx build --progress=plain --load -t "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" --target builder \
 		--build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
 		--build-arg DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION="$$DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION" \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION="$(STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION)" \
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ build-stellar-cli:
 
 build: build-stellar-cli
 	STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF=$$( [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ] && echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" || echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)"); \
-	docker buildx build --progress=plain --debug --load -t "$(SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE)" -f Dockerfile \
+	docker buildx build --progress=plain --load -t "$(SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE)" -f Dockerfile \
 	    --build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION=$(STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION) \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF=$$STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF \

From ff8a819c580d7e481ec0a6e8c45bc5c69cbbf8fa Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2025 21:10:40 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 37/60] #92: don't use equals on the buildx cache params

---
 .github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml | 2 +-
 Makefile                         | 2 +-
 2 files changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
index 4fd5c53..5f88b6f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ jobs:
         driver: docker  # Use docker driver instead of default docker-container    
     - name: Build System Test Image
       run: |
-        make BUILDX_DEBUG=1 USE_GHA_CACHE=true \
+        make USE_GHA_CACHE=true \
              SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' && env.IMAGE || 'stellar/system-test:dev' }} \
              JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=${{ env.JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION }} \
              build;
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9b1fc53..d9f5417 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=stellar/system-test:dev
 USE_GHA_CACHE=false
 
 # github actions cache arguments for docker build
-GHA_CACHE_ARGS=--cache-from=type=gha,scope=system-test-layer-cache --cache-to=type=gha,scope=system-test-layer-cache,mode=max,compression=zstd
+GHA_CACHE_ARGS="--cache-from type=gha,scope=system-test-layer-cache --cache-to type=gha,scope=system-test-layer-cache,mode=max,compression=zstd"
 
 # set cache args based on USE_GHA_CACHE flag
 ifeq ($(USE_GHA_CACHE),true)

From 9ec67782323a7a8f4719a6c52257309a459892b0 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2025 21:12:33 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 38/60] #92: don't use quotes on makefile variable

---
 Makefile | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d9f5417..f69ca3e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=stellar/system-test:dev
 USE_GHA_CACHE=false
 
 # github actions cache arguments for docker build
-GHA_CACHE_ARGS="--cache-from type=gha,scope=system-test-layer-cache --cache-to type=gha,scope=system-test-layer-cache,mode=max,compression=zstd"
+GHA_CACHE_ARGS=--cache-from type=gha,scope=system-test-layer-cache --cache-to type=gha,scope=system-test-layer-cache,mode=max,compression=zstd
 
 # set cache args based on USE_GHA_CACHE flag
 ifeq ($(USE_GHA_CACHE),true)

From 8b77666ed27d18466766df934909682a7443463c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2025 16:26:04 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 39/60] #92: use new horizon and friendbot refs to quickstart
 flow

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 11 ++++++++---
 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index b639f61..f2e3116 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -81,10 +81,15 @@ on:
         type: string
 
       horizon-ref:
-        description: "git ref of horizon to use"
+        description: "git ref of stellar/stellar-horizon to use"
         required: true
         type: string
 
+      friendbot-ref:
+        description: "git ref of stellar/friendbot to use"
+        required: true
+        type: string  
+
       lab-ref:
         description: "git ref of stellar laboratory to use"
         required: true
@@ -140,8 +145,8 @@ jobs:
                 { "name": "xdr", "repo": "stellar/rs-stellar-xdr", "ref": "${{ inputs.stellar-xdr-ref }}" },
                 { "name": "core", "repo": "stellar/stellar-core", "ref": "${{ inputs.stellar-core-ref }}", "options": { "configure_flags": "--disable-tests" } },
                 { "name": "rpc", "repo": "${{ inputs.stellar-rpc-repo }}", "ref": "${{ inputs.stellar-rpc-ref }}" },
-                { "name": "horizon", "repo": "stellar/go", "ref": "${{ inputs.horizon-ref }}" },
-                { "name": "friendbot", "repo": "stellar/go", "ref": "${{ inputs.horizon-ref }}" },
+                { "name": "horizon", "repo": "stellar/stellar-horizon", "ref": "${{ inputs.horizon-ref }}", "options": { "pkg": "github.com/stellar/stellar-horizon" } },
+                { "name": "friendbot", "repo": "stellar/friendbot", "ref": "${{ inputs.friendbot-ref }}", "options": { "pkg": "github.com/stellar/friendbot" } },
                 { "name": "lab", "repo": "stellar/laboratory", "ref": "${{ inputs.lab-ref }}" }
               ],
               "additional-tests": []

From 68bbc32d6ebcf7fbc95ea8f413abaa56847103b6 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2025 10:22:31 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 40/60] #92: include crazy-max gha action to assist docker gha
 caching

---
 .github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml | 2 ++
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
index 5f88b6f..473d536 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ jobs:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       with:
         ref: ${{ env.HEAD_SHA }}
+    - name: Expose GitHub Runtime
+      uses: crazy-max/ghaction-github-runtime@v3
     - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
       with:
         driver: docker  # Use docker driver instead of default docker-container    

From 64ad22d68d667b461a00d0c29916eb7fa32d205a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2025 10:31:17 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 41/60] #92: use docker container driver for buildx

---
 .github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml | 4 +---
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
index 473d536..7546090 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
@@ -42,9 +42,7 @@ jobs:
         ref: ${{ env.HEAD_SHA }}
     - name: Expose GitHub Runtime
       uses: crazy-max/ghaction-github-runtime@v3
-    - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
-      with:
-        driver: docker  # Use docker driver instead of default docker-container    
+    - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3  
     - name: Build System Test Image
       run: |
         make USE_GHA_CACHE=true \

From 0357394d300674b25e3418f3e658c41e40456a54 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2025 10:58:58 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 42/60] #92: fix getEvents endLedger requirement for latest v24
 js sdk

---
 events.ts | 1 +
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)

diff --git a/events.ts b/events.ts
index 6095e93..2cd184c 100755
--- a/events.ts
+++ b/events.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ async function main() {
 
   let response = await server.getEvents({
     startLedger: Number(ledgerFrom),
+    endLedger: 0,
     filters: filters,
     limit: Number(size)
   });

From de79a026f66815f0ab738ab01bfb593671570690 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2025 15:11:18 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 43/60] #92: use docker-container driver for cache exports, oci
 export for cli image

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml |  2 ++
 .gitignore                          |  1 +
 Makefile                            | 37 +++++++++++++++++++++++++----
 3 files changed, 36 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index f2e3116..8bb95b5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -186,6 +186,8 @@ jobs:
           path: system-test/js-stellar-sdk
 
       - uses: stellar/actions/rust-cache@main
+      - name: Expose GitHub Runtime
+        uses: crazy-max/ghaction-github-runtime@v3
       - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
         with:
           driver: docker  # Use docker driver instead of default docker-container
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 74c80e4..3e5f133 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ systest.sublime-project
 systest.sublime-workspace
 .quickstart_repo
 node_modules/
+cli_oci_image
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f69ca3e..564d1bc 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -40,12 +40,21 @@ SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=stellar/system-test:dev
 # set to true to enable github actions cache for layer caching during build
 USE_GHA_CACHE=false
 
