A computerized system for generating a composite image with an optimized configuration that can be mounted as a container, the system comprising: one or more computer processors; and computer memory storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by the one or more computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to perform operations comprising: accessing,, by a layout manager, a plurality of files for generating a composite image; and generating,, by the layout manager, the composite image for the plurality of files, wherein the composite image comprises a set of common flat files, wherein generating the composite image comprises: pre-processing, one or more executable files in the plurality of files, wherein the pre-processing of the one or more executable files comprises at least one of the following: pre-aligning the one or more executable files in the composite image to have a disk alignment that is the same as a memory alignment of memory where the executable files are configured to be executed; or adjusting a disk alignment of one or more sections of the executable files to be the same as a corresponding section alignment, wherein the executable files are portable executable, PE, binaries having sections that are stored in section alignments such that PE binaries are executable in-place. one or more computer processors; and computer memory storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by the one or more computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to perform operations comprising: accessing,, by a layout manager, a plurality of files for generating a composite image; and generating,, by the layout manager, the composite image for the plurality of files, wherein the composite image comprises a set of common flat files, wherein generating the composite image comprises: pre-processing, one or more executable files in the plurality of files, wherein the pre-processing of the one or more executable files comprises at least one of the following: pre-aligning the one or more executable files in the composite image to have a disk alignment that is the same as a memory alignment of memory where the executable files are configured to be executed; or adjusting a disk alignment of one or more sections of the executable files to be the same as a corresponding section alignment, wherein the executable files are portable executable, PE, binaries having sections that are stored in section alignments such that PE binaries are executable in-place. accessing,, by a layout manager, a plurality of files for generating a composite image; and generating,, by the layout manager, the composite image for the plurality of files, wherein the composite image comprises a set of common flat files, wherein generating the composite image comprises: pre-processing, one or more executable files in the plurality of files, wherein the pre-processing of the one or more executable files comprises at least one of the following: pre-aligning the one or more executable files in the composite image to have a disk alignment that is the same as a memory alignment of memory where the executable files are configured to be executed; or adjusting a disk alignment of one or more sections of the executable files to be the same as a corresponding section alignment, wherein the executable files are portable executable, PE, binaries having sections that are stored in section alignments such that PE binaries are executable in-place. pre-aligning the one or more executable files in the composite image to have a disk alignment that is the same as a memory alignment of memory where the executable files are configured to be executed; or adjusting a disk alignment of one or more sections of the executable files to be the same as a corresponding section alignment, wherein the executable files are portable executable, PE, binaries having sections that are stored in section alignments such that PE binaries are executable in-place.