diff --git a/backend/.devcontainer/Dockerfile b/backend/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d02c2349
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+FROM --platform=linux/amd64 python:3.11-slim-buster
+
+ARG IMAGE_NAME=pennlabs/mobile-backend-devcontainer
+
+# Install build dependencies
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y gcc libpq-dev libc-dev git-all vim
+
+RUN pip install pipenv
+
+ENV DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE pennmobile.settings.development
+ENV SECRET_KEY 'temporary key just to build the docker image'
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json b/backend/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..43edd90e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+{
+    "name": "Penn Mobile Backend",
+    "build": {
+        "dockerfile": "Dockerfile"
+    },
+    "runArgs": ["--platform=linux/amd64" ],
+    "features": {
+        "common": {
+            "username": "automatic",
+            "uid": "automatic",
+            "gid": "automatic",
+            "installZsh": true,
+            "installOhMyZsh": true,
+            "upgradePackages": true,
+            "nonFreePackages": false
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file