diff --git a/.devcontainer/Dockerfile b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
index aec6ad6..6e4946c 100644
--- a/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
+++ b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
@@ -1,24 +1,20 @@
 # Use a base image that includes both Go and Node.js, such as the official Go image
 FROM golang:latest
 
-
 ENV GOPATH=/go
 ENV PATH=$PATH:$GOPATH/bin
-ENV AVALANCHEGO_EXEC_PATH=$GOPATH/src/github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/build/avalanchego
 ENV AVALANCHEGO_PLUGIN_PATH=$GOPATH/src/github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/build/plugins
 
-# Install Node.js and npm using the official Node.js image
-RUN curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | bash - && apt-get install -y nodejs
-
-# Clone the avalanchego repository
-RUN git clone -b v1.10.5 https://github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego.git $GOPATH/src/github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego
+# Download AvalancheGo Binary
+WORKDIR /
+COPY ./scripts/versions.sh /
+COPY ./.devcontainer/install_avalanchego.sh /
 
-# Set the working directory to the cloned repository
-WORKDIR $GOPATH/src/github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego
+ENV AVALANCHEGO_EXEC_PATH=/avalanchego
 
-# Build the avalanchego project using the sh script
-RUN ./scripts/build.sh
+RUN bash -c "source ./install_avalanchego.sh"
 
+# Install Avalanche Network Runner
 RUN curl -sSfL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ava-labs/avalanche-network-runner/main/scripts/install.sh | sh -s
 
 ENV PATH ~/bin:$PATH
diff --git a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
index 69229c6..8df9a08 100644
--- a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
+++ b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
@@ -4,17 +4,16 @@
 	"name": "Avalanche-DevContainer",
 
 	"build": {
-		"dockerfile": "Dockerfile"
+		"dockerfile": "Dockerfile",
+		"context": "../"
 	},
 	"runArgs": ["--network=host"],
 
 	// Features to add to the dev container. More info: https://containers.dev/features.
-	"features": { 
-		"ghcr.io/devcontainers/features/github-cli:1": {
-			"version": "latest"
-		}
-	 },
-
+	"features": {
+		"ghcr.io/devcontainers/features/node:1": {}
+	},
+	
 	// Use 'forwardPorts' to make a list of ports inside the container available locally.
 	"forwardPorts": [
 		8080,
@@ -27,7 +26,7 @@
 	],
 
 	// Use 'postCreateCommand' to run commands after the container is created.
-	"postCreateCommand": "bash scripts/build.sh",
+	"postCreateCommand": "bash scripts/build.sh && cd ./contracts && npm install",
 
 	// Uncomment to connect as root instead. More info: https://aka.ms/dev-containers-non-root.
 	// "remoteUser": "root"
diff --git a/.devcontainer/install_avalanchego.sh b/.devcontainer/install_avalanchego.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6be8655
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.devcontainer/install_avalanchego.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Pulls latest pre-built node binary from GitHub
+
+#stop on errors
+set -e
+
+#helper function to check for presence of required commands, and install if missing
+check_reqs_deb () {
+  if ! command -v curl &> /dev/null
+  then
+      echo "curl could not be found, will install..."
+      apt-get install curl -y
+  fi
+}
+check_reqs_rhel () {
+  if ! command -v curl &> /dev/null
+  then
+      echo "curl could not be found, will install..."
+      dnf install curl -y
+  fi
+  if ! command -v wget &> /dev/null
+  then
+      echo "wget could not be found, will install..."
+      dnf install wget -y
+  fi
+  if ! command -v dig &> /dev/null
+  then
+      echo "dig could not be found, will install..."
+      dnf install bind-utils -y
+  fi
+  if ! command -v semanage &> /dev/null
+  then
+      echo "semanage could not be found, will install..."
+      dnf install policycoreutils-python-utils -y
+  fi
+  if ! command -v restorecon &> /dev/null
+  then
+      echo "restorecon could not be found, will install..."
+      dnf install policycoreutils -y
+  fi
+}
+# Helper function to get OS Type
+getOsType () {
+  which yum 1>/dev/null 2>&1 && { echo "RHEL"; return; }
+  which zypper 1>/dev/null 2>&1 && { echo "openSUSE"; return; }
+  which apt-get 1>/dev/null 2>&1 && { echo "Debian"; return; }
+}
+
+# Installing necessary system dependencies for AvalacheGO
+osType=$(getOsType)
+if [ "$osType" = "Debian" ]; then
+  check_reqs_deb
+elif [ "$osType" = "RHEL" ]; then
+  check_reqs_rhel
+else
+  #sorry, don't know you.
+  echo "Unsupported linux flavour/distribution: $osType"
+  echo "Exiting."
+  exit
+fi
+
+# Define architecture
+foundArch="$(uname -m)" 
+
+if [ "$foundArch" = "aarch64" ]; then
+  getArch="arm64"                               #we're running on arm arch (probably RasPi)
+  echo "Found arm64 architecture..."
+elif [ "$foundArch" = "x86_64" ]; then
+  getArch="amd64"                               #we're running on intel/amd
+  echo "Found amd64 architecture..."
+elif [ "$foundArch" = "arm64" ]; then
+  getArch="arm64"                               #we're running on intel/amd
+  echo "Found arm64 architecture..."
+else
+  #sorry, don't know you.
+  echo "Unsupported architecture: $foundArch!"
+  echo "Exiting."
+  exit
+fi
+
+# Import environment variables
+source ./versions.sh
+
+# Download AvalancheGo binary
+curl -LJ -o avalanchego.tar.gz "https://github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/releases/download/$AVALANCHEGO_VERSION/avalanchego-linux-$getArch-$AVALANCHEGO_VERSION.tar.gz"
+tar -xzf avalanchego.tar.gz --wildcards '*/avalanchego' --strip-components=1 -C /avalanchego
+rm avalanchego.tar.gz