A method for configuring and deploying execution environments for software applications includes receiving a bootstrap execution environment from a data store, the bootstrap execution environment including a software application, the software application including a manifest of dependencies. The method includes executing the bootstrap execution environment and determining whether an enhanced execution environment is available from the data store. When the enhanced execution environment is available from the data store, the method includes receiving the enhanced execution environment from the data store and enhancing the bootstrap execution environment based on the received enhanced execution environment. When the enhanced execution environment is not available from the data, the method includes enhancing the bootstrap execution environment based on the manifest of dependencies to create the enhanced execution environment and storing the enhanced execution environment in the data store. The method also includes executing the software application.