+# set to true to enable local directory cache for layer caching during build
+USE_LOCAL_CACHE=false
+
 # github actions cache arguments for docker build
 GHA_CACHE_ARGS=--cache-from type=gha,scope=system-test-layer-cache --cache-to type=gha,scope=system-test-layer-cache,mode=max,compression=zstd
 
-# set cache args based on USE_GHA_CACHE flag
+# local directory cache arguments for docker build
+LOCAL_CACHE_ARGS=--cache-from type=local,src=/tmp/buildx-cache --cache-to type=local,dest=/tmp/buildx-cache,mode=max,compression=zstd
+
+
+# set cache args based on USE_GHA_CACHE or USE_LOCAL_CACHE flag
 ifeq ($(USE_GHA_CACHE),true)
 	CACHE_ARGS=$(GHA_CACHE_ARGS)
+else ifeq ($(USE_LOCAL_CACHE),true)
+	CACHE_ARGS=$(LOCAL_CACHE_ARGS)
 else
 	CACHE_ARGS=
 endif
@@ -53,16 +62,32 @@ endif
 build-stellar-cli:
 	if [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ]; then \
 		DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION=rust:$$( [ "$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION)" = "stable" ] && echo "latest" || echo "$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION)"); \
-		docker buildx build --progress=plain --load -t "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" --target builder \
+		OUTPUT_ARG="--load"; \
+		if [ -n "$(CACHE_ARGS)" ]; then \
+			rm -rf $(MAKEFILE_DIR)cli_oci_image; \
+			mkdir -p $(MAKEFILE_DIR)cli_oci_image; \
+			OUTPUT_ARG="--output type=oci,dest=$(MAKEFILE_DIR)cli_oci_image.tar"; \
+		fi; \
+		docker buildx build --progress=plain $$OUTPUT_ARG -t "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" --target builder \
 		--build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
 		--build-arg DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION="$$DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION" \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION="$(STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION)" \
 		$(CACHE_ARGS) \
 		-f- $(STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF) < $(MAKEFILE_DIR)Dockerfile.stellar-cli; \
+		if [ -n "$(CACHE_ARGS)" ]; then \
+			tar -xf $(MAKEFILE_DIR)cli_oci_image.tar -C $(MAKEFILE_DIR)cli_oci_image; \
+			rm $(MAKEFILE_DIR)cli_oci_image.tar; \
+		fi; \
 	fi
 
 build: build-stellar-cli
-	STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF=$$( [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ] && echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" || echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)"); \
+	if [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ] && [ -n "$(CACHE_ARGS)" ]; then \
+		STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF="cli_oci"; \
+		BUILD_CONTEXT_ARG="--build-context cli_oci=oci-layout://$(MAKEFILE_DIR)cli_oci_image"; \
+	else \
+		STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF=$$( [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ] && echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" || echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)"); \
+		BUILD_CONTEXT_ARG=""; \
+	fi; \
 	docker buildx build --progress=plain --load -t "$(SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE)" -f Dockerfile \
 	    --build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION=$(STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION) \
@@ -71,4 +96,8 @@ build: build-stellar-cli
 		--build-arg NODE_VERSION=$(NODE_VERSION) \
 		--build-arg JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=$(JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION) \
 		--label org.opencontainers.image.revision="$(SYSTEM_TEST_SHA)" \
-		$(CACHE_ARGS) .;
+		$$BUILD_CONTEXT_ARG \
+		$(CACHE_ARGS) .; \
+	if [ -n "$(CACHE_ARGS)" ]; then \
+		rm -rf $(MAKEFILE_DIR)cli_oci_image; \
+	fi;

From 25b5aec5c7d7c6fdcae1f9146043426000d42b34 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2025 15:25:35 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 44/60] #92: use docker-container for driver with buildx on
 callable workflow

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 3 ---
 1 file changed, 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index 8bb95b5..b5e81c2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -189,9 +189,6 @@ jobs:
       - name: Expose GitHub Runtime
         uses: crazy-max/ghaction-github-runtime@v3
       - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
-        with:
-          driver: docker  # Use docker driver instead of default docker-container
-
       - name: Build system test with component versions
         run: |
           cd $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/system-test

From 3ef80d1bad21aa46586b6b244c489a8c15c7c1a3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2025 18:25:42 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 45/60] #92: focus on local buildx cache using incremental
 action cache keys

---
 .github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml    | 91 +++++++++++++++++------------
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 43 +++++++++-----
 Makefile                            | 12 +---
 3 files changed, 84 insertions(+), 62 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
index 7546090..73b8f2c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ on:
     branches:
       - master
     tags:
-      - '*'
+      - "*"
   pull_request:
   release:
     types: [published]
@@ -29,36 +29,51 @@ jobs:
     needs: [build]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-    - if: contains(needs.*.result, 'failure') || contains(needs.*.result, 'cancelled')
-      run: exit 1
+      - if: contains(needs.*.result, 'failure') || contains(needs.*.result, 'cancelled')
+        run: exit 1
 
   build:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest-16-cores
     outputs:
       push_enabled: ${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED }}
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      with:
-        ref: ${{ env.HEAD_SHA }}
-    - name: Expose GitHub Runtime
-      uses: crazy-max/ghaction-github-runtime@v3
-    - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3  
-    - name: Build System Test Image
-      run: |
-        make USE_GHA_CACHE=true \
-             SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' && env.IMAGE || 'stellar/system-test:dev' }} \
-             JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=${{ env.JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION }} \
-             build;
-    - if: ${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' }}
-      name: Save Docker Image to file
-      run: |
-        docker save ${{ env.IMAGE }} -o /tmp/image;
-    - if: ${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' }}
-      name: Upload System Test Image
-      uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-      with:
-        name: image-Dockerfile
-        path: /tmp/image
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ env.HEAD_SHA }}
+      - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+      - name: Restore Docker buildx cache
+        uses: actions/cache/restore@v4
+        with:
+          path: /tmp/buildx-cache
+          key: buildx-${{ runner.os }}-${{ github.sha }}
+          restore-keys: |
+            buildx-${{ runner.os }}-
+
+      - name: Build System Test Image
+        run: |
+          make USE_LOCAL_CACHE=true \
+               SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' && env.IMAGE || 'stellar/system-test:dev' }} \
+               JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=${{ env.JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION }} \
+               build;
+
+      - name: Save Docker buildx cache
+        uses: actions/cache/save@v4
+        if: always()
+        with:
+          path: /tmp/buildx-cache
+          key: buildx-${{ runner.os }}-${{ github.sha }}
+
+      - if: ${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' }}
+        name: Save Docker Image to file
+        run: |
+          docker save ${{ env.IMAGE }} -o /tmp/image;
+      - if: ${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' }}
+        name: Upload System Test Image
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: image-Dockerfile
+          path: /tmp/image
 
