diff --git a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
index e63343f2e8..7a864fc303 100644
--- a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
+++ b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@
       "moby": "true"
     }
   },
+  "remoteUser": "root",
   "postCreateCommand": "go version",
-  "postAttachCommand": "sudo ln -s $(pwd)/cmd/agent/core/ngt/sample.yaml /etc/server/config.yaml",
+  "postAttachCommand": "mkdir -p /etc/server && ln -s $(pwd)/cmd/agent/core/ngt/sample.yaml /etc/server/config.yaml",
   "appPort": "3000:3000"
 }
diff --git a/Makefile.d/tools.mk b/Makefile.d/tools.mk
index ed71eaf1a1..bebd846f3b 100644
--- a/Makefile.d/tools.mk
+++ b/Makefile.d/tools.mk
@@ -92,3 +92,15 @@ $(BINDIR)/buf:
 	"https://github.com/bufbuild/buf/releases/download/$(BUF_VERSION)/buf-$(shell uname -s)-$(shell uname -m)" \
 	-o "${BINDIR}/buf" && \
 	chmod +x "${BINDIR}/buf"
+
+.PHONY: k9s/install
+k9s/install: $(GOPATH)/bin/k9s
+
+$(GOPATH)/bin/k9s:
+	$(call go-install, github.com/derailed/k9s)
+
+.PHONY: stern/install
+stern/install: $(GOPATH)/bin/stern
+
+$(GOPATH)/bin/stern:
+	$(call go-install, github.com/stern/stern)
diff --git a/dockers/dev/Dockerfile b/dockers/dev/Dockerfile
index bd761f5c5b..2ee838e6d3 100644
--- a/dockers/dev/Dockerfile
+++ b/dockers/dev/Dockerfile
@@ -44,12 +44,14 @@ RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 WORKDIR ${GOPATH}/src/github.com/vdaas/vald
-
 COPY Makefile .
 COPY Makefile.d Makefile.d
 COPY versions versions
+COPY hack/go.mod.default hack/go.mod.default
 
-RUN make ngt/install \
+# basic deps
+RUN make deps \
+    && make ngt/install \
     && make helm/install \
     && make helm-docs/install \
     && make valdcli/install \
@@ -57,18 +59,9 @@ RUN make ngt/install \
     && make golangci-lint/install \
     && make reviewdog/install \
     && make protobuf/install \
-    && make kubectl/install \
-    && make k3d/install
-
-# change GOPATH owner to vscode to run commands as user vscode without root permission
-RUN chown -R vscode:vscode "${GOPATH}" \
-    # mkdir for agent configuration install
-    && mkdir -p /etc/server
-
-# k9s installs the binary to the current user which is root for devcontainer
-# so change the current user to vscode to user afterwards
-USER vscode
-SHELL ["/bin/bash", "-o", "pipefail", "-c"]
-RUN curl -sS https://webinstall.dev/k9s | bash
+    && make kubectl/install
 
-RUN go install github.com/stern/stern@latest
+# additional deps
+RUN make k3d/install \
+    && make buf/install \
+    && make k9s/install