diff --git a/.devcontainer/Dockerfile b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2bba1987
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# See here for image contents: https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-dev-containers/tree/v0.238.0/containers/go/.devcontainer/base.Dockerfile
+
+# [Choice] Go version (use -bullseye variants on local arm64/Apple Silicon): 1, 1.16, 1.17, 1-bullseye, 1.16-bullseye, 1.17-bullseye, 1-buster, 1.16-buster, 1.17-buster
+FROM mcr.microsoft.com/devcontainers/go:1-1.21-bullseye
+
+ENV DOCKER_BUILDKIT=1
+ENV DOCKER_DEFAULT_PLATFORM=linux/amd64
+
+# [Optional] Uncomment this section to install additional OS packages.
+RUN apt-get update && export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive \
+     && apt-get -y install --no-install-recommends git curl graphviz
+
+USER vscode
+
+# Install github act
+RUN curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nektos/act/master/install.sh | sudo bash
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bd31383d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+// For format details, see https://aka.ms/devcontainer.json. For config options, see the README at:
+// https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-dev-containers/tree/v0.238.0/containers/go
+{
+  "name": "Go",
+  "build": {
+    "dockerfile": "Dockerfile",
+    "args": {
+    }
+  },
+  "containerEnv": {
+    "GITHUB_ACTOR": "${localEnv:GITHUB_ACTOR}",
+    "GITHUB_TOKEN": "${localEnv:GITHUB_TOKEN}"
+  },
+  // "runArgs": ["--cap-add=SYS_PTRACE", "--security-opt", "seccomp=unconfined"],
+  "runArgs": [
+    //"--cap-add=SYS_PTRACE",
+    //"--security-opt",
+    //"seccomp=unconfined",
+    "--network=host",
+    //"--network=cheetah-infrastructure"
+    "--privileged"
+  ],
+  "customizations": {
+    // Configure properties specific to VS Code.
+    "vscode": {
+      // Set *default* container specific settings.json values on container create.
+      "settings": {
+        "go.toolsManagement.checkForUpdates": "local",
+        "go.useLanguageServer": true,
+        "go.gopath": "/go"
+      },
+      // Add the IDs of extensions you want installed when the container is created.
+      "extensions": [
+        "golang.Go",
+        "ms-azuretools.vscode-docker",
+        "redhat.vscode-yaml",
+        "IronGeek.vscode-env",
+        "github.vscode-github-actions",
+        "jebbs.plantuml",
+        "GitHub.copilot",
+        "github.vscode-github-actions"
+      ]
+    }
+  },
+  "features": {
+    "ghcr.io/devcontainers/features/docker-in-docker:2": {}
+  },
+  // Use 'forwardPorts' to make a list of ports inside the container available locally.
+  "forwardPorts": [
+    1854
+  ],
+  // Use 'postCreateCommand' to run commands after the container is created.
+  // "postCreateCommand": "go version",
+  // Comment out to connect as root instead. More info: https://aka.ms/vscode-remote/containers/non-root.
+  "remoteUser": "vscode"
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/rc-release.yaml b/.github/workflows/rc-release.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0a7f8c6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/rc-release.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+name: "Publish Manual Release"
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+  push: 
+    branches:
+      - cheetah-main
+      
+env:
+  IMAGE_NAME: ${{ github.repository }}
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+  packages: write
+
+jobs:
+  release:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    name: Release release-candiate
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v2.3.4
+
+      - name: Setup go
+        uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+        with:
+          go-version-file: 'go.work'
+          cache: false
+
+      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
+        id: buildx
+        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v2
+
+      - name: Extract metadata (tags, labels) for Docker
+        id: meta
+        uses: docker/metadata-action@879dcbb708d40f8b8679d4f7941b938a086e23a7
+        with:
+          images: ghcr.io/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}
+          labels: |
+            org.opencontainers.image.vendor=Trifork
+            org.opencontainers.image.source=${{ github.server_url }}/${{ github.repository }}
+          tags: |
+            type=raw,value=latest,enable={{is_default_branch}}
+            type=ref,event=branch,suffix=-${{ github.run_id }}
+            type=ref,event=pr
+            type=ref,event=tag
+            type=semver,pattern={{version}}
+            type=semver,pattern={{major}}.{{minor}}
+
+      - name: build
+        working-directory: opensearch-operator/
+        run: make build
+
+      - name: Docker login
+        uses: docker/login-action@v2
+        with:
+          registry: ghcr.io
+          username: ${{ github.actor }}
+          password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Build and push Docker image
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@0565240e2d4ab88bba5387d719585280857ece09 # v5
+        with:
+          file: opensearch-operator/Dockerfile
+          context: opensearch-operator/
+          push: true
+          outputs: type=registry
+          builder: ${{ steps.buildx.outputs.name }}
+          tags: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.tags }}
+          labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
+          cache-from: type=gha
+          cache-to: type=gha,mode=max