   push:
     # Only push non 'vX.Y.Z' tags as pre-built system test image with versions compiled into image.
@@ -71,16 +86,16 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     if: needs.build.outputs.push_enabled == 'true'
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      with:
-        ref: ${{ env.HEAD_SHA  }}
-    - id: push
-      uses: ./.github/actions/push
-      with:
-        head_sha: ${{ env.HEAD_SHA }}
-        artifact_name: image-Dockerfile
-        artifact_image_file: image
-        image: ${{ env.IMAGE }}
-        registry: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN && 'docker.io' || 'ghcr.io' }}
-        username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME || github.actor }}
-        password: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN || github.token }}
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ env.HEAD_SHA  }}
+      - id: push
+        uses: ./.github/actions/push
+        with:
+          head_sha: ${{ env.HEAD_SHA }}
+          artifact_name: image-Dockerfile
+          artifact_image_file: image
+          image: ${{ env.IMAGE }}
+          registry: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN && 'docker.io' || 'ghcr.io' }}
+          username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME || github.actor }}
+          password: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN || github.token }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index b5e81c2..67383a6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ on:
       js-stellar-sdk-ref:
         description: "The git ref (branch, tag, sha) to use for js-stellar-sdk if using gh repo option"
         required: false
-        type: string  
+        type: string
 
       stellar-xdr-ref:
         description: "git ref of stellar-xdr to use"
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ on:
       friendbot-ref:
         description: "git ref of stellar/friendbot to use"
         required: true
-        type: string  
+        type: string
 
       lab-ref:
         description: "git ref of stellar laboratory to use"
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ on:
         description: "The git ref (branch, tag, sha) to use for soroban-examples"
         required: true
         type: string
-        
+
       soroban-examples-repo:
         description: "The git repo to use for soroban-examples"
         required: false
@@ -155,11 +155,11 @@ jobs:
           DELIMITER
           EOF
   build-quickstart:
-      needs: prepare-config
-      uses: stellar/quickstart/.github/workflows/build.yml@main
-      with:
-        images: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.images-config }}
-        archs: '["amd64"]'
+    needs: prepare-config
+    uses: stellar/quickstart/.github/workflows/build.yml@main
+    with:
+      images: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.images-config }}
+      archs: '["amd64"]'
 
   build-system-test:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest-4-cores
@@ -186,9 +186,16 @@ jobs:
           path: system-test/js-stellar-sdk
 
       - uses: stellar/actions/rust-cache@main
-      - name: Expose GitHub Runtime
-        uses: crazy-max/ghaction-github-runtime@v3
       - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+      - name: Restore Docker buildx cache
+        uses: actions/cache/restore@v4
+        with:
+          path: /tmp/buildx-cache
+          key: system-test-buildx-cache-${{ runner.os }}-${{ github.sha }}
+          restore-keys: |
+            system-test-buildx-cache-${{ runner.os }}-
+
       - name: Build system test with component versions
         run: |
           cd $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/system-test
@@ -204,13 +211,21 @@ jobs:
           fi
            
           make \
-            USE_GHA_CACHE=true \
+            USE_LOCAL_CACHE=true \
             STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF=$STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF \
             STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION=$STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION \
             RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=${{ inputs.rust-toolchain-version }} \
             JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=$JS_STELLAR_SDK_REF \
             SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=$SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE \
             build
+
+      - name: Save Docker buildx cache
+        uses: actions/cache/save@v4
+        if: always()
+        with:
+          path: /tmp/buildx-cache
+          key: system-test-buildx-cache-${{ runner.os }}-${{ github.sha }}
+
       - name: extract image to file
         run: |
           docker save $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE -o /tmp/image.tar
@@ -225,7 +240,7 @@ jobs:
     needs: [build-system-test, build-quickstart, prepare-config]
     # Run if build-system-test succeeded OR was skipped because image is already in built(cache hit)
     if: always() && (needs.build-system-test.result == 'success' || needs.build-system-test.result == 'skipped')
-    
+
     strategy:
       matrix:
         scenario-filter: ["${{ inputs.test-filter }}"]
@@ -247,7 +262,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: load system-test image from artifact file
         run: |
           docker load -i /tmp/image.tar
-          
+
       - name: Run system test scenarios
         run: |
           docker run \
@@ -257,4 +272,4 @@ jobs:
           --TargetNetworkRPCURL http://host.docker.internal:8000/rpc \
           --TestFilter "${{ matrix.scenario-filter }}" \
           --SorobanExamplesGitHash ${{ inputs.soroban-examples-ref }} \
-          --SorobanExamplesRepoURL https://github.com/${{ inputs.soroban-examples-repo }}
\ No newline at end of file
+          --SorobanExamplesRepoURL https://github.com/${{ inputs.soroban-examples-repo }}
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 564d1bc..e585440 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -37,23 +37,15 @@ RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=stable
 # the final image name that is created in local docker images store for system test
 SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=stellar/system-test:dev
 
-# set to true to enable github actions cache for layer caching during build
-USE_GHA_CACHE=false
-
 # set to true to enable local directory cache for layer caching during build
 USE_LOCAL_CACHE=false
 
-# github actions cache arguments for docker build
-GHA_CACHE_ARGS=--cache-from type=gha,scope=system-test-layer-cache --cache-to type=gha,scope=system-test-layer-cache,mode=max,compression=zstd
-
 # local directory cache arguments for docker build
 LOCAL_CACHE_ARGS=--cache-from type=local,src=/tmp/buildx-cache --cache-to type=local,dest=/tmp/buildx-cache,mode=max,compression=zstd
 
 
-# set cache args based on USE_GHA_CACHE or USE_LOCAL_CACHE flag
-ifeq ($(USE_GHA_CACHE),true)
-	CACHE_ARGS=$(GHA_CACHE_ARGS)
-else ifeq ($(USE_LOCAL_CACHE),true)
+# set cache args based on USE_LOCAL_CACHE flag
+ifeq ($(USE_LOCAL_CACHE),true)
 	CACHE_ARGS=$(LOCAL_CACHE_ARGS)
 else
 	CACHE_ARGS=

From a3e28fc12514112680f02961302deec246e35aac Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2025 19:34:39 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 46/60] #92: trying to use volume mount from buildkit container
 to runner host for cache path

