diff --git a/.env.sample b/.devcontainer/.env.sample
similarity index 100%
rename from .env.sample
rename to .devcontainer/.env.sample
diff --git a/Dockerfile.dev b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
similarity index 55%
rename from Dockerfile.dev
rename to .devcontainer/Dockerfile
index 8ddeeec5..8f39ee42 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.dev
+++ b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
@@ -2,14 +2,18 @@ FROM eligibility_server:latest
 
 USER root
 
-# install tooling: curl, git, jq, ssh
-# install python tooling: pip, flake8, pre-commit
+# install container tooling
 RUN apt-get update \
     && apt-get install -qq --no-install-recommends curl git jq ssh build-essential \
     && python -m pip install --upgrade pip
 
-RUN pip install --no-cache-dir flake8 pre-commit coverage pytest
+# install python tooling
+RUN pip install --no-cache-dir flake8 pre-commit
 
-# install docs tooling:
+# install docs tooling
 COPY docs/requirements.txt docs/requirements.txt
 RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r docs/requirements.txt
+
+# install test tooling
+COPY tests/requirements.txt tests/requirements.txt
+RUN pip install -r tests/requirements.txt
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/.devcontainer/compose.yml
similarity index 71%
rename from docker-compose.yml
rename to .devcontainer/compose.yml
index 28370500..c200b300 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/.devcontainer/compose.yml
@@ -2,17 +2,17 @@ version: "3.8"
 
 services:
   server:
-    build: .
+    build: ..
     env_file: .env
     image: eligibility_server:latest
     ports:
       - "5000"
     volumes:
-      - ./:/home/calitp/app/
+      - ../:/home/calitp/app/
   dev:
     build:
-      context: .
-      dockerfile: Dockerfile.dev
+      context: ..
+      dockerfile: .devcontainer/Dockerfile
     command: sleep infinity
     entrypoint: []
     env_file: .env
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ services:
     ports:
       - "5000"
     volumes:
-      - ./:/home/calitp/app/
+      - ../:/home/calitp/app/
   docs:
     image: eligibility_server:dev
     entrypoint: mkdocs
@@ -28,4 +28,4 @@ services:
     ports:
       - "8000"
     volumes:
-      - ./:/home/calitp/app:cached
+      - ../:/home/calitp/app:cached
diff --git a/.devcontainer.json b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
similarity index 82%
rename from .devcontainer.json
rename to .devcontainer/devcontainer.json
index a500fdab..e06e34c2 100644
--- a/.devcontainer.json
+++ b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 // For format details, see https://aka.ms/vscode-remote/devcontainer.json
 {
   "name": "cal-itp/eligibility-server",
-  "dockerComposeFile": ["./docker-compose.yml"],
+  "dockerComposeFile": ["compose.yml"],
   "service": "dev",
   "runServices": ["dev", "docs"],
   "workspaceFolder": "/home/calitp/app",
-  "postAttachCommand": ["/bin/bash", "bin/pre-commit.sh"],
+  "postAttachCommand": ["/bin/bash", ".devcontainer/pre-commit.sh"],
 
   // Set *default* container specific settings.json values on container create.
   "settings": {
@@ -21,6 +21,6 @@
   "extensions": [
       "batisteo.vscode-django",
       "ms-python.python",
-      "ms-python.vscode-pylance",
+      "ms-python.vscode-pylance"
   ]
 }
diff --git a/bin/pre-commit.sh b/.devcontainer/pre-commit.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from bin/pre-commit.sh
rename to .devcontainer/pre-commit.sh
diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md
index 9f924f4c..a66a2e16 100644
--- a/docs/README.md
+++ b/docs/README.md
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ Running the application locally is possible with [Docker and Docker Compose](htt
 ### Build the Docker container for local development
 
 ```bash
+cd .devcontainer
+cp .env.sample .env
 docker compose build server
 ```
 
diff --git a/docs/getting-started.md b/docs/getting-started.md
index db3b5df4..9f13bece 100644
--- a/docs/getting-started.md
+++ b/docs/getting-started.md
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ cd eligibility-server
 Use the sample as the template.
 
 ```bash
+cd .devcontainer
 cp .env.sample .env
 ```
 
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ The .env file specifies two values:
 ### Build image using Docker Compose
 
 ```bash
+cd .devcontainer
 docker compose build --no-cache server
 ```