devcontainer docs

Signed-off-by: jokob-sk <jokob.sk@gmail.com>

docs/DEV_DEVCONTAINER.md

@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+### Devcontainer for NetAlertX Guide
+
+This devcontainer is designed to mirror the production container environment as closely as possible, while providing a rich set of tools for development.
+
+#### How to Get Started
+
+1.  **Prerequisites:**
+    * A working **Docker installation** that can be managed by your user. This can be [Docker Desktop](https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/) or Docker Engine installed via other methods (like the official [get-docker script](https://get.docker.com)).
+    * [Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/) installed.
+    * The [VS Code Dev Containers extension](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-vscode-remote.remote-containers) installed.
+
+2.  **Launch the Devcontainer:**
+    * Clone this repository.
+    * Open the repository folder in VS Code.
+    * A notification will pop up in the bottom-right corner asking to **"Reopen in Container"**. Click it.
+    * VS Code will now build the Docker image and connect your editor to the container. Your terminal, debugger, and all tools will now be running inside this isolated environment.
+
+#### Key Workflows & Features
+
+Once you're inside the container, everything is set up for you.
+
+**1. Services (Frontend & Backend)**
+![Services](./img/DEV/devcontainer_1.png)
+
+The container's startup script (`.devcontainer/scripts/setup.sh`) automatically starts the Nginx/PHP frontend and the Python backend. You can restart them at any time using the built-in tasks.
+
+**2. Integrated Debugging (Just Press F5!)**
+![Debugging](./img/DEV/devcontainer_2.png)
+
+Debugging for both the Python backend and PHP frontend is pre-configured and ready to go.
+
+* **Python Backend (debugpy):** The backend automatically starts with a debugger attached on port `5678`. Simply open a Python file (e.g., `server/__main__.py`), set a breakpoint, and press **F5** (or select "Python Backend Debug: Attach") to connect the debugger.
+* **PHP Frontend (Xdebug):** Xdebug listens on port `9003`. In VS Code, start listening for Xdebug connections and use a browser extension (like "Xdebug helper") to start a debugging session for the web UI.
+
+**3. Common Tasks (F1 -> Run Task)**
+![Common tasks](./img/DEV/devcontainer_3.png)
+
+We've created several VS Code Tasks to simplify common operations. Access them by pressing `F1` and typing "Tasks: Run Task".
+
+* `Generate Dockerfile`: **This is important.** The actual `.devcontainer/Dockerfile` is auto-generated. If you need to change the container environment, edit `.devcontainer/resources/devcontainer-Dockerfile` and then run this task.
+* `Re-Run Startup Script`: Manually re-runs the `.devcontainer/scripts/setup.sh` script to re-link files and restart services.
+* `Start Backend (Python)` / `Start Frontend (nginx and PHP-FPM)`: Manually restart the services if needed.
+
+**4. Running Tests**
+![Running tests](./img/DEV/devcontainer_4.png)
+
+The environment includes `pytest`. You can run tests directly from the VS Code Test Explorer UI or by running `pytest -q` in the integrated terminal. The necessary `PYTHONPATH` is already configured so that tests can correctly import the server modules.
+
+### How to Maintain This Devcontainer
+
+The setup is designed to be easy to manage. Here are the core principles:
+
+* **Don't Edit `Dockerfile` Directly:** The main `.devcontainer/Dockerfile` is a combination of the project's root `Dockerfile` and a special dev-only stage. To add new tools or dependencies, **edit `.devcontainer/resources/devcontainer-Dockerfile`** and then run the `Generate Dockerfile` task.
+* **Build-Time vs. Run-Time Setup:**
+    * For changes that can be baked into the image (like installing a new package with `apk add`), add them to the resource Dockerfile.
+    * For changes that must happen when the container *starts* (like creating symlinks, setting permissions, or starting services), use `.devcontainer/scripts/setup.sh`.
+* **Project Conventions:** The `.github/copilot-instructions.md` file is an excellent resource to help AI and humans understand the project's architecture, conventions, and how to use existing helper functions instead of hardcoding values.
+
+This setup provides a powerful and consistent foundation for all current and future contributors to NetAlertX.

docs/DEV_ENV_SETUP.md

@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ Examples:
 
 ## Development Environment Set Up
 
+>[!TIP]
+> There is also a ready to use [devcontainer](DEV_DEVCONTAINER.md) available.
+
 The following steps will guide you to set up your environment for local development and to run a custom docker build on your system. For most changes the container doesn't need to be rebuild which speeds up the development significantly.
 
 >[!NOTE]
@@ -94,7 +97,7 @@ Most code changes can be tested without rebuilding the container. When working o
 
 1. You can usually restart the backend via _Maintenance > Logs > Restart_ server
 
-![image](./img/DEV_ENV_SETUP/Maintenance_Logs_Restart_server.png)
+![image](./img/DEV/Maintenance_Logs_Restart_server.png)
 
 2. If above doesn't work, SSH into the container and kill & restart the main script loop