diff --git a/dockerfiles/go-1.19.Dockerfile b/dockerfiles/go-1.19.Dockerfile
index 09964b6..7327b3c 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/go-1.19.Dockerfile
+++ b/dockerfiles/go-1.19.Dockerfile
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# syntax=docker/dockerfile:1.7-labs
 FROM golang:1.19-alpine
 
 RUN apk add --no-cache 'curl>=7.66'
@@ -11,6 +12,10 @@ ENV CODECRAFTERS_DEPENDENCY_FILE_PATHS="go.mod,go.sum"
 
 WORKDIR /app
 
-COPY go.mod go.sum ./
+# .git & README.md are unique per-repository. We ignore them on first copy to prevent cache misses
+COPY --exclude=.git --exclude=README.md . /app
 
 RUN ash -c "set -exo pipefail; go mod graph | awk '{if (\$1 !~ \"@\") {print \$2}}' | xargs -r go get"
+
+# Once the heave steps are done, we can copy all files back
+COPY . /app
diff --git a/dockerfiles/go-1.21.Dockerfile b/dockerfiles/go-1.21.Dockerfile
index 27ed6da..0ddbbbe 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/go-1.21.Dockerfile
+++ b/dockerfiles/go-1.21.Dockerfile
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# syntax=docker/dockerfile:1.7-labs
 FROM golang:1.21-alpine
 
 RUN apk add --no-cache 'curl>=7.66'
@@ -11,10 +12,14 @@ ENV CODECRAFTERS_DEPENDENCY_FILE_PATHS="go.mod,go.sum"
 
 WORKDIR /app
 
-COPY go.mod go.sum ./
+# .git & README.md are unique per-repository. We ignore them on first copy to prevent cache misses
+COPY --exclude=.git --exclude=README.md . /app
 
 # Starting from Go 1.20, the go standard library is no loger compiled
 # setting the GODEBUG environment to "installgoroot=all" restores the old behavior
 RUN GODEBUG="installgoroot=all" go install std
 
 RUN ash -c "set -exo pipefail; go mod graph | awk '{if (\$1 !~ \"@\") {print \$2}}' | xargs -r go get"
+
+# Once the heave steps are done, we can copy all files back
+COPY . /app
diff --git a/dockerfiles/go-1.22.Dockerfile b/dockerfiles/go-1.22.Dockerfile
index 141ab9d..f09e7fd 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/go-1.22.Dockerfile
+++ b/dockerfiles/go-1.22.Dockerfile
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# syntax=docker/dockerfile:1.7-labs
 FROM golang:1.22-alpine
 
 RUN apk add --no-cache 'curl>=7.66'
@@ -11,10 +12,14 @@ ENV CODECRAFTERS_DEPENDENCY_FILE_PATHS="go.mod,go.sum"
 
 WORKDIR /app
 
-COPY go.mod go.sum ./
+# .git & README.md are unique per-repository. We ignore them on first copy to prevent cache misses
+COPY --exclude=.git --exclude=README.md . /app
 
 # Starting from Go 1.20, the go standard library is no loger compiled
 # setting the GODEBUG environment to "installgoroot=all" restores the old behavior
 RUN GODEBUG="installgoroot=all" go install std
 
 RUN ash -c "set -exo pipefail; go mod graph | awk '{if (\$1 !~ \"@\") {print \$2}}' | xargs -r go get"
+
+# Once the heave steps are done, we can copy all files back
+COPY . /app
diff --git a/dockerfiles/rust-1.43.Dockerfile b/dockerfiles/rust-1.43.Dockerfile
index 2031ff4..72d120e 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/rust-1.43.Dockerfile
+++ b/dockerfiles/rust-1.43.Dockerfile
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# syntax=docker/dockerfile:1.7-labs
 FROM rust:1.43-buster
 
 # Download docker-explorer
@@ -5,17 +6,19 @@ ARG docker_explorer_version=v18
 RUN curl --fail -Lo /usr/local/bin/docker-explorer https://github.com/codecrafters-io/docker-explorer/releases/download/${docker_explorer_version}/${docker_explorer_version}_linux_amd64
 RUN chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-explorer
 
-COPY Cargo.toml /app/Cargo.toml
-COPY Cargo.lock /app/Cargo.lock
 
 RUN mkdir /app/src
 RUN echo 'fn main() { println!("Hello World!"); }' > /app/src/main.rs
 
 WORKDIR /app
+# .git & README.md are unique per-repository. We ignore them on first copy to prevent cache misses
+COPY --exclude=.git --exclude=README.md . /app
 RUN cargo build --release --target-dir=/tmp/codecrafters-docker-target
 
 RUN cargo clean -p docker-starter-rust --release --target-dir=/tmp/codecrafters-docker-target
 