---
 .github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml | 12 +++++++++---
 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
index 73b8f2c..fa0776c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ jobs:
         with:
           ref: ${{ env.HEAD_SHA }}
       - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
-
+        with:
+          install: true
       - name: Restore Docker buildx cache
         uses: actions/cache/restore@v4
         with:
@@ -49,7 +50,13 @@ jobs:
           key: buildx-${{ runner.os }}-${{ github.sha }}
           restore-keys: |
             buildx-${{ runner.os }}-
-
+      - name: Ensure cache directory exists
+        run: mkdir -p /tmp/buildx-cache        
+      - name: Manually create and use custom builder with volume mount to cache directory
+        run: |
+          docker buildx create --name custombuilder --driver docker-container \
+            --use --bootstrap \
+            -v /tmp/buildx-cache:/tmp/buildx-cache
       - name: Build System Test Image
         run: |
           make USE_LOCAL_CACHE=true \
@@ -59,7 +66,6 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Save Docker buildx cache
         uses: actions/cache/save@v4
-        if: always()
         with:
           path: /tmp/buildx-cache
           key: buildx-${{ runner.os }}-${{ github.sha }}

From 3d776712f3a31b3dd40d5b926ede5ab9b87304de Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2025 20:20:08 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 47/60] #92: use driver-opt param for vol mount

---
 .github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
index fa0776c..e19c51b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           docker buildx create --name custombuilder --driver docker-container \
             --use --bootstrap \
-            -v /tmp/buildx-cache:/tmp/buildx-cache
+            --driver-opt volume=/tmp/buildx-cache:/tmp/buildx-cache
       - name: Build System Test Image
         run: |
           make USE_LOCAL_CACHE=true \

From 5c4485d373fcb8c80d80cc91648c214d51cc1fa4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2025 20:41:32 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 48/60] #92: run buildkitd container directly to specify vol
 mount to gha runner host cache dir

---
 .github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml | 14 ++++++++++----
 1 file changed, 10 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
index e19c51b..12ffb24 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
@@ -52,11 +52,17 @@ jobs:
             buildx-${{ runner.os }}-
       - name: Ensure cache directory exists
         run: mkdir -p /tmp/buildx-cache        
-      - name: Manually create and use custom builder with volume mount to cache directory
+      - name: Start custom BuildKit container (UNIX Socket)
         run: |
-          docker buildx create --name custombuilder --driver docker-container \
-            --use --bootstrap \
-            --driver-opt volume=/tmp/buildx-cache:/tmp/buildx-cache
+          docker run -d --name custom_buildkitd \
+            --privileged \
+            -v  /tmp/buildx-cache:/tmp/buildx-cache \
+            moby/buildkit:latest --addr unix:///run/buildkit/buildkitd.sock
+      - name: Create buildx builder instance (UNIX Socket)
+        run: |
+          docker buildx create --name custombuilder --driver remote unix:///tmp/buildkit-socket/buildkitd.sock --use
+          docker buildx inspect custombuilder --bootstrap      
+
       - name: Build System Test Image
         run: |
           make USE_LOCAL_CACHE=true \

From de1f98a306e66cdd418751923ce393358f13e09e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2025 20:51:40 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 49/60] #92: fix unix socket name, don't use setup-buildx
 action, not needed

---
 .github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml | 7 ++-----
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
index 12ffb24..f204a8a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
@@ -40,9 +40,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           ref: ${{ env.HEAD_SHA }}
-      - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
-        with:
-          install: true
       - name: Restore Docker buildx cache
         uses: actions/cache/restore@v4
         with:
@@ -52,7 +49,7 @@ jobs:
             buildx-${{ runner.os }}-
       - name: Ensure cache directory exists
         run: mkdir -p /tmp/buildx-cache        
-      - name: Start custom BuildKit container (UNIX Socket)
+      - name: Start custom BuildKit container with volume mount to gha runner(UNIX Socket)
         run: |
           docker run -d --name custom_buildkitd \
             --privileged \
@@ -60,7 +57,7 @@ jobs:
             moby/buildkit:latest --addr unix:///run/buildkit/buildkitd.sock
       - name: Create buildx builder instance (UNIX Socket)
         run: |
-          docker buildx create --name custombuilder --driver remote unix:///tmp/buildkit-socket/buildkitd.sock --use
+          docker buildx create --name custombuilder --driver remote unix:///run/buildkit/buildkitd.sock --use
           docker buildx inspect custombuilder --bootstrap      
 
       - name: Build System Test Image

From e0eb6e5df2f23da8cdcef9709e905d5bb8fd3cab Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2025 21:03:21 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 50/60] #92: fix vol mounts for socket path on buildkitd run

---
 .github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml | 11 +++++++----
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
index f204a8a..92851c0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
@@ -48,16 +48,19 @@ jobs:
           restore-keys: |
             buildx-${{ runner.os }}-
       - name: Ensure cache directory exists
-        run: mkdir -p /tmp/buildx-cache        
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p /tmp/buildx-cache
+          mkdir -p /tmp/buildkit-socket        
       - name: Start custom BuildKit container with volume mount to gha runner(UNIX Socket)
         run: |
           docker run -d --name custom_buildkitd \
             --privileged \
-            -v  /tmp/buildx-cache:/tmp/buildx-cache \
-            moby/buildkit:latest --addr unix:///run/buildkit/buildkitd.sock
+            -v /tmp/buildkit-socket:/tmp/buildkit-socket \
+            -v /tmp/buildx-cache:/tmp/buildx-cache \
+            moby/buildkit:latest --addr unix:///tmp/buildkit-socket/buildkitd.sock
       - name: Create buildx builder instance (UNIX Socket)
         run: |
-          docker buildx create --name custombuilder --driver remote unix:///run/buildkit/buildkitd.sock --use
+          docker buildx create --name custombuilder --driver remote unix:///tmp/buildkit-socket/buildkitd.sock --use
           docker buildx inspect custombuilder --bootstrap      
 
       - name: Build System Test Image

From f91366a4e880c33699f1d9cf10ce9c47177668aa Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2025 21:15:55 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 51/60] #92: print logs of buildkit container start error

---
 .github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml | 10 ++++++++++
 1 file changed, 10 insertions(+)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
index 92851c0..deb93f6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
@@ -58,6 +58,16 @@ jobs:
             -v /tmp/buildkit-socket:/tmp/buildkit-socket \
             -v /tmp/buildx-cache:/tmp/buildx-cache \
             moby/buildkit:latest --addr unix:///tmp/buildkit-socket/buildkitd.sock
+      - name: Confirm custom_buildkitd is active
+        run: |
+          docker ps --filter name=custom_buildkitd
+          # Wait for the socket
+          timeout 30s bash -c 'while [ ! -S /tmp/buildkit-socket/buildkitd.sock ]; do sleep 0.5; done'      
+          if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+            echo "Timeout reached. Printing container logs before exiting:"
+            docker logs custom_buildkitd
+            exit 1 # Explicitly fail the GHA step after printing logs
+          fi
       - name: Create buildx builder instance (UNIX Socket)
         run: |
           docker buildx create --name custombuilder --driver remote unix:///tmp/buildkit-socket/buildkitd.sock --use

From 3fdc993171bbf6b1fe6fefe47459a9458296c188 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2025 21:38:13 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 52/60] #92: use tcp port for buildkitd instead of unix socket
 to gha runner

