PROBLEM: Rebuilding container 4-6 times per session when most changes don't need it
- Every rebuild: 40-70 seconds downtime
- Recent session: 200 seconds downtime that could've been 50 seconds
- Rebuilding for documentation (should be git only)
- Rebuilding for n8n workflows (should be manual import)
- Rebuilding for ENV changes (should be restart only)
SOLUTION: Created comprehensive guide on what actually needs rebuilds
ZERO DOWNTIME (just commit):
- Documentation (.md files)
- Workflows (.json, .pinescript)
- Hot-reload endpoints (roadmap reload)
RESTART ONLY (5-10 seconds):
- ENV variable changes (.env)
- Database schema (prisma migrate + generate)
REBUILD REQUIRED (40-70 seconds):
- Code changes (.ts, .tsx, .js)
- Dependencies (package.json)
- Dockerfile changes
SMART BATCHING:
- Group multiple code changes into ONE rebuild
- Example: 6 fixes → 1 rebuild = 50s total (not 6× rebuilds = 300s)
CREATED FILES:
- docs/ZERO_DOWNTIME_CHANGES.md (comprehensive guide with examples)
- Updated copilot-instructions.md (quick decision matrix)
EXPECTED IMPACT:
- 60-80% reduction in rebuild frequency
- 60-80% reduction in downtime per session
- Better workflow: batch changes, test together, deploy once
User was right: We were rebuilding WAY too often unnecessarily ✅
a676eb4753