 RUN rm -rf /app/src
 
-ENV CODECRAFTERS_DEPENDENCY_FILE_PATHS="Cargo.toml,Cargo.lock"
\ No newline at end of file
+ENV CODECRAFTERS_DEPENDENCY_FILE_PATHS="Cargo.toml,Cargo.lock"
+# Once the heave steps are done, we can copy all files back
+COPY . /app
diff --git a/dockerfiles/rust-1.54.Dockerfile b/dockerfiles/rust-1.54.Dockerfile
index fd70f0f..386db52 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/rust-1.54.Dockerfile
+++ b/dockerfiles/rust-1.54.Dockerfile
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# syntax=docker/dockerfile:1.7-labs
 FROM rust:1.54-buster
 
 # Download docker-explorer
@@ -5,13 +6,13 @@ ARG docker_explorer_version=v18
 RUN curl --fail -Lo /usr/local/bin/docker-explorer https://github.com/codecrafters-io/docker-explorer/releases/download/${docker_explorer_version}/${docker_explorer_version}_linux_amd64
 RUN chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-explorer
 
-COPY Cargo.toml /app/Cargo.toml
-COPY Cargo.lock /app/Cargo.lock
 
 RUN mkdir /app/src
 RUN echo 'fn main() { println!("Hello World!"); }' > /app/src/main.rs
 
 WORKDIR /app
+# .git & README.md are unique per-repository. We ignore them on first copy to prevent cache misses
+COPY --exclude=.git --exclude=README.md . /app
 RUN cargo build --release --target-dir=/tmp/codecrafters-docker-target
 
 RUN cargo clean -p docker-starter-rust --release --target-dir=/tmp/codecrafters-docker-target
@@ -21,4 +22,6 @@ RUN rm -rf /app/src
 RUN echo "cd \${CODECRAFTERS_SUBMISSION_DIR} && cargo build --release --target-dir=/tmp/codecrafters-docker-target --manifest-path Cargo.toml" > /codecrafters-precompile.sh
 RUN chmod +x /codecrafters-precompile.sh
 
-ENV CODECRAFTERS_DEPENDENCY_FILE_PATHS="Cargo.toml,Cargo.lock"
\ No newline at end of file
+ENV CODECRAFTERS_DEPENDENCY_FILE_PATHS="Cargo.toml,Cargo.lock"
+# Once the heave steps are done, we can copy all files back
+COPY . /app
diff --git a/dockerfiles/rust-1.62.Dockerfile b/dockerfiles/rust-1.62.Dockerfile
index 6a93ce3..3d783fb 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/rust-1.62.Dockerfile
+++ b/dockerfiles/rust-1.62.Dockerfile
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# syntax=docker/dockerfile:1.7-labs
 FROM rust:1.62-buster
 
 # Download docker-explorer
@@ -5,13 +6,13 @@ ARG docker_explorer_version=v18
 RUN curl --fail -Lo /usr/local/bin/docker-explorer https://github.com/codecrafters-io/docker-explorer/releases/download/${docker_explorer_version}/${docker_explorer_version}_linux_amd64
 RUN chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-explorer
 
-COPY Cargo.toml /app/Cargo.toml
-COPY Cargo.lock /app/Cargo.lock
 
 RUN mkdir /app/src
 RUN echo 'fn main() { println!("Hello World!"); }' > /app/src/main.rs
 
 WORKDIR /app
+# .git & README.md are unique per-repository. We ignore them on first copy to prevent cache misses
+COPY --exclude=.git --exclude=README.md . /app
 RUN cargo build --release --target-dir=/tmp/codecrafters-docker-target
 
 RUN cargo clean -p docker-starter-rust --release --target-dir=/tmp/codecrafters-docker-target
@@ -23,3 +24,6 @@ RUN chmod +x /codecrafters-precompile.sh
 
 ENV CODECRAFTERS_DEPENDENCY_FILE_PATHS="Cargo.toml,Cargo.lock"
 
+
+# Once the heave steps are done, we can copy all files back
+COPY . /app
diff --git a/dockerfiles/rust-1.68.Dockerfile b/dockerfiles/rust-1.68.Dockerfile
index 7af11cc..2fd1867 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/rust-1.68.Dockerfile
+++ b/dockerfiles/rust-1.68.Dockerfile
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# syntax=docker/dockerfile:1.7-labs
 FROM rust:1.68-buster
 
 # Download docker-explorer
@@ -5,13 +6,13 @@ ARG docker_explorer_version=v18
 RUN curl --fail -Lo /usr/local/bin/docker-explorer https://github.com/codecrafters-io/docker-explorer/releases/download/${docker_explorer_version}/${docker_explorer_version}_linux_amd64
 RUN chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-explorer
 
-COPY Cargo.toml /app/Cargo.toml
-COPY Cargo.lock /app/Cargo.lock
 
 RUN mkdir /app/src
 RUN echo 'fn main() { println!("Hello World!"); }' > /app/src/main.rs
 
 WORKDIR /app
+# .git & README.md are unique per-repository. We ignore them on first copy to prevent cache misses
+COPY --exclude=.git --exclude=README.md . /app
 RUN cargo build --release --target-dir=/tmp/codecrafters-docker-target
 
 RUN cargo clean -p docker-starter-rust --release --target-dir=/tmp/codecrafters-docker-target
@@ -23,3 +24,6 @@ RUN chmod +x /codecrafters-precompile.sh
 
