diff --git a/.devcontainer/Dockerfile b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..06958f6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+ARG PY_VER
+ARG DISTRO
+FROM mcr.microsoft.com/devcontainers/python:${PY_VER}-${DISTRO}
+RUN \
+    apt update && \
+    apt-get install bash-completion graphviz default-mysql-client -y && \
+    pip install flake8 black faker ipykernel pytest pytest-cov nose nose-cov datajoint && \
+    pip uninstall datajoint -y
+
+USER root
+ENV DJ_HOST fakeservices.datajoint.io
+ENV DJ_USER root
+ENV DJ_PASS password
diff --git a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
index 4dde6156..35b1d083 100644
--- a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
+++ b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
@@ -17,18 +17,32 @@
 	// Features to add to the dev container. More info: https://containers.dev/features.
 	// "features": {},
 	// Use 'forwardPorts' to make a list of ports inside the container available locally.
-	// "forwardPorts": [],
+	"forwardPorts": [
+		80,
+		443,
+		3306,
+		8080,
+		9000
+	],
 	// Uncomment the next line if you want start specific services in your Docker Compose config.
 	// "runServices": [],
 	// Uncomment the next line if you want to keep your containers running after VS Code shuts down.
 	"shutdownAction": "stopCompose",
-	// Uncomment the next line to run commands after the container is created.
-	"postCreateCommand": "python3 -m pip install -e .",
+	"onCreateCommand": "python3 -m pip install -e .",
 	"features": {
-		"ghcr.io/cirolosapio/devcontainers-features/alpine-git:0": {},
+		"ghcr.io/devcontainers/features/git:1": {},
 	},
 	// Configure tool-specific properties.
-	// "customizations": {},
+	"customizations": {
+		"vscode": {
+			"extensions": [
+				"ms-python.python"
+			]
+		}
+	},
+	"remoteEnv": {
+		"LOCAL_WORKSPACE_FOLDER": "${localWorkspaceFolder}"
+	}
 	// Uncomment to connect as an existing user other than the container default. More info: https://aka.ms/dev-containers-non-root.
 	// "remoteUser": "devcontainer"
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.devcontainer/docker-compose.yml b/.devcontainer/docker-compose.yml
index 37375188..75c199e7 100644
--- a/.devcontainer/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/.devcontainer/docker-compose.yml
@@ -2,14 +2,16 @@ version: '2.4'
 services:
   # Update this to the name of the service you want to work with in your docker-compose.yml file
   app:
-    # Uncomment if you want to override the service's Dockerfile to one in the .devcontainer 
-    # folder. Note that the path of the Dockerfile and context is relative to the *primary* 
+    # Uncomment if you want to override the service's Dockerfile to one in the .devcontainer
+    # folder. Note that the path of the Dockerfile and context is relative to the *primary*
     # docker-compose.yml file (the first in the devcontainer.json "dockerComposeFile"
     # array). The sample below assumes your primary file is in the root of your project.
-    #
-    # build:
-    #   context: .
-    #   dockerfile: .devcontainer/Dockerfile
+    build:
+      context: .
+      dockerfile: .devcontainer/Dockerfile
+      args:
+        - PY_VER=${PY_VER:-3.8}
+        - DISTRO=${DISTRO:-buster}
 
     volumes:
       # Update this to wherever you want VS Code to mount the folder of your project
@@ -21,6 +23,8 @@ services:
     # security_opt:
     #   - seccomp:unconfined
 
+    user: root
+
     # Overrides default command so things don't shut down after the process ends.
     command: /bin/sh -c "while sleep 1000; do :; done"
- 
+