---
 .github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml | 25 ++++++++++++++++---------
 1 file changed, 16 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
index deb93f6..f1197c5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
@@ -50,27 +50,34 @@ jobs:
       - name: Ensure cache directory exists
         run: |
           mkdir -p /tmp/buildx-cache
-          mkdir -p /tmp/buildkit-socket        
-      - name: Start custom BuildKit container with volume mount to gha runner(UNIX Socket)
+      - name: Get free port for BuildKit daemon
+        id: get-port
+        run: |
+          # Find a free port by letting the OS assign one
+          PORT=$(python3 -c 'import socket; s=socket.socket(); s.bind(("", 0)); print(s.getsockname()[1]); s.close()')
+          echo "port=$PORT" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "Using port: $PORT"
+      - name: Start custom BuildKit container with volume mount
         run: |
           docker run -d --name custom_buildkitd \
             --privileged \
-            -v /tmp/buildkit-socket:/tmp/buildkit-socket \
             -v /tmp/buildx-cache:/tmp/buildx-cache \
-            moby/buildkit:latest --addr unix:///tmp/buildkit-socket/buildkitd.sock
+            -p ${{ steps.get-port.outputs.port }}:${{ steps.get-port.outputs.port }} \
+            moby/buildkit:latest --addr tcp://0.0.0.0:${{ steps.get-port.outputs.port }}
       - name: Confirm custom_buildkitd is active
         run: |
           docker ps --filter name=custom_buildkitd
-          # Wait for the socket
-          timeout 30s bash -c 'while [ ! -S /tmp/buildkit-socket/buildkitd.sock ]; do sleep 0.5; done'      
+          # Wait for the TCP port to be ready
+          timeout 30s bash -c 'until nc -z localhost ${{ steps.get-port.outputs.port }}; do sleep 0.5; done'      
           if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
             echo "Timeout reached. Printing container logs before exiting:"
             docker logs custom_buildkitd
-            exit 1 # Explicitly fail the GHA step after printing logs
+            exit 1
           fi
-      - name: Create buildx builder instance (UNIX Socket)
+          echo "BuildKit daemon is listening on port ${{ steps.get-port.outputs.port }}"
+      - name: Create buildx builder instance (TCP)
         run: |
-          docker buildx create --name custombuilder --driver remote unix:///tmp/buildkit-socket/buildkitd.sock --use
+          docker buildx create --name custombuilder --driver remote tcp://localhost:${{ steps.get-port.outputs.port }} --use
           docker buildx inspect custombuilder --bootstrap      
 
       - name: Build System Test Image

From 6b90e1f85c8d71d419f38a4aa80f8e0206847e7f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2025 22:42:09 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 53/60] #92: revert back to image file cache pattern for ci
 build

---
 .github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml | 65 ++++++++------------------------
 1 file changed, 16 insertions(+), 49 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
index f1197c5..30190fa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
@@ -40,69 +40,36 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           ref: ${{ env.HEAD_SHA }}
-      - name: Restore Docker buildx cache
+      - name: Restore image cache
+        id: image-cache
         uses: actions/cache/restore@v4
         with:
-          path: /tmp/buildx-cache
-          key: buildx-${{ runner.os }}-${{ github.sha }}
-          restore-keys: |
-            buildx-${{ runner.os }}-
-      - name: Ensure cache directory exists
-        run: |
-          mkdir -p /tmp/buildx-cache
-      - name: Get free port for BuildKit daemon
-        id: get-port
-        run: |
-          # Find a free port by letting the OS assign one
-          PORT=$(python3 -c 'import socket; s=socket.socket(); s.bind(("", 0)); print(s.getsockname()[1]); s.close()')
-          echo "port=$PORT" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          echo "Using port: $PORT"
-      - name: Start custom BuildKit container with volume mount
-        run: |
-          docker run -d --name custom_buildkitd \
-            --privileged \
-            -v /tmp/buildx-cache:/tmp/buildx-cache \
-            -p ${{ steps.get-port.outputs.port }}:${{ steps.get-port.outputs.port }} \
-            moby/buildkit:latest --addr tcp://0.0.0.0:${{ steps.get-port.outputs.port }}
-      - name: Confirm custom_buildkitd is active
-        run: |
-          docker ps --filter name=custom_buildkitd
-          # Wait for the TCP port to be ready
-          timeout 30s bash -c 'until nc -z localhost ${{ steps.get-port.outputs.port }}; do sleep 0.5; done'      
-          if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
-            echo "Timeout reached. Printing container logs before exiting:"
-            docker logs custom_buildkitd
-            exit 1
-          fi
-          echo "BuildKit daemon is listening on port ${{ steps.get-port.outputs.port }}"
-      - name: Create buildx builder instance (TCP)
-        run: |
-          docker buildx create --name custombuilder --driver remote tcp://localhost:${{ steps.get-port.outputs.port }} --use
-          docker buildx inspect custombuilder --bootstrap      
-
+          path: /tmp/image.tar
+          key: systemtest-image-${{ runner.os }}-${{ github.sha }}
       - name: Build System Test Image
+        if: steps.image-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
         run: |
-          make USE_LOCAL_CACHE=true \
-               SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' && env.IMAGE || 'stellar/system-test:dev' }} \
+          make SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' && env.IMAGE || 'stellar/system-test:dev' }} \
                JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=${{ env.JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION }} \
                build;
 
-      - name: Save Docker buildx cache
+      - name: Save Docker Image to file
+        if: steps.image-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+        run: |
+          docker save ${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' && env.IMAGE || 'stellar/system-test:dev' }} -o /tmp/image.tar
+
+      - name: Save image cache
+        if: steps.image-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
         uses: actions/cache/save@v4
         with:
-          path: /tmp/buildx-cache
-          key: buildx-${{ runner.os }}-${{ github.sha }}
-
-      - if: ${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' }}
-        name: Save Docker Image to file
-        run: |
-          docker save ${{ env.IMAGE }} -o /tmp/image;
+          path: /tmp/image.tar
+          key: systemtest-image-${{ runner.os }}-${{ github.sha }}
       - if: ${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' }}
         name: Upload System Test Image
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: image-Dockerfile
-          path: /tmp/image
+          path: /tmp/image.tar
 
   push:
     # Only push non 'vX.Y.Z' tags as pre-built system test image with versions compiled into image.

