Add a .devcontainer configuration to the repository

[phaarnes]

Add a .devcontainer configuration to the repository so contributors can easily spin up a ready-to-code environment using GitHub Codespaces or VS Code Dev Containers.

Setting up the development environment manually can be time-consuming and error-prone, especially for new contributors. By including a devcontainer.json (and optionally a Dockerfile), contributors will be able to open the repository in a Codespace or local VS Code environment and start coding immediately—without needing to install dependencies manually.

Proposed Solution:

Configure the environment to include all necessary dependencies, SDKs, linters, and build tools by adding:

• Add a .devcontainer folder containing:
• devcontainer.json — defines the development environment settings, extensions, and ports.
• Dockerfile — specifies the base image and any additional dependencies or tools required for the project.

Benefits:

• Zero setup time for new contributors.
• Consistent development environment across all contributors.
• Easier onboarding

Additional Context:

I can create a pull request adding the initial .devcontainer setup and configuration.

[djhoese]

I'm OK with this, but I worry about it becoming unmaintained/out-of-sync. Is there an easy way to test this in CI without too much custom code? Like a GitHub Action that can be auto-updated by dependabot to make sure that the devcontainer configuration is still compatible with modern VSCode?

[phaarnes]

@djhoese Thanks. I understand your concern. I’ll explore options to ensure the devcontainer configuration stays maintained and compatible, potentially using GitHub Actions and Dependabot and follow up with more details.