chore(ci): add Docker BuildKit examples, .dockerignore, CI cache docs; tune vite config

documentation/AE_Docker_CI_cache_policy.md

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+# AE Docker CI Cache Policy (recommendation)
+
+Purpose
+- Provide a straightforward policy to keep build caches useful but bounded.
+
+Recommendations
+- Primary CI cache: **registry-based buildx cache** (preferred). Use a single cache ref (e.g. `ghcr.io/ORG/REPO:cache`) reused by CI builds.
+- Local dev cache: use `--cache-to type=local` for fast iteration but prune periodically.
+- Retention: keep registry cache for 30 days by default. Implement registry GC or lifecycle rule to delete older cache blobs.
+
+Rotation strategy
+- Option A (simple): CI always writes to the same cache ref `:cache`. Periodically (monthly) run a job to `docker pull` and `docker image rm` older tags if you use date-based tagging.
+- Option B (date-tag): CI writes cache to `cache-YYYYMMDD` and a small scheduled job deletes tags older than 30 days.
+
+Pruning commands (developer)
+- Remove local build cache older than 72 hours:
+  ```bash
+  docker builder prune --filter "until=72h" --force
+  ```
+- Remove all builder cache (aggressive):
+  ```bash
+  docker builder prune --all --force
+  ```
+
+CI runner requirements
+- `docker` and `docker buildx` available in runner environment.
+- Registry credentials provided via CI secrets with permission to push/pull images.
+
+Security & Secrets
+- Do not store registry credentials in repo. Use CI secret storage.

documentation/PROJECT__AE_Docker_CI_BuildKit_implement.md

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+# Project: AE Docker + CI BuildKit Implementation
+
+**Status:** Proposed
+
+**Goal:** Make Docker image builds for Aether cache-friendly using BuildKit/buildx and CI registry caching, while keeping local developer caches small and manageable.
+
+Summary
+- Implement a BuildKit-friendly multi-stage `Dockerfile` pattern for frontend and API images.
+- Add CI `buildx` examples that push/read registry-based cache to avoid local disk bloat.
+- Provide cache retention/rotation guidance and developer commands for safe pruning.
+
+Scope
+- Repository areas: `aether_container_env/`, root `Dockerfile` (if present), and CI pipeline definitions (Gitea/Drone or other).
+- Non-goal: full CI pipeline migration to a new provider. This work provides CI snippets and a PR-ready set of files for your CI team.
+
+Deliverables (this PR)
+- `documentation/PROJECT__AE_Docker_CI_BuildKit_implement.md` (this file)
+- `aether_container_env/Dockerfile.buildkit.example` — BuildKit-friendly multi-stage Dockerfile example.
+- `aether_container_env/ci_buildx_example.sh` — standalone CI script examples (registry cache + local cache usage).
+- `documentation/AE_Docker_CI_cache_policy.md` — cache rotation and prune guidance.
+
+Tasks (implementation checklist)
+- [ ] Review existing `Dockerfile`(s) under `aether_container_env/` and repository root.
+- [ ] Replace/extend Dockerfile with multi-stage BuildKit-friendly layout (use example as guide).
+- [ ] Ensure `.dockerignore` (already added) excludes large build artifacts.
+- [ ] Add CI step using `docker buildx build` with `--cache-from` and `--cache-to` pointed at a registry cache.
+- [ ] Add a scheduled job or registry lifecycle rule to delete old cache images (30 days default).
+- [ ] Document required CI secrets and permissions (registry write/read) for the operations team.
+- [ ] Run verification builds (dev local with BuildKit; CI runs with cache) and record timings.
+
+Verification
+- Local dev: `DOCKER_BUILDKIT=1` build with `--cache-to`/`--cache-from` shows cache hits on second run and faster build time.
+- CI: subsequent CI runs log `cache hit` from `buildx` and total build time reduced vs baseline.
+- Confirm registry contains `cache` image tags and that rotation job/prune removes old entries.
+
+Notes about Gitea/CI
+- Gitea does not include native Actions like GitHub; teams typically use Drone CI, Tekton, or a self-hosted runner that can execute the `docker`/`buildx` CLI.
+- The provided `ci_buildx_example.sh` is intentionally provider-agnostic — pasteable into Drone, Jenkins, GitLab CI, or any shell-capable runner.
+
+Risks & Mitigations
+- Risk: Unbounded registry cache growth. Mitigation: enforce retention policy and rotation job; prefer a single `cache` tag reused by CI.
+- Risk: Developers unfamiliar with BuildKit. Mitigation: examples show simple `DOCKER_BUILDKIT=1` usage and local cache prune commands.
+
+Next steps for the container team
+1. Review examples in `aether_container_env/` and adapt the Dockerfile to your runtime constraints (ssl certs, env injection, secrets).
+2. Add a CI job using the `ci_buildx_example.sh` snippet; configure registry credentials as secrets.
+3. Add a scheduled job to rotate/delete old cache images or configure registry lifecycle rules.
+4. Run a before/after benchmark of `time npm run build:prod` inside the build stage to quantify improvement.
+
+Files included in this PR for reference:
+- `aether_container_env/Dockerfile.buildkit.example`
+- `aether_container_env/ci_buildx_example.sh`
+- `documentation/AE_Docker_CI_cache_policy.md`

documentation/TODO__Agents.md

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 # Frontend Agent Task List
 > Use this file to track steps for complex features or bug fixes.
-> **Status:** <20> Stable — ongoing development.
+> **Status:** Stable — ongoing development.
 
 
 ## 🚧 Upcoming High Priority