diff --git a/.devcontainer/Dockerfile b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6b684a13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+# Use Python 3.14 with Debian Bookworm as the base image
+FROM mcr.microsoft.com/devcontainers/python:3.14-bookworm
+
+# Set environment variables
+ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
+ENV PYTHONPATH=/workspaces/mssql-python
+ENV CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug
+
+# Set timezone (configurable via build arg)
+ARG TZ=UTC
+ENV TZ=$TZ
+RUN ln -snf /usr/share/zoneinfo/$TZ /etc/localtime \
+    && echo $TZ > /etc/timezone
+
+# Install all system dependencies in one layer
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
+    # Build tools
+    build-essential \
+    cmake \
+    pkg-config \
+    ninja-build \
+    python3-dev \
+    pybind11-dev \
+    # ODBC prerequisites (unixodbc-dev provides sql.h headers for compilation)
+    unixodbc-dev \
+    gnupg \
+    software-properties-common \
+    # Utilities
+    curl \
+    wget \
+    git \
+    vim \
+    nano \
+    htop \
+    tree \
+    jq \
+    # Clean up
+    && apt-get clean \
+    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
+# Install Microsoft ODBC Driver for SQL Server
+RUN curl -fsSL https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/microsoft-prod.gpg \
+    && echo "deb [arch=arm64,amd64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/microsoft-prod.gpg] https://packages.microsoft.com/debian/12/prod bookworm main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mssql-release.list \
+    && apt-get update \
+    && ACCEPT_EULA=Y apt-get install -y msodbcsql18 \
+    && ACCEPT_EULA=Y apt-get install -y mssql-tools18 \
+    && apt-get clean \
+    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
+# Add mssql-tools to PATH
+ENV PATH="$PATH:/opt/mssql-tools18/bin"
+
+# Set the default user to vscode (created by the base image)
+USER vscode
+
+# Set the working directory
+WORKDIR /workspaces/mssql-python
+
+# Default command
+CMD ["/bin/bash"]
diff --git a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..39ae36e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+{
+  "name": "MSSQL Python Driver",
+  "build": {
+    "dockerfile": "Dockerfile",
+    "context": "."
+  },
+  "customizations": {
+    "vscode": {
+      "settings": {
+        "python.defaultInterpreterPath": "/usr/local/bin/python",
+        "python.terminal.activateEnvironment": false,
+        "editor.formatOnSave": true,
+        "[python]": {
+          "editor.defaultFormatter": "ms-python.black-formatter"
+        },
+        "cmake.configureOnOpen": false,
+        "cmake.configureOnEdit": false,
+        "cmake.automaticReconfigure": false,
+        "files.exclude": {
+          "**/__pycache__": true,
+          "**/*.pyc": true,
+          "**/.pytest_cache": true,
+          "**/build": true
+        }
+      },
+      "extensions": [
+        "ms-python.python",
+        "ms-python.vscode-pylance",
+        "ms-python.pylint",
+        "ms-python.black-formatter",
+        "ms-toolsai.jupyter",
+        "ms-vscode.cmake-tools",
+        "ms-vscode.cpptools",
+        "ms-vscode.cpptools-extension-pack",
+        "github.copilot",
+        "github.copilot-chat",
+        "ms-vscode.test-adapter-converter",
+        "littlefoxteam.vscode-python-test-adapter",
+        "ms-azuretools.vscode-docker",
+        "ms-mssql.mssql"
+      ]
+    }
+  },
+  "features": {
+    "ghcr.io/devcontainers/features/git:1": {},
+    "ghcr.io/devcontainers/features/github-cli:1": {},
+    "ghcr.io/devcontainers/features/docker-in-docker:2": {},
+    "ghcr.io/devcontainers/features/common-utils:2": {
+      "installZsh": true,
+      "configureZshAsDefaultShell": true,
+      "installOhMyZsh": true,
+      "upgradePackages": true,
+      "username": "vscode",
+      "userUid": "automatic",
+      "userGid": "automatic"
+    }
+  },
+  "forwardPorts": [1433],
+  "portsAttributes": {
+    "1433": {
+      "label": "SQL Server",
+      "onAutoForward": "notify"
+    }
+  },
+  "postCreateCommand": "bash .devcontainer/post-create.sh",
+  "remoteUser": "vscode",
+  "containerEnv": {
+    "PYTHONPATH": "/workspaces/mssql-python",
+    "CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE": "Debug"
+  },
+  "workspaceMount": "source=${localWorkspaceFolder},target=/workspaces/mssql-python,type=bind,consistency=cached",
+  "workspaceFolder": "/workspaces/mssql-python"
+}
diff --git a/.devcontainer/post-create.sh b/.devcontainer/post-create.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..63062828
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.devcontainer/post-create.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Post-create script for MSSQL Python Driver devcontainer
+set -e
+
+echo "🚀 Setting up MSSQL Python Driver development environment..."
+
+# Install Python packages from requirements.txt
+echo "📦 Installing Python packages..."
+pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
+pip install -r requirements.txt
+
+# Create symlink for 'python' command (build.sh expects it)
+echo "🔗 Creating python symlink..."
+sudo ln -sf $(which python3) /usr/local/bin/python
+
+# Set up useful shell aliases (for both bash and zsh)
+echo "⚡ Setting up aliases..."
+cat > ~/.shell_aliases << 'EOF'
+# MSSQL Python Driver development aliases
+alias build='cd /workspaces/mssql-python/mssql_python/pybind && ./build.sh && cd /workspaces/mssql-python'
+alias test='python -m pytest -v'
+EOF
+
+# Ensure aliases are sourced in both shells
+grep -qxF 'source ~/.shell_aliases' ~/.bashrc 2>/dev/null || echo 'source ~/.shell_aliases' >> ~/.bashrc
+grep -qxF 'source ~/.shell_aliases' ~/.zshrc 2>/dev/null || echo 'source ~/.shell_aliases' >> ~/.zshrc
+
+# Verify environment
+echo ""
+echo "🔍 Verifying environment..."
+python --version
+pip --version
+cmake --version
+if command -v sqlcmd &> /dev/null; then
+    echo "✅ sqlcmd available"
+else
+    echo "❌ sqlcmd not found"
+fi
+
+# Build the C++ extension
+echo ""
+echo "🔨 Building C++ extension..."
+if cd mssql_python/pybind && ./build.sh && cd ../..; then
+    echo "✅ C++ extension built successfully"
+else
+    echo "❌ C++ extension build failed!"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Generate random password for SQL Server
+echo ""
+echo "Generating SQL Server password..."
+SA_PASSWORD="$(openssl rand -base64 16 | tr -dc 'A-Za-z0-9' | head -c 16)Aa1!"
+echo "$SA_PASSWORD" > /tmp/.sqlserver_sa_password
+chmod 600 /tmp/.sqlserver_sa_password
+
+# Start SQL Server container (use Azure SQL Edge for ARM64 compatibility)
+# This is optional - if Docker-in-Docker fails, the devcontainer still works
+echo ""
+echo "Starting SQL Server container (optional)..."
+
+ARCH=$(uname -m)
+if [[ "$ARCH" == "aarch64" || "$ARCH" == "arm64" ]]; then
+    echo "Detected ARM64 - using Azure SQL Edge..."
+    docker run -e 'ACCEPT_EULA=Y' -e "MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD=$SA_PASSWORD" \
+        -p 1433:1433 --name sqlserver \
+        -d mcr.microsoft.com/azure-sql-edge:latest && SQL_STARTED=true || SQL_STARTED=false
+else
+    echo "Detected x86_64 - using SQL Server 2025..."
+    docker run -e 'ACCEPT_EULA=Y' -e "MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD=$SA_PASSWORD" \
+        -p 1433:1433 --name sqlserver \
+        -d mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server:2025-latest && SQL_STARTED=true || SQL_STARTED=false
+fi
+
+if [ "$SQL_STARTED" = "true" ]; then
+    echo "Waiting for SQL Server to start..."
+    sleep 15
+else
+    echo "WARNING: SQL Server container failed to start (Docker issue)"
+    echo "  You can start it manually later with:"
+    echo "  docker run -e 'ACCEPT_EULA=Y' -e 'MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD=YourPassword123!' -p 1433:1433 --name sqlserver -d mcr.microsoft.com/azure-sql-edge:latest"
+fi
+
+# Set DB_CONNECTION_STRING environment variable (persist across all terminals)
+DB_CONNECTION_STRING="Server=localhost,1433;Database=master;UID=sa;PWD=$SA_PASSWORD;TrustServerCertificate=Yes;Encrypt=Yes"
+
+# Write to /etc/environment for system-wide persistence
+echo "DB_CONNECTION_STRING=\"$DB_CONNECTION_STRING\"" | sudo tee -a /etc/environment > /dev/null
+
+# Also add to shell rc files for immediate availability in new terminals
+echo "export DB_CONNECTION_STRING=\"$DB_CONNECTION_STRING\"" >> ~/.bashrc
+echo "export DB_CONNECTION_STRING=\"$DB_CONNECTION_STRING\"" >> ~/.zshrc
+
+# Export for current session
+export DB_CONNECTION_STRING
+
+# Display completion message and next steps
+echo ""
+echo "=============================================="
+echo "🎉 Dev environment setup complete!"
+echo "=============================================="
+echo ""
+echo "📦 What's ready:"
+echo "  ✅ C++ extension built"
+echo "  ✅ SQL Server running (localhost:1433)"
+echo "  ✅ DB_CONNECTION_STRING set in environment"
+echo ""
+echo "🚀 Quick start - just type these commands:"
+echo "  python main.py  → Test the connection"
+echo "  test            → Run all pytest tests"
+echo "  build           → Rebuild C++ extension"
+echo ""
+echo "=============================================="
+echo ""
diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8c2fe614
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+# Git
+.git
+.gitignore
+.gitattributes
+
+# Python
+__pycache__
+*.pyc
+*.pyo
+*.pyd
+.Python
+env
+pip-log.txt
+pip-delete-this-directory.txt
+.tox
+.coverage
+.coverage.*
+.cache
+nosetests.xml
+coverage.xml
+*.cover
+*.log
+.mypy_cache
+.pytest_cache
+.hypothesis
+
+# Distribution / packaging
+build/
+develop-eggs/
+dist/
+downloads/
+eggs/
+.eggs/
+lib/
+lib64/
+parts/
+sdist/
+var/
+wheels/
+*.egg-info/
+.installed.cfg
+*.egg
+
+# PyInstaller
+*.manifest
+*.spec
+
+# Installer logs
+pip-log.txt
+
+# Unit test / coverage reports
+htmlcov/
+.coverage
+.coverage.*
+nosetests.xml
+coverage.xml
+*.cover
+.hypothesis/
+
+# Translations
+*.mo
+*.pot
+
+# Documentation
+docs/_build/
+
+# PyBuilder
+target/
+
+# IDEs
+.vscode/
+.idea/
+*.swp
+*.swo
+*~
+
+# OS
+.DS_Store
+.DS_Store?
+._*
+.Spotlight-V100
+.Trashes
+ehthumbs.db
+Thumbs.db
+
+# Temporary files
+*.tmp
+*.temp
+*.log
+
+# Node.js (if any)
+node_modules/
+npm-debug.log*
+
+# CMake
+CMakeCache.txt
+CMakeFiles/
+cmake_install.cmake
+Makefile
+*.cmake
+
+# Build artifacts
+*.so
+*.dll
+*.dylib
+*.pdb
+*.obj
+*.exe
+
+# Test results
+test-results/
+.pytest_cache/
+
+# Azure DevOps
+.azure/