From 1923043639a38e5927cfd63f07464bdfe4d876d4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2025 10:24:31 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 54/60] #92: revert back to doing cache per image on callable
 workflow

---
 .github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml    | 20 +++++--
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 92 ++++++++++++++++++++++-------
 Makefile                            | 42 +------------
 3 files changed, 90 insertions(+), 64 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
index 30190fa..148f9d4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.yml
@@ -44,8 +44,14 @@ jobs:
         id: image-cache
         uses: actions/cache/restore@v4
         with:
-          path: /tmp/image.tar
+          path: /tmp/image.tar.zst
           key: systemtest-image-${{ runner.os }}-${{ github.sha }}
+      
+      - name: Load cached Docker image
+        if: steps.image-cache.outputs.cache-hit == 'true'
+        run: |
+          zstd -d -c /tmp/image.tar.zst | docker load
+      
       - name: Build System Test Image
         if: steps.image-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
         run: |
@@ -56,14 +62,20 @@ jobs:
       - name: Save Docker Image to file
         if: steps.image-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
         run: |
-          docker save ${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' && env.IMAGE || 'stellar/system-test:dev' }} -o /tmp/image.tar
+          docker save ${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' && env.IMAGE || 'stellar/system-test:dev' }} | zstd -19 -o /tmp/image.tar.zst
 
       - name: Save image cache
         if: steps.image-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
         uses: actions/cache/save@v4
         with:
-          path: /tmp/image.tar
+          path: /tmp/image.tar.zst
           key: systemtest-image-${{ runner.os }}-${{ github.sha }}
+      
+      - if: ${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' }}
+        name: Decompress image for upload
+        run: |
+          zstd -d /tmp/image.tar.zst -o /tmp/image.tar
+      
       - if: ${{ env.PUSH_ENABLED == 'true' }}
         name: Upload System Test Image
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
@@ -90,7 +102,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           head_sha: ${{ env.HEAD_SHA }}
           artifact_name: image-Dockerfile
-          artifact_image_file: image
+          artifact_image_file: image.tar
           image: ${{ env.IMAGE }}
           registry: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN && 'docker.io' || 'ghcr.io' }}
           username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME || github.actor }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index 67383a6..545066e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -122,7 +122,8 @@ on:
         default: "stellar/soroban-examples"
 
 env:
-  SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: stellar/system-test:cache
+  SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: stellar/system-test:dev
+  STELLAR_CLI_STAGED_IMAGE: stellar/system-test-stellar-cli:dev
 
 jobs:
   prepare-config:
@@ -130,7 +131,22 @@ jobs:
     outputs:
       images-config: ${{ steps.set-config.outputs.images }}
       system-test-image: "${{ env.SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE}}"
+      stellar-cli-staged-image: "${{ env.STELLAR_CLI_STAGED_IMAGE}}"
+      cli-image-cache-key: ${{ steps.compute-cache-keys.outputs.cli-image-cache-key }}
+      system-test-image-cache-key: ${{ steps.compute-cache-keys.outputs.system-test-image-cache-key }}
     steps:
+      - id: compute-cache-keys
+        run: |
+          # Compute CLI image cache key
+          CLI_CACHE_INPUT="${{ runner.os }}-${{ inputs.stellar-cli-repo }}-${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}-${{ inputs.stellar-cli-crate-version }}"
+          CLI_CACHE_KEY="cli-image-$(echo -n "$CLI_CACHE_INPUT" | sha256sum | cut -d' ' -f1)"
+          echo "cli-image-cache-key=$CLI_CACHE_KEY" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          
+          # Compute system test image cache key (includes CLI key + additional inputs)
+          SYSTEM_TEST_CACHE_INPUT="$CLI_CACHE_KEY-${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-repo }}-${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-ref }}-${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-npm-version }}-${{ inputs.rust-toolchain-version }}"
+          SYSTEM_TEST_CACHE_KEY="system-test-image-$(echo -n "$SYSTEM_TEST_CACHE_INPUT" | sha256sum | cut -d' ' -f1)"
+          echo "system-test-image-cache-key=$SYSTEM_TEST_CACHE_KEY" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          
       - id: set-config
         run: |
           cat <<EOF >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
@@ -166,6 +182,7 @@ jobs:
     needs: [prepare-config]
     env:
       SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image }}
+      STELLAR_CLI_STAGED_IMAGE: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.stellar-cli-staged-image }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
@@ -186,17 +203,33 @@ jobs:
           path: system-test/js-stellar-sdk
 
       - uses: stellar/actions/rust-cache@main
-      - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
-
-      - name: Restore Docker buildx cache
+      - name: Restore system test image cache
+        id: restore-system-test-image
+        uses: actions/cache/restore@v4
+        with:
+          path: /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst
+          key: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-key }}
+      
+      - name: Load cached system test image
+        if: steps.restore-system-test-image.outputs.cache-hit == 'true'
+        run: |
+          zstd -d -c /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst | docker load
+      
+      - name: Restore cli image cache
+        if: steps.restore-system-test-image.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+        id: restore-cli-image
         uses: actions/cache/restore@v4
         with:
-          path: /tmp/buildx-cache
-          key: system-test-buildx-cache-${{ runner.os }}-${{ github.sha }}
-          restore-keys: |
-            system-test-buildx-cache-${{ runner.os }}-
+          path: /tmp/cli-image.tar.zst
+          key: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.cli-image-cache-key }}
+      
+      - name: Load cached cli image
+        if: steps.restore-cli-image.outputs.cache-hit == 'true'
+        run: |
+          zstd -d -c /tmp/cli-image.tar.zst | docker load
 
       - name: Build system test with component versions
+        if: steps.restore-system-test-image.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
         run: |
           cd $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/system-test
           if [ -z "${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-repo }}" ]; then \
@@ -204,14 +237,19 @@ jobs:
           else \
             JS_STELLAR_SDK_REF="file:/home/tester/js-stellar-sdk"; \
           fi
-          if [ -n "${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}" ] && [ -n "${{ inputs.stellar-cli-repo }}" ]; then \
-            STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF="https://github.com/${{ inputs.stellar-cli-repo }}.git#${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}"; \
-          else \
-            STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION="${{ inputs.stellar-cli-crate-version }}"; \
+        
+          if [ "${{ steps.restore-cli-image.outputs.cache-hit }}" == 'true' ]; then \
+            STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE=$STELLAR_CLI_STAGED_IMAGE; \
+          else
+            if [ -n "${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}" ] && [ -n "${{ inputs.stellar-cli-repo }}" ]; then \
+              STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF="https://github.com/${{ inputs.stellar-cli-repo }}.git#${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}"; \
+            else \
+              STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION="${{ inputs.stellar-cli-crate-version }}"; \
+            fi  
           fi
-           
+
           make \
-            USE_LOCAL_CACHE=true \
+            STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE=$STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE \
             STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF=$STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF \
             STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION=$STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION \
             RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=${{ inputs.rust-toolchain-version }} \
@@ -219,21 +257,33 @@ jobs:
             SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=$SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE \
             build
 
-      - name: Save Docker buildx cache
+          if [ "${{ steps.restore-cli-image.outputs.cache-hit }}" != 'true' ]; then \
+            docker save $STELLAR_CLI_STAGED_IMAGE | zstd -19 -o /tmp/cli-image.tar.zst
+          fi  
+          docker save $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE | zstd -19 -o /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst
+
+      - name: Save cache for cli
         uses: actions/cache/save@v4
-        if: always()
+        if: steps.restore-cli-image.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
         with:
-          path: /tmp/buildx-cache
-          key: system-test-buildx-cache-${{ runner.os }}-${{ github.sha }}
+          path: /tmp/cli-image.tar.zst
+          key: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.cli-image-cache-key }}
+      - name: Save cache for system test image
+        uses: actions/cache/save@v4
+        if: steps.restore-system-test-image.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+        with:
+          path: /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst
+          key: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-key }}
 
