diff --git a/bun.lock b/bun.lock
index 9e1319a73..cee6b05ce 100644
--- a/bun.lock
+++ b/bun.lock
@@ -197,29 +197,31 @@
       "name": "dht-node",
       "version": "2.5.1",
       "dependencies": {
-        "@hyperswarm/dht": "^6.5.1",
-        "config-schema": "*",
         "cross-env": "^7.0.3",
-        "database": "*",
-        "dotenv": "10.0.0",
-        "esbuild": "^0.25.3",
-        "joi": "^17.13.3",
-        "log4js": "^6.9.1",
-        "tsx": "^4.19.4",
-        "typeorm": "^0.3.22",
-        "uuid": "^8.3.2",
+        "dht-rpc": "6.18.1",
+        "sodium-universal": "4.0.1",
       },
       "devDependencies": {
         "@biomejs/biome": "1.9.4",
+        "@hyperswarm/dht": "6.5.1",
         "@types/dotenv": "^8.2.3",
         "@types/jest": "27.5.1",
         "@types/joi": "^17.2.3",
         "@types/node": "^17.0.45",
         "@types/uuid": "^8.3.4",
+        "config-schema": "*",
+        "database": "*",
+        "dotenv": "10.0.0",
+        "esbuild": "^0.25.3",
         "jest": "27.5.1",
+        "joi": "^17.13.3",
+        "log4js": "^6.9.1",
         "prettier": "^2.8.8",
         "ts-jest": "27.1.4",
+        "tsx": "^4.19.4",
+        "typeorm": "^0.3.22",
         "typescript": "^4.9.5",
+        "uuid": "^8.3.2",
       },
     },
     "federation": {
@@ -266,6 +268,7 @@
         "apollo-server-testing": "2.25.2",
         "graphql-tag": "^2.12.6",
         "jest": "27.2.4",
+        "nodemon": "^2.0.7",
         "prettier": "^3.5.3",
         "ts-jest": "27.0.5",
         "typescript": "^4.9.5",
diff --git a/dht-node/Dockerfile b/dht-node/Dockerfile
index a219600b3..ccdeb631a 100644
--- a/dht-node/Dockerfile
+++ b/dht-node/Dockerfile
@@ -71,15 +71,20 @@ CMD /bin/sh -c "bun install --filter dht-node --no-cache --frozen-lockfile \
   && bun install --global --no-cache --no-save turbo@^2 \
   && turbo dht-node#dev --env-mode=loose" 
 
+##################################################################################
+# Basic Image with bun setup and project and source code #########################
+##################################################################################
+FROM bun-base as bun-base-src
+COPY --chown=app:app . . 
+
 ##################################################################################
 # BUILDER (create partly monorepo only with data needed by dht-node) #############
 ##################################################################################
-FROM bun-base as build
+FROM bun-base-src as build
 
-COPY --chown=app:app . . 
 RUN bun install --filter dht-node --no-cache --frozen-lockfile \
-  && bun install --global --no-cache --no-save turbo@^2 \
-  && turbo dht-node#build dht-node#typecheck --env-mode=loose
+  && bun install --global --no-cache --no-save turbo@^2
+RUN turbo dht-node#build dht-node#typecheck --env-mode=loose
 
 ##################################################################################
 # TEST ###########################################################################
@@ -90,11 +95,41 @@ ENV DB_HOST=mariadb
 # Run command
 CMD /bin/sh -c "turbo dht-node#test --env-mode=loose"
 
+##################################################################################
+# install only node modules needed for running bundle ############################
+##################################################################################
+FROM bun-base-src as production-node-modules
+
+# add node_modules from production_node_modules
+RUN bun install --filter dht-node --production --frozen-lockfile --no-cache \
+  && rm -rf /tmp/* ~/.cache node_modules/.cache \
+  && ./scripts/clean-prebuilds.sh
+
 ##################################################################################
 # PRODUCTION (Does contain only "binary"- and static-files to reduce image size) #
 ##################################################################################
 FROM base as production
 
