diff --git a/.copier-answers.yml b/.copier-answers.yml
index a39e55844..bbf36b452 100644
--- a/.copier-answers.yml
+++ b/.copier-answers.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # Changes here will be overwritten by Copier
-_commit: v0.0.95
+_commit: v0.0.96
 _src_path: gh:LabAutomationAndScreening/copier-base-template.git
 description: A web app that is hosted within a local intranet. Nuxt frontend, python
     backend, docker-compose
diff --git a/template/.devcontainer/Dockerfile b/template/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
index 70842f4af..7812d7ec1 100644
--- a/template/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
+++ b/template/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
@@ -13,13 +13,18 @@ RUN apt-get update -y && apt-get install -y \
     && apt-get clean \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
-# Create the venv folder and set permissions for anyone to modify---this is necessary to be able to break out the venv folder as a separate docker volume for better performance on Windows hosts
+# Create the workspace folders that have docker volume (see docker-compose.yaml) and set permissions for anyone to modify
+# this is necessary to be able to break out these folders as a separate docker volume for better performance on Windows hosts
 ARG REPO_NAME=copier-base-template
-ENV VENV_PATH=/workspaces/${REPO_NAME}/.venv
+ENV VENV_PATH=/workspaces/${REPO_NAME}/backend/.venv
+ENV PNPM_STORE=/workspaces/${REPO_NAME}/.pnpm-store
+ENV FRONTEND_NODE_MODULES=/workspaces/${REPO_NAME}/frontend/node_modules
 RUN mkdir -p /workspaces && \
     mkdir -p ${VENV_PATH} && \
-    chmod -R 777 /workspaces ${VENV_PATH} && \
-    chgrp -R 0 /workspaces ${VENV_PATH}
+    mkdir -p ${PNPM_STORE} && \
+    mkdir -p ${FRONTEND_NODE_MODULES} && \
+    chmod -R 777 /workspaces ${VENV_PATH} ${PNPM_STORE} ${FRONTEND_NODE_MODULES} && \
+    chgrp -R 0 /workspaces ${VENV_PATH} ${PNPM_STORE} ${FRONTEND_NODE_MODULES}
 
 # SSH
 EXPOSE 2222
diff --git a/template/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json.jinja b/template/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json.jinja
index 8c765d18c..d2b2a7815 100644
--- a/template/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json.jinja
+++ b/template/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json.jinja
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@
   "service": "devcontainer",
   "workspaceFolder": "/workspaces/${localWorkspaceFolderBasename}",
   "features": {{% endraw %}{% if is_child_of_copier_base_template is not defined %}{% raw %}
+    "ghcr.io/devcontainers/features/git-lfs:1.2.5": {
+      // we are not using git-lfs right now, but its a transitive dep elsewhere. We want to configure auto pull to off since the feature will by default also try to install the git hook
+      // and it breaks creation of the devcontainer since pre-commit hooks are already in place. Probably a better way to fix this but until we use git-lfs we can leave it like this.
+      // https://github.com/devcontainers/features/blob/main/src/git-lfs/README.md
+      "autoPull": false
+    },
     "ghcr.io/devcontainers/features/aws-cli:1.1.2": {
       // https://github.com/devcontainers/features/blob/main/src/aws-cli/devcontainer-feature.json
       // view latest version https://raw.githubusercontent.com/aws/aws-cli/v2/CHANGELOG.rst