diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 298be11891..3e83a3abe1 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 # Configurations
 VERSION=$(shell grep "^version" pyproject.toml | sed 's/.*\"\(.*\)\"$$/\1/')
+DOCKER=podman
 DOCKERFILE=docker/build_and_push.Dockerfile
 DOCKERFILE_BACKEND=docker/build_and_push_backend.Dockerfile
 DOCKERFILE_FRONTEND=docker/frontend/build_and_push_frontend.Dockerfile
@@ -331,42 +332,45 @@ docker_build_frontend: dockerfile_build_fe clear_dockerimage ## build Frontend D
 
 dockerfile_build:
 	@echo 'BUILDING DOCKER IMAGE: ${DOCKERFILE}'
-	@docker build --rm \
+	@command -v $(DOCKER) >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo "Error: $(DOCKER) is not installed. Please install $(DOCKER), or run 'make docker_build DOCKER=podman' (or DOCKER=docker) if you have an alternative installed."; exit 1; }
+	@$(DOCKER) build --rm \
 		-f ${DOCKERFILE} \
 		-t langflow:${VERSION} .
 
 dockerfile_build_be: dockerfile_build
 	@echo 'BUILDING DOCKER IMAGE BACKEND: ${DOCKERFILE_BACKEND}'
-	@docker build --rm \
+	@command -v $(DOCKER) >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo "Error: $(DOCKER) is not installed. Please install $(DOCKER), or run 'make docker_build_backend DOCKER=podman' (or DOCKER=docker) if you have an alternative installed."; exit 1; }
+	@$(DOCKER) build --rm \
 		--build-arg LANGFLOW_IMAGE=langflow:${VERSION} \
 		-f ${DOCKERFILE_BACKEND} \
 		-t langflow_backend:${VERSION} .
 
 dockerfile_build_fe: dockerfile_build
 	@echo 'BUILDING DOCKER IMAGE FRONTEND: ${DOCKERFILE_FRONTEND}'
-	@docker build --rm \
+	@command -v $(DOCKER) >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo "Error: $(DOCKER) is not installed. Please install $(DOCKER), or run 'make docker_build_frontend DOCKER=podman' (or DOCKER=docker) if you have an alternative installed."; exit 1; }
+	@$(DOCKER) build --rm \
 		--build-arg LANGFLOW_IMAGE=langflow:${VERSION} \
 		-f ${DOCKERFILE_FRONTEND} \
 		-t langflow_frontend:${VERSION} .
 
 clear_dockerimage:
 	@echo 'Clearing the docker build'
-	@if docker images -f "dangling=true" -q | grep -q '.*'; then \
-		docker rmi $$(docker images -f "dangling=true" -q); \
+	@if $(DOCKER) images -f "dangling=true" -q | grep -q '.*'; then \
+		$(DOCKER) rmi $$($(DOCKER) images -f "dangling=true" -q); \
 	fi
 
 docker_compose_up: docker_build docker_compose_down
 	@echo 'Running docker compose up'
-	docker compose -f $(DOCKER_COMPOSE) up --remove-orphans
+	$(DOCKER) compose -f $(DOCKER_COMPOSE) up --remove-orphans
 
 docker_compose_down:
 	@echo 'Running docker compose down'
-	docker compose -f $(DOCKER_COMPOSE) down || true
+	$(DOCKER) compose -f $(DOCKER_COMPOSE) down || true
 
 dcdev_up:
 	@echo 'Running docker compose up'
-	docker compose -f docker/dev.docker-compose.yml down || true
-	docker compose -f docker/dev.docker-compose.yml up --remove-orphans
+	$(DOCKER) compose -f docker/dev.docker-compose.yml down || true
+	$(DOCKER) compose -f docker/dev.docker-compose.yml up --remove-orphans
 
 lock_base:
 	cd src/backend/base && uv lock
diff --git a/docker/build_and_push.Dockerfile b/docker/build_and_push.Dockerfile
index 2db2e31eac..eef62c850e 100644
--- a/docker/build_and_push.Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/build_and_push.Dockerfile
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/root/.cache/uv \
     --mount=type=bind,source=src/backend/base/README.md,target=src/backend/base/README.md \
     --mount=type=bind,source=src/backend/base/uv.lock,target=src/backend/base/uv.lock \
     --mount=type=bind,source=src/backend/base/pyproject.toml,target=src/backend/base/pyproject.toml \
+    --mount=type=bind,source=src/lfx/README.md,target=src/lfx/README.md \
+    --mount=type=bind,source=src/lfx/pyproject.toml,target=src/lfx/pyproject.toml \
     uv sync --frozen --no-install-project --no-editable --extra postgresql
 
 COPY ./src /app/src
diff --git a/docker/build_and_push_ep.Dockerfile b/docker/build_and_push_ep.Dockerfile
index 2f6ec1a2b0..0e8756d8ac 100644
--- a/docker/build_and_push_ep.Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/build_and_push_ep.Dockerfile
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/root/.cache/uv \
     --mount=type=bind,source=src/backend/base/README.md,target=src/backend/base/README.md \
     --mount=type=bind,source=src/backend/base/uv.lock,target=src/backend/base/uv.lock \
     --mount=type=bind,source=src/backend/base/pyproject.toml,target=src/backend/base/pyproject.toml \
+    --mount=type=bind,source=src/lfx/README.md,target=src/lfx/README.md \
+    --mount=type=bind,source=src/lfx/pyproject.toml,target=src/lfx/pyproject.toml \
     uv sync --frozen --no-install-project --no-editable --extra nv-ingest --extra postgresql
 
 COPY ./src /app/src
diff --git a/docker/build_and_push_with_extras.Dockerfile b/docker/build_and_push_with_extras.Dockerfile
index 0e9ff3cf50..7a38815d49 100644
--- a/docker/build_and_push_with_extras.Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/build_and_push_with_extras.Dockerfile
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/root/.cache/uv \
     --mount=type=bind,source=src/backend/base/README.md,target=src/backend/base/README.md \
     --mount=type=bind,source=src/backend/base/uv.lock,target=src/backend/base/uv.lock \
     --mount=type=bind,source=src/backend/base/pyproject.toml,target=src/backend/base/pyproject.toml \
+    --mount=type=bind,source=src/lfx/README.md,target=src/lfx/README.md \
+    --mount=type=bind,source=src/lfx/pyproject.toml,target=src/lfx/pyproject.toml \
     uv sync --frozen --no-install-project --no-editable --extra couchbase --extra cassio --extra local --extra clickhouse-connect --extra nv-ingest --extra postgresql
 
 COPY ./src /app/src