diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 219891aa..7a7d02f0 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
-# This Dockerfile has four stages:
+# This Dockerfile has three stages:
 #
 # base-image
 #   Updates the base Python image with security patches and common system
 #   packages. This image becomes the base of all other images.
-# dependencies-image
-#   Installs third-party dependencies (requirements/main.txt) into a virtual
-#   environment. This virtual environment is ideal for copying across build
-#   stages.
 # install-image
-#   Installs the app into the virtual environment.
+#   Installs third-party dependencies (requirements/main.txt) and the
+#   application into a virtual environment. This virtual environment is
+#   ideal for copying across build stages.
 # runtime-image
 #   - Copies the virtual environment into place.
 #   - Runs a non-root user.
@@ -20,7 +18,7 @@ FROM python:3.12.1-slim-bullseye as base-image
 COPY scripts/install-base-packages.sh .
 RUN ./install-base-packages.sh && rm ./install-base-packages.sh
 
-FROM base-image AS dependencies-image
+FROM base-image AS install-image
 
 # Install system packages only needed for building dependencies.
 COPY scripts/install-dependency-packages.sh .
@@ -29,8 +27,10 @@ RUN ./install-dependency-packages.sh
 # Create a Python virtual environment
 ENV VIRTUAL_ENV=/opt/venv
 RUN python -m venv $VIRTUAL_ENV
+
 # Make sure we use the virtualenv
 ENV PATH="$VIRTUAL_ENV/bin:$PATH"
+
 # Put the latest pip and setuptools in the virtualenv
 RUN pip install --upgrade --no-cache-dir pip setuptools wheel
 
@@ -38,24 +38,20 @@ RUN pip install --upgrade --no-cache-dir pip setuptools wheel
 COPY requirements/main.txt ./requirements.txt
 RUN pip install --quiet --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt
 
-FROM dependencies-image AS install-image
-
-# Use the virtualenv
-ENV PATH="/opt/venv/bin:$PATH"
-
+# Install the application.
 COPY . /workdir
 WORKDIR /workdir
 RUN pip install --no-cache-dir .
 
 FROM base-image AS runtime-image
 
-# Create a non-root user
+# Create a non-root user.
 RUN useradd --create-home appuser
 
-# Copy the virtualenv
+# Copy the virtualenv.
 COPY --from=install-image /opt/venv /opt/venv
 
-# Make sure we use the virtualenv
+# Make sure we use the virtualenv.
 ENV PATH="/opt/venv/bin:$PATH"
 
 # Switch to the non-root user.
diff --git a/scripts/install-base-packages.sh b/scripts/install-base-packages.sh
index 620781c1..2fd02247 100755
--- a/scripts/install-base-packages.sh
+++ b/scripts/install-base-packages.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-# This script updates packages in the base Docker image that's used by both the
-# build and runtime images, and gives us a place to install additional
+# This script updates packages in the base Docker image that's used by both
+# the build and runtime images, and gives us a place to install additional
 # system-level packages with apt-get.
 #
 # Based on the blog post:
@@ -9,26 +9,21 @@
 
 # Bash "strict mode", to help catch problems and bugs in the shell
 # script. Every bash script you write should include this. See
-# http://redsymbol.net/articles/unofficial-bash-strict-mode/ for
-# details.
+# http://redsymbol.net/articles/unofficial-bash-strict-mode/ for details.
 set -euo pipefail
 
 # Display each command as it's run.
 set -x
 
-# Tell apt-get we're never going to be able to give manual
-# feedback:
+# Tell apt-get we're never going to be able to give manual feedback.
 export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
 
-# Update the package listing, so we know what packages exist:
+# Update the package listing, so we know what packages exist.
 apt-get update
 
-# Install security updates:
+# Install security updates.
 apt-get -y upgrade
 
-# Example of installing a new package, without unnecessary packages:
-apt-get -y install --no-install-recommends git
-
-# Delete cached files we don't need anymore:
+# Delete cached files we don't need anymore.
 apt-get clean
 rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
diff --git a/scripts/install-dependency-packages.sh b/scripts/install-dependency-packages.sh
index f63ef751..e75df482 100755
--- a/scripts/install-dependency-packages.sh
+++ b/scripts/install-dependency-packages.sh
@@ -10,25 +10,26 @@
 
 # Bash "strict mode", to help catch problems and bugs in the shell
 # script. Every bash script you write should include this. See
-# http://redsymbol.net/articles/unofficial-bash-strict-mode/ for
-# details.
+# http://redsymbol.net/articles/unofficial-bash-strict-mode/ for details.
 set -euo pipefail
 
 # Display each command as it's run.
 set -x
 
-# Tell apt-get we're never going to be able to give manual
-# feedback:
+# Tell apt-get we're never going to be able to give manual feedback.
 export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
 
-# Update the package listing, so we know what packages exist:
+# Update the package listing, so we know what packages exist.
 apt-get update
 
-# Install build-essential because sometimes Python dependencies need to build
-# C modules, particularly when upgrading to newer Python versions.  libffi-dev
-# is sometimes needed to build cffi (a cryptography dependency).
-apt-get -y install --no-install-recommends build-essential libffi-dev
+# Install various dependencies that may be required to install JupyterHub or
+# our add-on modules, or are wanted at runtime:
+#
+# build-essential: sometimes needed to build Python modules
+# git: required by setuptools_scm
+# libffi-dev: sometimes needed to build cffi, a cryptography dependency
+apt-get -y install --no-install-recommends build-essential git libffi-dev
 
-# Delete cached files we don't need anymore:
+# Delete cached files we don't need anymore.
 apt-get clean
 rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*