diff --git a/.devcontainer/Dockerfile b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..150469058
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+FROM debian:latest
+
+RUN apt-get update \
+ && apt-get install -y \
+        gawk \
+        perl \
+        sed \
+        git \
+        python3 \
+        python3-pip \
+        pandoc \
+        biber \
+        latexmk \
+        texlive \
+        texlive-science \
+        texlive-fonts-extra \
+        texlive-plain-generic \
+        texlive-bibtex-extra \
+ && apt-get clean
+
+# Install Python packages, after removing a file that breaks pip.
+RUN rm /usr/lib/python3.11/EXTERNALLY-MANAGED
+RUN pip install rst2html5 \
+ && pip install docutils==0.19
+
+RUN apt-get install -y locales \
+ && echo "LC_ALL=en_US.UTF-8" >> /etc/environment \
+ && echo "en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8" >> /etc/locale.gen \
+ && echo "LANG=en_US.UTF-8" > /etc/locale.conf \
+ && locale-gen en_US.UTF-8
+
+ENV PATH=${PATH}:/usr/local/bin
diff --git a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4557f61af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+    "name": "Dev space",
+    "dockerFile": "Dockerfile"
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/actions/render/action.yml b/.github/actions/render/action.yml
index 2f58d4860..95d99c5cb 100644
--- a/.github/actions/render/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/render/action.yml
@@ -4,4 +4,9 @@ author: Deirdre Connolly
 runs:
   using: docker
   # Runs `make all` or something like it
-  image: ../../../Dockerfile
+  image: ../../../.devcontainer/Dockerfile
+  args:
+    - /bin/sh
+    - -c
+    - make
+    - all
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
deleted file mode 100644
index 48fd6085e..000000000
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,26 +0,0 @@
-FROM debian:latest
-
-RUN apt-get update
-RUN apt-get install -y \
-        gawk \
-        perl \
-        sed \
-        git \
-        python3 \
-        python3-pip \
-        pandoc \
-        biber \
-        latexmk \
-        texlive \
-        texlive-science \
-        texlive-fonts-extra \
-        texlive-plain-generic \
-        texlive-bibtex-extra
-
-RUN rm /usr/lib/python3.11/EXTERNALLY-MANAGED
-RUN pip install rst2html5
-
-ENV PATH=${PATH}:/root/.local/bin
-
-WORKDIR "/zips"
-ENTRYPOINT ["make", "all"]
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 91414311a..2767c57c4 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ discard:
 
 define PROCESSRST
 $(eval TITLE := $(shell echo '$(patsubst zips/%,%,$(basename $<))' | sed -E 's|zip-0{0,3}|ZIP |;s|draft-|Draft |')$(shell grep -E '^(\.\.)?\s*Title: ' $< |sed -E 's|.*Title||'))
-rst2html5 -v --title="$(TITLE)" $< >$@
+rst2html5.py -v --title="$(TITLE)" $< >$@
 ./edithtml.sh --rst $@
 endef
 
diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index ea74f770f..f0b17e41b 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ Use ``make`` to check that you are using correct
 and double-check the generated ``rendered/draft-*.html`` file before filing a Pull Request.
 See `here <protocol/README.rst>`__ for the project dependencies.
 
+Consider leveraging `our devcontainer.json <devcontainer.rst>`__ for ease of tool aquisition
+when working in this repo.
 
 NU7 Candidate ZIPs
 ------------------
diff --git a/README.template b/README.template
index 40c98cd9f..2c14015a3 100644
--- a/README.template
+++ b/README.template
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ Use ``make`` to check that you are using correct
 and double-check the generated ``rendered/draft-*.html`` file before filing a Pull Request.
 See `here <protocol/README.rst>`__ for the project dependencies.
 
+Consider leveraging `our devcontainer.json <devcontainer.rst>`__ for ease of tool aquisition
+when working in this repo.
 
 NU7 Candidate ZIPs
 ------------------
diff --git a/devcontainer.rst b/devcontainer.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1b363757a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devcontainer.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Using dev containers for editing this repo
+
+This repo uses devcontainer.json to ease configuring the tools necessary to run ``make``.
+You can use [Codespaces](https://docs.github.com/en/codespaces/developing-in-codespaces/developing-in-a-codespace)
+to make your contributions and validate your work.
+Or when using VS Code, use the "Dev Containers: Reopen in Container" command to create
+the docker container with the tools.
+
+## VS Code experience
+
+When using VS Code to edit .rst files, the following extensions will add a preview pane,
+and otherwise add tooling for the files you may be editing:
+
+- [Makefile Tools](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-vscode.makefile-tools)
+- [reStructuredText](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=lextudio.restructuredtext)
+- [Python](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-python.python)
+- [reStructuredText Syntax highlighting](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=trond-snekvik.simple-rst)
+- [Docker](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-azuretools.vscode-docker)
+
+Note that these extensions are not endorsed nor been vetted by the Zcash Foundation.
diff --git a/render-via-docker.sh b/render-via-docker.sh
index c0fe0947e..6022dcf14 100755
--- a/render-via-docker.sh
+++ b/render-via-docker.sh
@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@ set -efuxo pipefail
 
 TAG='zcash-zips-render'
 
-docker build -t "$TAG" .
-docker run -v "$(pwd):/zips" "$TAG"
+docker build -t "$TAG" .devcontainer
+docker run -v "$(pwd):/zips" "$TAG" -w /zips make all