diff --git a/deps_rocker/extensions/codex/codex_snippet.Dockerfile b/deps_rocker/extensions/codex/codex_snippet.Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ef4fff78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deps_rocker/extensions/codex/codex_snippet.Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Install OpenAI Codex CLI with BuildKit cache for npm global installs
+RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/root/.npm,id=global-npm-cache \
+	npm install -g @@openai/codex
diff --git a/deps_rocker/extensions/codex/codex_user_snippet.Dockerfile b/deps_rocker/extensions/codex/codex_user_snippet.Dockerfile
deleted file mode 100644
index 8a6233db..00000000
--- a/deps_rocker/extensions/codex/codex_user_snippet.Dockerfile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-# Install OpenAI Codex CLI with BuildKit cache for npm global installs
-RUN npm install -g @@openai/codex
-
-# Create symlink in /usr/local/bin for non-interactive shell access
-RUN sudo ln -sf ~/.pixi/envs/nodejs/bin/codex /usr/local/bin/codex
diff --git a/deps_rocker/extensions/codex/test.sh b/deps_rocker/extensions/codex/test.sh
index 9976196a..f0164af8 100755
--- a/deps_rocker/extensions/codex/test.sh
+++ b/deps_rocker/extensions/codex/test.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/bin/bash -l
+#!/bin/bash
 set -e
 
 echo "Testing codex installation..."
diff --git a/deps_rocker/extensions/gemini/gemini_snippet.Dockerfile b/deps_rocker/extensions/gemini/gemini_snippet.Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2a063271
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deps_rocker/extensions/gemini/gemini_snippet.Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Install Google Gemini CLI tool via npm with BuildKit cache for global installs
+RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/root/.npm,id=global-npm-cache \
+	npm install -g @@google/gemini-cli
diff --git a/deps_rocker/extensions/gemini/gemini_user_snippet.Dockerfile b/deps_rocker/extensions/gemini/gemini_user_snippet.Dockerfile
deleted file mode 100644
index 5164ff71..00000000
--- a/deps_rocker/extensions/gemini/gemini_user_snippet.Dockerfile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-# Install Google Gemini CLI tool via npm with BuildKit cache for global installs
-RUN npm install -g @@google/gemini-cli
-
-# Create symlink in /usr/local/bin for non-interactive shell access
-RUN sudo ln -sf ~/.pixi/envs/nodejs/bin/gemini /usr/local/bin/gemini
diff --git a/deps_rocker/extensions/gemini/test.sh b/deps_rocker/extensions/gemini/test.sh
index d368def3..687ee784 100755
--- a/deps_rocker/extensions/gemini/test.sh
+++ b/deps_rocker/extensions/gemini/test.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/bin/bash -l
+#!/bin/bash
 set -e
 
 echo "Testing gemini installation..."
diff --git a/deps_rocker/extensions/npm/npm.py b/deps_rocker/extensions/npm/npm.py
index 222835a8..736bca3c 100644
--- a/deps_rocker/extensions/npm/npm.py
+++ b/deps_rocker/extensions/npm/npm.py
@@ -2,7 +2,13 @@
 
 
 class Npm(SimpleRockerExtension):
-    """Install npm via pixi using nodejs from conda-forge"""
+    """Install npm using nvm (Node Version Manager)"""
 
