diff --git a/.devcontainer-scripts/postcreate.sh b/.devcontainer-scripts/postcreate.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3f903509
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.devcontainer-scripts/postcreate.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+cd /workspace
+
+# Get the files into the volume without a bind mount
+if [ ! -d ".git" ]; then
+    git clone https://github.com/mudler/LocalAI.git .
+else
+    git fetch
+fi
+
+echo "Standard Post-Create script completed."
+
+if [ -f "/devcontainer-customization/postcreate.sh" ]; then
+    echo "Launching customization postcreate.sh"
+    bash "/devcontainer-customization/postcreate.sh"
+fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.devcontainer-scripts/poststart.sh b/.devcontainer-scripts/poststart.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..196e821d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.devcontainer-scripts/poststart.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+cd /workspace
+
+# Grab the pre-stashed backend assets to avoid build issues
+cp -r /build/backend-assets /workspace/backend-assets
+
+# Ensures generated source files are present upon load
+make prepare
+
+echo "Standard Post-Start script completed."
+
+if [ -f "/devcontainer-customization/poststart.sh" ]; then
+    echo "Launching customization poststart.sh"
+    bash "/devcontainer-customization/poststart.sh"
+fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.devcontainer/customization/README.md b/.devcontainer/customization/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3e2a3778
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.devcontainer/customization/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+Place any additional resources your environment requires in this directory
+
+Script hooks are currently called for:
+`postcreate.sh` and `poststart.sh`
+
+If files with those names exist here, they will be called at the end of the normal script.
+
+This is a good place to set things like `git config --global user.name` are set - and to handle any other files that are mounted via this directory.
+
+An example of a useful script might be:
+
+```
+#!/bin/bash
+gcn=$(git config --global user.name)
+if [ -z "$gcn" ]; then
+    git config --global user.name YOUR.NAME
+    git config --global user.email YOUR.EMAIL
+    git remote add PREFIX FORK_URL
+fi
+```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
index 3ab37a2b..37c81ffc 100644
--- a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
+++ b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
@@ -19,6 +19,6 @@
         }
     },
     "forwardPorts": [8080, 3000],
-    "postCreateCommand": "git clone https://github.com/mudler/LocalAI.git .",
-    "postStartCommand": "make prepare && cp -r /build/backend-assets /workspace/backend-assets"
+    "postCreateCommand": "bash /.devcontainer-scripts/postcreate.sh",
+    "postStartCommand": "bash /.devcontainer-scripts/poststart.sh"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.devcontainer/docker-compose-devcontainer.yml b/.devcontainer/docker-compose-devcontainer.yml
index f7de406e..8795d64d 100644
--- a/.devcontainer/docker-compose-devcontainer.yml
+++ b/.devcontainer/docker-compose-devcontainer.yml
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ services:
       - 8080:8080
     volumes:
       - localai_workspace:/workspace
+      - ../models:/host-models
+      - ./customization:/devcontainer-customization
     command: /bin/sh -c "while sleep 1000; do :; done"
     cap_add:
       - SYS_PTRACE
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 096689c5..65eb9257 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -54,3 +54,6 @@ docs/static/gallery.html
 
 # backend virtual environments
 **/venv
+
+# per-developer customization files for the development container
+.devcontainer/customization/*
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 3c0fbc7a..e38675c3 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -260,9 +260,9 @@ EOT
 ###################################
 ###################################
 
-# The builder target compiles LocalAI. This target is not the target that will be uploaded to the registry.
-# Adjustments to the build process should likely be made here.
-FROM builder-base AS builder
+# This first portion of builder holds the layers specifically used to build backend-assets/grpc/stablediffusion
+# In most cases, builder is the image you should be using - however, this can save build time if one just needs to copy backend-assets/grpc/stablediffusion and nothing else.
+FROM builder-base AS builder-sd
 
 COPY . .
 COPY .git .
@@ -273,6 +273,13 @@ RUN make prepare
 # stablediffusion does not tolerate a newer version of abseil, build it first
 RUN GRPC_BACKENDS=backend-assets/grpc/stablediffusion make build
 
+###################################
+###################################
+
+# The builder target compiles LocalAI. This target is not the target that will be uploaded to the registry.
+# Adjustments to the build process should likely be made here.
+FROM builder-sd AS builder
+
 # Install the pre-built GRPC
 COPY --from=grpc /opt/grpc /usr/local
 
@@ -299,9 +306,9 @@ ARG FFMPEG
 
 COPY --from=grpc /opt/grpc /usr/local
 
-# This is somewhat of a dirty hack as this dev machine has issues with stablediffusion... but it should also speed up devcontainers?
-# localai/localai:latest-aio-cpu
-COPY --from=builder /build/backend-assets/grpc/stablediffusion /build/backend-assets/grpc/stablediffusion
+COPY --from=builder-sd /build/backend-assets/grpc/stablediffusion /build/backend-assets/grpc/stablediffusion
+
+COPY .devcontainer-scripts /.devcontainer-scripts
 
 # Add FFmpeg
 RUN if [ "${FFMPEG}" = "true" ]; then \
@@ -312,8 +319,16 @@ RUN if [ "${FFMPEG}" = "true" ]; then \
         rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/* \
     ; fi
 
+RUN apt-get update && \
+    apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
+        ssh less && \
+    apt-get clean && \
+    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
 RUN go install github.com/go-delve/delve/cmd/dlv@latest
 
+RUN go install github.com/mikefarah/yq/v4@latest
+
 ###################################
 ###################################
 
@@ -367,7 +382,7 @@ COPY --from=builder /build/local-ai ./
 COPY --from=builder /build/sources/go-piper/piper-phonemize/pi/lib/* /usr/lib/
 
 # do not let stablediffusion rebuild (requires an older version of absl)
-COPY --from=builder /build/backend-assets/grpc/stablediffusion ./backend-assets/grpc/stablediffusion
+COPY --from=builder-sd /build/backend-assets/grpc/stablediffusion ./backend-assets/grpc/stablediffusion
 
 # Change the shell to bash so we can use [[ tests below
 SHELL ["/bin/bash", "-c"]