-      - name: extract image to file
+      - name: Decompress system test image for artifact
         run: |
-          docker save $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE -o /tmp/image.tar
+          zstd -d /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst -o /tmp/system-test-image.tar
+
       - name: save file to artifact
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: image-system-test
-          path: /tmp/image.tar
+          path: /tmp/system-test-image.tar
 
   integration:
     name: System tests
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e585440..53987f2 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -37,49 +37,18 @@ RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=stable
 # the final image name that is created in local docker images store for system test
 SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE=stellar/system-test:dev
 
-# set to true to enable local directory cache for layer caching during build
-USE_LOCAL_CACHE=false
-
-# local directory cache arguments for docker build
-LOCAL_CACHE_ARGS=--cache-from type=local,src=/tmp/buildx-cache --cache-to type=local,dest=/tmp/buildx-cache,mode=max,compression=zstd
-
-
-# set cache args based on USE_LOCAL_CACHE flag
-ifeq ($(USE_LOCAL_CACHE),true)
-	CACHE_ARGS=$(LOCAL_CACHE_ARGS)
-else
-	CACHE_ARGS=
-endif
-
 build-stellar-cli:
 	if [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ]; then \
 		DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION=rust:$$( [ "$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION)" = "stable" ] && echo "latest" || echo "$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION)"); \
-		OUTPUT_ARG="--load"; \
-		if [ -n "$(CACHE_ARGS)" ]; then \
-			rm -rf $(MAKEFILE_DIR)cli_oci_image; \
-			mkdir -p $(MAKEFILE_DIR)cli_oci_image; \
-			OUTPUT_ARG="--output type=oci,dest=$(MAKEFILE_DIR)cli_oci_image.tar"; \
-		fi; \
-		docker buildx build --progress=plain $$OUTPUT_ARG -t "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" --target builder \
+		docker buildx build --progress=plain --load -t "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" --target builder \
 		--build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
 		--build-arg DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION="$$DOCKERHUB_RUST_VERSION" \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION="$(STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION)" \
-		$(CACHE_ARGS) \
 		-f- $(STELLAR_CLI_GIT_REF) < $(MAKEFILE_DIR)Dockerfile.stellar-cli; \
-		if [ -n "$(CACHE_ARGS)" ]; then \
-			tar -xf $(MAKEFILE_DIR)cli_oci_image.tar -C $(MAKEFILE_DIR)cli_oci_image; \
-			rm $(MAKEFILE_DIR)cli_oci_image.tar; \
-		fi; \
 	fi
 
 build: build-stellar-cli
-	if [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ] && [ -n "$(CACHE_ARGS)" ]; then \
-		STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF="cli_oci"; \
-		BUILD_CONTEXT_ARG="--build-context cli_oci=oci-layout://$(MAKEFILE_DIR)cli_oci_image"; \
-	else \
-		STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF=$$( [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ] && echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" || echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)"); \
-		BUILD_CONTEXT_ARG=""; \
-	fi; \
+	STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE_REF=$$( [ -z "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)" ] && echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_STAGE_IMAGE)" || echo "$(STELLAR_CLI_IMAGE)"); \
 	docker buildx build --progress=plain --load -t "$(SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE)" -f Dockerfile \
 	    --build-arg BUILDKIT_CONTEXT_KEEP_GIT_DIR=true \
 		--build-arg STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION=$(STELLAR_CLI_CRATE_VERSION) \
@@ -87,9 +56,4 @@ build: build-stellar-cli
 		--build-arg RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=$(RUST_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION) \
 		--build-arg NODE_VERSION=$(NODE_VERSION) \
 		--build-arg JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION=$(JS_STELLAR_SDK_NPM_VERSION) \
-		--label org.opencontainers.image.revision="$(SYSTEM_TEST_SHA)" \
-		$$BUILD_CONTEXT_ARG \
-		$(CACHE_ARGS) .; \
-	if [ -n "$(CACHE_ARGS)" ]; then \
-		rm -rf $(MAKEFILE_DIR)cli_oci_image; \
-	fi;
+		--label org.opencontainers.image.revision="$(SYSTEM_TEST_SHA)" .; \

From 92ba87e73e4a31da9a7fc482e83bebd6c3ec5ead Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2025 11:15:46 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 55/60] #92: pass the compressed image tar from build to run
 job

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 15 ++-------------
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index 545066e..bf1d4ee 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -209,12 +209,6 @@ jobs:
         with:
           path: /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst
           key: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-key }}
-      
-      - name: Load cached system test image
-        if: steps.restore-system-test-image.outputs.cache-hit == 'true'
-        run: |
-          zstd -d -c /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst | docker load
-      
       - name: Restore cli image cache
         if: steps.restore-system-test-image.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
         id: restore-cli-image
@@ -274,16 +268,11 @@ jobs:
         with:
           path: /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst
           key: ${{ needs.prepare-config.outputs.system-test-image-cache-key }}
-
-      - name: Decompress system test image for artifact
-        run: |
-          zstd -d /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst -o /tmp/system-test-image.tar
-
       - name: save file to artifact
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: image-system-test
-          path: /tmp/system-test-image.tar
+          path: /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst
 
   integration:
     name: System tests
@@ -311,7 +300,7 @@ jobs:
           path: /tmp/
       - name: load system-test image from artifact file
         run: |
-          docker load -i /tmp/image.tar
+           zstd -d -c /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst | docker load
 
       - name: Run system test scenarios
         run: |

From 5c006645e51b11aa31e73e4317ddfaab390ff4f9 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2025 11:26:06 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 56/60] #92: added console output for compression stats on
 image files

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 10 ++++++++--
 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index bf1d4ee..2ae259a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -252,9 +252,15 @@ jobs:
             build
 
           if [ "${{ steps.restore-cli-image.outputs.cache-hit }}" != 'true' ]; then \
-            docker save $STELLAR_CLI_STAGED_IMAGE | zstd -19 -o /tmp/cli-image.tar.zst
-          fi  
+            echo "Starting CLI image extract and compression..."; \
+            docker save $STELLAR_CLI_STAGED_IMAGE | zstd -19 -o /tmp/cli-image.tar.zst; \
+            CLI_SIZE=$(stat -f%z /tmp/cli-image.tar.zst 2>/dev/null || stat -c%s /tmp/cli-image.tar.zst 2>/dev/null); \
+            echo "Finished CLI image extract, compressed size = $CLI_SIZE bytes"; \
+          fi
+          echo "Starting system test image extract and compression..."
           docker save $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE | zstd -19 -o /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst
+          SYSTEM_SIZE=$(stat -f%z /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst 2>/dev/null || stat -c%s /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst 2>/dev/null)
+          echo "Finished system test image extract, compressed size = $SYSTEM_SIZE bytes"
 