     name = "npm"
-    depends_on_extension = ("pixi",)
+    depends_on_extension = ("curl",)
+    builder_apt_packages = ["curl", "ca-certificates", "git"]
+
+    empy_args = {
+        "NODE_VERSION": "24.9.0",
+        "NPM_VERSION": "11.6.1",
+    }
diff --git a/deps_rocker/extensions/npm/npm_builder_snippet.Dockerfile b/deps_rocker/extensions/npm/npm_builder_snippet.Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6c5d94ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deps_rocker/extensions/npm/npm_builder_snippet.Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# syntax=docker/dockerfile:1.4
+ARG NODE_VERSION=@NODE_VERSION@
+
+@(f"FROM {base_image} AS {builder_stage}")
+
+ARG NODE_VERSION
+ENV NVM_DIR=/usr/local/nvm
+
+RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/var/cache/apt,sharing=locked,id=apt-cache \
+    --mount=type=cache,target=/var/lib/apt/lists,sharing=locked,id=apt-lists \
+    apt-get update && \
+    apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends git && \
+    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
+# Clone nvm from git with caching
+RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/tmp/nvm-git-cache,id=nvm-git-cache \
+    bash -c "set -e && \
+    if [ -d /tmp/nvm-git-cache/.git ]; then \
+        cd /tmp/nvm-git-cache && git fetch --tags && git checkout v0.40.3; \
+    else \
+        git clone https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm.git /tmp/nvm-git-cache && \
+        cd /tmp/nvm-git-cache && git checkout v0.40.0; \
+    fi && \
+    # Use tar to copy nvm cache, excluding .git, test, and .github for smaller image and security
+    # Ensure /usr/local/nvm exists before extracting
+    mkdir -p /usr/local/nvm && tar --exclude='.git' --exclude='test' --exclude='.github' -cf - -C /tmp/nvm-git-cache . | tar -xf - -C /usr/local/nvm"
+
+# Install Node.js using nvm with cached downloads - use template substitution for version
+RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/usr/local/nvm/.cache,id=nvm-node-cache \
+    bash -c "set -e && \
+    . \$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh && \
+    nvm install @(NODE_VERSION)"
diff --git a/deps_rocker/extensions/npm/npm_snippet.Dockerfile b/deps_rocker/extensions/npm/npm_snippet.Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ca8337f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deps_rocker/extensions/npm/npm_snippet.Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+
+ENV NODE_VERSION=24.9.0
+# Install nvm, node and npm
+ENV NVM_DIR=/usr/local/nvm
+
+ENV NPM_CONFIG_UPDATE_NOTIFIER=false 
+ENV NPM_CONFIG_FUND=false 
+
+# Copy pre-installed nvm directory from builder
+@(f"COPY --from={builder_stage} $NVM_DIR $NVM_DIR")
+
+# Add node and npm to path
+ENV PATH="$NVM_DIR/versions/node/v$NODE_VERSION/bin:$PATH"
diff --git a/deps_rocker/extensions/npm/npm_user_snippet.Dockerfile b/deps_rocker/extensions/npm/npm_user_snippet.Dockerfile
deleted file mode 100644
index 11a3cfe0..00000000
--- a/deps_rocker/extensions/npm/npm_user_snippet.Dockerfile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-# Install Node.js and npm via pixi global install
-RUN pixi global install nodejs
-
-# Add npm global bin directory to PATH for login shells
-RUN echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.pixi/envs/nodejs/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.profile
-
-# Create symlinks in /usr/local/bin for non-interactive shell access
-RUN sudo ln -sf ~/.pixi/envs/nodejs/bin/node /usr/local/bin/node && \
-    sudo ln -sf ~/.pixi/envs/nodejs/bin/npm /usr/local/bin/npm && \
-    sudo ln -sf ~/.pixi/envs/nodejs/bin/npx /usr/local/bin/npx
-
-# Configure shell to use bash and source profile for subsequent RUN commands
-SHELL ["/bin/bash", "-l", "-c"]
-
-# Disable npm update notifier and fund messages
-ENV NPM_CONFIG_UPDATE_NOTIFIER=false
-ENV NPM_CONFIG_FUND=false
diff --git a/deps_rocker/extensions/npm/test.sh b/deps_rocker/extensions/npm/test.sh
index d8d6ab4d..ee296468 100755
--- a/deps_rocker/extensions/npm/test.sh
+++ b/deps_rocker/extensions/npm/test.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-#!/bin/bash -l
+#!/bin/bash
+
 set -e
 
 echo "Testing npm installation..."
diff --git a/specs/01/npm-pixi-install/plan.md b/specs/01/npm-pixi-install/plan.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 5c54eb5c..00000000
--- a/specs/01/npm-pixi-install/plan.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,29 +0,0 @@
-# Implementation Plan: NPM via Pixi
-
-## Changes Required
-
-### 1. Update npm.py
-- Remove `depends_on_extension = ("curl",)`
-- Add `depends_on_extension = ("pixi",)` instead
-- Remove `builder_apt_packages` since pixi handles installation
-- Update or remove `empy_args` - pixi will manage the nodejs version
-- Keep the class simple since pixi does the heavy lifting
-
-### 2. Update npm_snippet.Dockerfile
-- Remove NVM installation logic
-- Remove ENV variables for NVM_DIR and NODE_VERSION
-- Add pixi installation snippet using `pixi global install nodejs`
-- Ensure npm and node binaries are in PATH via pixi
-- Use BuildKit cache mount for pixi cache (inherited from pixi extension)
-
-### 3. Test Verification
-- Verify test.sh still works and checks for npm and node commands
-- Ensure version checks pass
-- Test that npm can install packages
-
-## Benefits
-- Simpler installation using pixi ecosystem
-- Better caching via BuildKit mounts
-- Consistent with other pixi-based extensions
-- Eliminates need for separate NVM installation
-- Easier to manage nodejs versions through pixi
diff --git a/specs/01/npm-pixi-install/spec.md b/specs/01/npm-pixi-install/spec.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 5bd6b616..00000000
--- a/specs/01/npm-pixi-install/spec.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
-# NPM Extension: Install via Pixi
-
-Update the npm extension to install Node.js and npm using pixi with the nodejs package from conda-forge instead of using NVM (Node Version Manager).
-
-## Requirements
-- Install Node.js and npm via pixi using the `nodejs` conda-forge package
-- Remove dependency on curl and NVM
-- Use BuildKit cache mounts for pixi cache (inherited from pixi extension)
-- Maintain backward compatibility for users of the npm extension
-- Existing tests should continue to work
-
-## Out of Scope
-- Changing npm version pinning behavior (pixi manages the version)
-- Modifying npm configuration beyond what's needed for pixi installation
-
-## Implementation
-- Updated `npm.py` to depend on `pixi` instead of `curl`
-- Removed `npm_builder_snippet.Dockerfile` (no longer needed)
-- Created `npm_user_snippet.Dockerfile` to use `pixi global install nodejs` in user stage
-- Kept NPM environment variables for disabling update notifier and fund messages
-
-## Fix
-- Renamed `npm_snippet.Dockerfile` to `npm_user_snippet.Dockerfile` because pixi global install must run in the user stage after pixi is set up in the user environment