Features vs Dockerfile

Use devcontainer features when:

• Installing standard development tools (GitHub CLI, languages, etc.)
• The feature does what you need out of the box
• You want automatic updates with feature version bumps

Use Dockerfile when:

• Installing specific versions of tools
• Custom configuration is needed
• Combining multiple tools in optimized layers
• The feature doesn't exist or is poorly maintained

Example: Python

For Python, we use Dockerfile + uv instead of the Python feature because:

1. uv installs Python binaries instantly (vs compiling from source)
2. We get uv for dependency management
3. More control over the installation