       - name: Save cache for cli
         uses: actions/cache/save@v4

From 4316c541edaafb3a15a25b377f8fb18b58c224fa Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2025 11:46:49 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 57/60] #92 use lower compression ration on image files for
 faster time

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 4 ++--
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index 2ae259a..3253867 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -253,12 +253,12 @@ jobs:
 
           if [ "${{ steps.restore-cli-image.outputs.cache-hit }}" != 'true' ]; then \
             echo "Starting CLI image extract and compression..."; \
-            docker save $STELLAR_CLI_STAGED_IMAGE | zstd -19 -o /tmp/cli-image.tar.zst; \
+            docker save $STELLAR_CLI_STAGED_IMAGE | zstd -10 -o /tmp/cli-image.tar.zst; \
             CLI_SIZE=$(stat -f%z /tmp/cli-image.tar.zst 2>/dev/null || stat -c%s /tmp/cli-image.tar.zst 2>/dev/null); \
             echo "Finished CLI image extract, compressed size = $CLI_SIZE bytes"; \
           fi
           echo "Starting system test image extract and compression..."
-          docker save $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE | zstd -19 -o /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst
+          docker save $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE | zstd -10 -o /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst
           SYSTEM_SIZE=$(stat -f%z /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst 2>/dev/null || stat -c%s /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst 2>/dev/null)
           echo "Finished system test image extract, compressed size = $SYSTEM_SIZE bytes"
 

From 4a6862eba39e66105ce58a222c84fe5b071e9067 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2025 12:14:16 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 58/60] #92 console verbose logging on compression status

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 4 ++--
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index 3253867..7f30bec 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -253,12 +253,12 @@ jobs:
 
           if [ "${{ steps.restore-cli-image.outputs.cache-hit }}" != 'true' ]; then \
             echo "Starting CLI image extract and compression..."; \
-            docker save $STELLAR_CLI_STAGED_IMAGE | zstd -10 -o /tmp/cli-image.tar.zst; \
+            docker save $STELLAR_CLI_STAGED_IMAGE | zstd -vv -10 -o /tmp/cli-image.tar.zst; \
             CLI_SIZE=$(stat -f%z /tmp/cli-image.tar.zst 2>/dev/null || stat -c%s /tmp/cli-image.tar.zst 2>/dev/null); \
             echo "Finished CLI image extract, compressed size = $CLI_SIZE bytes"; \
           fi
           echo "Starting system test image extract and compression..."
-          docker save $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE | zstd -10 -o /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst
+          docker save $SYSTEM_TEST_IMAGE | zstd -vv -10 -o /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst
           SYSTEM_SIZE=$(stat -f%z /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst 2>/dev/null || stat -c%s /tmp/system-test-image.tar.zst 2>/dev/null)
           echo "Finished system test image extract, compressed size = $SYSTEM_SIZE bytes"
 

From 16aa20c6d9be6c5fa0c662a3d0f20db729bd56c9 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2025 14:28:18 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 59/60] #92: include the git ref for system-test version in the
 hashed system-test image cache key

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index 7f30bec..b50ec41 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ jobs:
           echo "cli-image-cache-key=$CLI_CACHE_KEY" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           
           # Compute system test image cache key (includes CLI key + additional inputs)
-          SYSTEM_TEST_CACHE_INPUT="$CLI_CACHE_KEY-${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-repo }}-${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-ref }}-${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-npm-version }}-${{ inputs.rust-toolchain-version }}"
+          SYSTEM_TEST_CACHE_INPUT="$CLI_CACHE_KEY-${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-repo }}-${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-ref }}-${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-npm-version }}-${{ inputs.rust-toolchain-version }}-${{ inputs.system-test-git-ref }}"
           SYSTEM_TEST_CACHE_KEY="system-test-image-$(echo -n "$SYSTEM_TEST_CACHE_INPUT" | sha256sum | cut -d' ' -f1)"
           echo "system-test-image-cache-key=$SYSTEM_TEST_CACHE_KEY" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           

From df2e9f4fecc25a789d1c027f28269af0730ccaee Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Shawn Reuland <shawn@stellar.org>
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2025 14:55:43 -0800
Subject: [PATCH 60/60] #92: resolve component refs to shas for cache keys

---
 .github/workflows/test-workflow.yml | 25 +++++++++++++++++++++++--
 1 file changed, 23 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
index b50ec41..7397b8c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-workflow.yml
@@ -137,13 +137,34 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - id: compute-cache-keys
         run: |
+          # Helper function to resolve ref to commit SHA
+          get_commit_sha() {
+            local repo="$1"
+            local ref="$2"
+            
+            # Return empty if either repo or ref is blank
+            if [ -z "$repo" ] || [ -z "$ref" ]; then
+              echo ""
+              return
+            fi
+            
+            # Fetch the commit SHA for the ref (works for branches, tags, and SHAs)
+            local sha=$(git ls-remote "https://github.com/$repo.git" "$ref" 2>/dev/null | cut -f1)
+            echo "${sha:-$ref}"
+          }
+          
+          # Resolve commit SHAs for cache key stability
+          CLI_SHA=$(get_commit_sha "${{ inputs.stellar-cli-repo }}" "${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}")
+          JS_SDK_SHA=$(get_commit_sha "${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-repo }}" "${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-ref }}")
+          SYSTEM_TEST_SHA=$(get_commit_sha "stellar/system-test" "${{ inputs.system-test-git-ref }}")
+          
           # Compute CLI image cache key
-          CLI_CACHE_INPUT="${{ runner.os }}-${{ inputs.stellar-cli-repo }}-${{ inputs.stellar-cli-ref }}-${{ inputs.stellar-cli-crate-version }}"
+          CLI_CACHE_INPUT="${{ runner.os }}-${{ inputs.stellar-cli-repo }}-$CLI_SHA-${{ inputs.stellar-cli-crate-version }}"
           CLI_CACHE_KEY="cli-image-$(echo -n "$CLI_CACHE_INPUT" | sha256sum | cut -d' ' -f1)"
           echo "cli-image-cache-key=$CLI_CACHE_KEY" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           
           # Compute system test image cache key (includes CLI key + additional inputs)
-          SYSTEM_TEST_CACHE_INPUT="$CLI_CACHE_KEY-${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-repo }}-${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-ref }}-${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-npm-version }}-${{ inputs.rust-toolchain-version }}-${{ inputs.system-test-git-ref }}"
+          SYSTEM_TEST_CACHE_INPUT="$CLI_CACHE_KEY-${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-repo }}-$JS_SDK_SHA-${{ inputs.js-stellar-sdk-npm-version }}-${{ inputs.rust-toolchain-version }}-$SYSTEM_TEST_SHA"
           SYSTEM_TEST_CACHE_KEY="system-test-image-$(echo -n "$SYSTEM_TEST_CACHE_INPUT" | sha256sum | cut -d' ' -f1)"
           echo "system-test-image-cache-key=$SYSTEM_TEST_CACHE_KEY" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT