Optimise Docker Build Time by Using Cross-Compilation Instead of QEMU for Multi-Architecture Builds

[dlaw4608]

Issue:

I noticed when working with GitHub Actions for building Docker images that the build times were quite long, often exceeding 20 minutes. This delay is largely due to the use of QEMU for emulation, which, while supporting multi-architecture builds, significantly slows down the process.

Proposal:

To reduce build times and enhance efficiency, I propose switching from QEMU emulation to cross-compilation. Cross-compilation can significantly speed up the Docker build process by removing the overhead associated with QEMU emulation.

GitHub plans to offer free ARM runners later in the year, making the need for cross-compilation no longer relevant. However, in the meantime, I believe there is significant upside to improving our development workflows, shortening feedback loops, and speeding up deployment cycles.

An example can be found in a merged PR for limitador: refactor: cross compile for arm64 image build