+# Copy "binary"-files from build image
+COPY --chown=app:app --from=build ${DOCKER_WORKDIR}/dht-node/build/index.js ./index.js
+
+# add node_modules from production_node_modules
+COPY --chown=app:app --from=production-node-modules ${DOCKER_WORKDIR}/node_modules ./node_modules
+
+# Copy log4js-config.json to provide log configuration
+COPY --chown=app:app --from=build ${DOCKER_WORKDIR}/dht-node/log4js-config.json ./log4js-config.json
+ENV DB_HOST=mariadb
+ENV TZ=UTC
+# Run command
+CMD ["node", "index.js"]
+
+
+##################################################################################
+# PRODUCTION (Does contain only "binary"- and static-files to reduce image size) #
+# Experimental, install only some node_modules which can't be bundled ############
+##################################################################################
+FROM base as production-small
+
 # Copy "binary"-files from build image
 COPY --chown=app:app --from=build ${DOCKER_WORKDIR}/dht-node/build/index.js ./index.js
 COPY --chown=app:app --from=build ${DOCKER_WORKDIR}/scripts/clean-prebuilds.sh ./clean-prebuilds.sh
diff --git a/dht-node/README.md b/dht-node/README.md
index 88a2ca570..3affa9a49 100644
--- a/dht-node/README.md
+++ b/dht-node/README.md
@@ -7,3 +7,11 @@
 Bun crashes when a NAPI module tries to call `uv_interface_addresses`, a libuv function currently unsupported:
 
 Bun is working hard to support all NAPI module calls
+
+## Production Build
+Package.json dependencies contain only node_modules which cannot be bundled because of native node modules or needed for run start script. They are manually picked from @hyperswarm/dht
+dependencies. The versions should be updated, if @hyperswarm/dht is updated.
+The goal is to get a really small footprint for the production image. It is also possible to use in bare_metal setup.
+
+### Bare Metal minimal setup
+For a minimal bare metal production setup, look into [Dockerfile](Dockerfile) in the production step.
diff --git a/dht-node/esbuild.config.ts b/dht-node/esbuild.config.ts
index 8e0c6583a..f38039c43 100644
--- a/dht-node/esbuild.config.ts
+++ b/dht-node/esbuild.config.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ build({
   bundle: true,
   keepNames: true,
   // legalComments: 'inline',
-  external: ['udx-native', 'sodium-native'],
+  external: ['dht-rpc', 'sodium-universal'],
   minify: true,
   sourcemap: false,
 })
diff --git a/dht-node/package.json b/dht-node/package.json
index 7e604ee73..4e7224b4a 100644
--- a/dht-node/package.json
+++ b/dht-node/package.json
@@ -17,29 +17,31 @@
     "test": "cross-env TZ=UTC NODE_ENV=development DB_DATABASE=gradido_test_dht jest --runInBand --forceExit --detectOpenHandles"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@hyperswarm/dht": "^6.5.1",
-    "config-schema": "*",
-    "cross-env": "^7.0.3",
-    "database": "*",
-    "dotenv": "10.0.0",
-    "joi": "^17.13.3",
-    "log4js": "^6.9.1",
-    "typeorm": "^0.3.22",
-    "uuid": "^8.3.2"
+    "dht-rpc": "6.18.1",
+    "sodium-universal": "4.0.1",
+    "cross-env": "^7.0.3"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@biomejs/biome": "1.9.4",
+    "@hyperswarm/dht": "6.5.1",
     "@types/dotenv": "^8.2.3",
     "@types/jest": "27.5.1",
     "@types/joi": "^17.2.3",
     "@types/node": "^17.0.45",
     "@types/uuid": "^8.3.4",
+    "config-schema": "*",
+    "database": "*",
+    "dotenv": "10.0.0",
     "esbuild": "^0.25.3",
     "jest": "27.5.1",
+    "joi": "^17.13.3",
+    "log4js": "^6.9.1",
     "prettier": "^2.8.8",
     "ts-jest": "27.1.4",
     "tsx": "^4.19.4",
-    "typescript": "^4.9.5"
+    "typeorm": "^0.3.22",
+    "typescript": "^4.9.5",
+    "uuid": "^8.3.2"
   },
   "engines": {
     "node": ">=18"