 ENV CODECRAFTERS_DEPENDENCY_FILE_PATHS="Cargo.toml,Cargo.lock"
 
+
+# Once the heave steps are done, we can copy all files back
+COPY . /app
diff --git a/dockerfiles/rust-1.70.Dockerfile b/dockerfiles/rust-1.70.Dockerfile
index 103d0d3..bb0b39c 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/rust-1.70.Dockerfile
+++ b/dockerfiles/rust-1.70.Dockerfile
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# syntax=docker/dockerfile:1.7-labs
 FROM rust:1.70-buster
 
 # Download docker-explorer
@@ -5,13 +6,13 @@ ARG docker_explorer_version=v18
 RUN curl --fail -Lo /usr/local/bin/docker-explorer https://github.com/codecrafters-io/docker-explorer/releases/download/${docker_explorer_version}/${docker_explorer_version}_linux_amd64
 RUN chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-explorer
 
-COPY Cargo.toml /app/Cargo.toml
-COPY Cargo.lock /app/Cargo.lock
 
 RUN mkdir /app/src
 RUN echo 'fn main() { println!("Hello World!"); }' > /app/src/main.rs
 
 WORKDIR /app
+# .git & README.md are unique per-repository. We ignore them on first copy to prevent cache misses
+COPY --exclude=.git --exclude=README.md . /app
 RUN cargo build --release --target-dir=/tmp/codecrafters-docker-target
 
 RUN cargo clean -p docker-starter-rust --release --target-dir=/tmp/codecrafters-docker-target
@@ -23,3 +24,6 @@ RUN chmod +x /codecrafters-precompile.sh
 
 ENV CODECRAFTERS_DEPENDENCY_FILE_PATHS="Cargo.toml,Cargo.lock"
 
+
+# Once the heave steps are done, we can copy all files back
+COPY . /app
diff --git a/dockerfiles/rust-1.76.Dockerfile b/dockerfiles/rust-1.76.Dockerfile
index 2b9a65e..7e0c501 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/rust-1.76.Dockerfile
+++ b/dockerfiles/rust-1.76.Dockerfile
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# syntax=docker/dockerfile:1.7-labs
 FROM rust:1.76-buster
 
 # Download docker-explorer
@@ -5,13 +6,13 @@ ARG docker_explorer_version=v18
 RUN curl --fail -Lo /usr/local/bin/docker-explorer https://github.com/codecrafters-io/docker-explorer/releases/download/${docker_explorer_version}/${docker_explorer_version}_linux_amd64
 RUN chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-explorer
 
-COPY Cargo.toml /app/Cargo.toml
-COPY Cargo.lock /app/Cargo.lock
 
 RUN mkdir /app/src
 RUN echo 'fn main() { println!("Hello World!"); }' > /app/src/main.rs
 
 WORKDIR /app
+# .git & README.md are unique per-repository. We ignore them on first copy to prevent cache misses
+COPY --exclude=.git --exclude=README.md . /app
 RUN cargo build --release --target-dir=/tmp/codecrafters-docker-target
 
 RUN cargo clean -p docker-starter-rust --release --target-dir=/tmp/codecrafters-docker-target
@@ -23,3 +24,6 @@ RUN chmod +x /codecrafters-precompile.sh
 
 ENV CODECRAFTERS_DEPENDENCY_FILE_PATHS="Cargo.toml,Cargo.lock"
 
+
+# Once the heave steps are done, we can copy all files back
+COPY . /app
diff --git a/dockerfiles/rust-1.77.Dockerfile b/dockerfiles/rust-1.77.Dockerfile
index 5d54b28..05fe95e 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/rust-1.77.Dockerfile
+++ b/dockerfiles/rust-1.77.Dockerfile
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# syntax=docker/dockerfile:1.7-labs
 FROM rust:1.77-buster
 
 # Download docker-explorer
@@ -5,13 +6,13 @@ ARG docker_explorer_version=v18
 RUN curl --fail -Lo /usr/local/bin/docker-explorer https://github.com/codecrafters-io/docker-explorer/releases/download/${docker_explorer_version}/${docker_explorer_version}_linux_amd64
 RUN chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-explorer
 
-COPY Cargo.toml /app/Cargo.toml
-COPY Cargo.lock /app/Cargo.lock
 
 RUN mkdir /app/src
 RUN echo 'fn main() { println!("Hello World!"); }' > /app/src/main.rs
 
 WORKDIR /app
+# .git & README.md are unique per-repository. We ignore them on first copy to prevent cache misses
+COPY --exclude=.git --exclude=README.md . /app
 RUN cargo build --release --target-dir=/tmp/codecrafters-docker-target
 
 RUN cargo clean -p docker-starter-rust --release --target-dir=/tmp/codecrafters-docker-target
@@ -23,3 +24,6 @@ RUN chmod +x /codecrafters-precompile.sh
 
 ENV CODECRAFTERS_DEPENDENCY_FILE_PATHS="Cargo.toml,Cargo.lock"
 
+
+# Once the heave steps are done, we can copy all files back
+COPY . /app