diff --git a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dc2d0fc9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+// For format details, see https://aka.ms/devcontainer.json. For config options, see the README at:
+// https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-dev-containers/tree/v0.245.2/containers/go
+{
+	"name": "flyteidl",
+	"dockerComposeFile": "../docker-compose.devcontainer.yml",
+	"service": "devcontainer",
+
+	"workspaceFolder": "/usr/src/flyteidl",
+
+	// Configure tool-specific properties.
+	"customizations": {
+		// Configure properties specific to VS Code.
+		"vscode": {
+			// Set *default* container specific settings.json values on container create.
+			"settings": { 
+				"go.toolsManagement.checkForUpdates": "local",
+				"go.useLanguageServer": true,
+				"go.gopath": "/go"
+			},
+			
+			// Add the IDs of extensions you want installed when the container is created.
+			"extensions": [
+				"golang.Go"
+			]
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a1be04d74..f17d9de2e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -13,13 +13,15 @@ This is one of the core repositories of Flyte. It contains the Specification of
 
 ## Tooling for Flyteidl
 
-1. Run ``make download_tooling`` to install generator dependencies.
+1. Ensure Docker is installed locally.
+
+2. If using Visual Studio Code, open the project in dev container. If not, run `docker-compose up` to start a dev container, and `docker-compose exec devcontainer bash` to SSH into it.
 
 ```bash
-   make download_tooling
+   docker-compose up -d
+   docker-compose exec devcontainer bash
 ```
 
-2. Ensure Docker is installed locally.
 3. Run ``make generate`` to generate all the code, mock client, and docs for FlyteAdmin Service.
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/devcontainer.Dockerfile b/devcontainer.Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0ca83b442
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devcontainer.Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+FROM golang:1.18.5
+
+WORKDIR /usr/src/flyteidl
+
+COPY Makefile ./
+COPY boilerplate ./boilerplate
+COPY go.mod ./
+COPY go.sum ./
+
+# install tools and dependencies
+RUN make update_boilerplate install
diff --git a/docker-compose.devcontainer.yml b/docker-compose.devcontainer.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..27bfe12d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.devcontainer.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+version: '3.8'
+
+services:
+  devcontainer:
+    build:
+      context: .
+      dockerfile: devcontainer.Dockerfile
+    volumes:
+      - ./:/usr/src/flyteidl:cached
+
+    # Required for debugging
+    cap_add:
+      - SYS_PTRACE
+    security_opt:
+      - seccomp:unconfined
+
+    # Overrides default command so things don't shut down after the process ends.
+    command: /bin/sh -c "while sleep 1000; do :; done"