diff --git a/compiled_starters/zig/build.zig b/compiled_starters/zig/build.zig
index c6727a85..3ae035c4 100644
--- a/compiled_starters/zig/build.zig
+++ b/compiled_starters/zig/build.zig
@@ -3,10 +3,11 @@ const std = @import("std");
 // Learn more about this file here: https://ziglang.org/learn/build-system
 pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
     const exe = b.addExecutable(.{
-        .name = "zig",
+        .name = "redis_challenge",
         .root_source_file = b.path("src/main.zig"),
         .target = b.standardTargetOptions(.{}),
         .optimize = b.standardOptimizeOption(.{}),
+        .link_libc = true,
     });
 
     // This declares intent for the executable to be installed into the
diff --git a/compiled_starters/zig/spawn_redis_server.sh b/compiled_starters/zig/spawn_redis_server.sh
index 04c397c6..6975a8a6 100755
--- a/compiled_starters/zig/spawn_redis_server.sh
+++ b/compiled_starters/zig/spawn_redis_server.sh
@@ -7,4 +7,4 @@
 # DON'T EDIT THIS!
 set -e
 
-exec zig build run -- $@
+exec zig build run -Doptimize=ReleaseFast -- $@
diff --git a/dockerfiles/zig-0.12.Dockerfile b/dockerfiles/zig-0.12.Dockerfile
index 1d66ea2d..01c46fb8 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/zig-0.12.Dockerfile
+++ b/dockerfiles/zig-0.12.Dockerfile
@@ -1,7 +1,25 @@
-FROM alpine:3.19
+FROM debian:stable-slim
 
-# Add the testing repository
-RUN echo "@community http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community" >> /etc/apk/repositories
+# Update package list and install required packages
+RUN apt-get update && \
+    apt-get install -y curl xz-utils build-essential libc-dev && \
+    apt-get clean && \
+    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
+# Set Zig version
+ENV ZIG_VERSION=0.12.0
+
+WORKDIR /app
+
+# Download and install Zig to /usr/local/bin
+RUN curl -LO https://ziglang.org/download/${ZIG_VERSION}/zig-linux-$(uname -m)-${ZIG_VERSION}.tar.xz && \
+    tar -xf zig-linux-$(uname -m)-${ZIG_VERSION}.tar.xz && \
+    mkdir -p /usr/local/zig && \
+    mv zig-linux-$(uname -m)-${ZIG_VERSION}/* /usr/local/zig/ && \
+    rmdir zig-linux-$(uname -m)-${ZIG_VERSION} && \
+    rm zig-linux-$(uname -m)-${ZIG_VERSION}.tar.xz
+
+ENV PATH="/usr/local/zig:${PATH}"
 
 # We should use build.zig & build.zig.zon to cache downloading deps, but we don't have this wired up yet.
 #
@@ -14,8 +32,8 @@ RUN echo "@community http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community" >> /et
 #
 # ENV CODECRAFTERS_DEPENDENCY_FILE_PATHS="build.zig,build.zig.zon"
 
-# Update the package list and install Zig
-RUN apk add --no-cache zig@community=0.12.0-r0
+# Create precompile script
+RUN printf "set -e \ncd \${CODECRAFTERS_SUBMISSION_DIR} \necho 'Running zig build' \nzig build -Doptimize=ReleaseFast \necho 'zig build completed.' \n" > /codecrafters-precompile.sh
 
-RUN printf "set -e \ncd \${CODECRAFTERS_SUBMISSION_DIR} \necho 'Running zig build' \nzig build \necho 'zig build completed.' \n" > /codecrafters-precompile.sh
+# Make precompile script executable
 RUN chmod +x /codecrafters-precompile.sh
diff --git a/solutions/zig/01-jm1/code/build.zig b/solutions/zig/01-jm1/code/build.zig
index c6727a85..3ae035c4 100644
--- a/solutions/zig/01-jm1/code/build.zig
+++ b/solutions/zig/01-jm1/code/build.zig
@@ -3,10 +3,11 @@ const std = @import("std");
 // Learn more about this file here: https://ziglang.org/learn/build-system
 pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
     const exe = b.addExecutable(.{
-        .name = "zig",
+        .name = "redis_challenge",
         .root_source_file = b.path("src/main.zig"),
         .target = b.standardTargetOptions(.{}),
         .optimize = b.standardOptimizeOption(.{}),
+        .link_libc = true,
     });
 
     // This declares intent for the executable to be installed into the
diff --git a/solutions/zig/01-jm1/code/spawn_redis_server.sh b/solutions/zig/01-jm1/code/spawn_redis_server.sh
index 04c397c6..6975a8a6 100755
--- a/solutions/zig/01-jm1/code/spawn_redis_server.sh
+++ b/solutions/zig/01-jm1/code/spawn_redis_server.sh
@@ -7,4 +7,4 @@
 # DON'T EDIT THIS!
 set -e
 
-exec zig build run -- $@
+exec zig build run -Doptimize=ReleaseFast -- $@
diff --git a/starter_templates/zig/build.zig b/starter_templates/zig/build.zig
index c6727a85..3ae035c4 100644
--- a/starter_templates/zig/build.zig
+++ b/starter_templates/zig/build.zig
@@ -3,10 +3,11 @@ const std = @import("std");
 // Learn more about this file here: https://ziglang.org/learn/build-system
 pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
     const exe = b.addExecutable(.{
-        .name = "zig",
+        .name = "redis_challenge",
         .root_source_file = b.path("src/main.zig"),
         .target = b.standardTargetOptions(.{}),
         .optimize = b.standardOptimizeOption(.{}),
+        .link_libc = true,
     });
 
     // This declares intent for the executable to be installed into the
diff --git a/starter_templates/zig/spawn_redis_server.sh b/starter_templates/zig/spawn_redis_server.sh
index 04c397c6..6975a8a6 100755
--- a/starter_templates/zig/spawn_redis_server.sh
+++ b/starter_templates/zig/spawn_redis_server.sh
@@ -7,4 +7,4 @@
 # DON'T EDIT THIS!
 set -e
 
-exec zig build run -- $@
+exec zig build run -Doptimize=ReleaseFast -- $@