devcontainer: add documentation

Signed-off-by: Maryam Tahhan <[email protected]>

.devcontainer/gsg/devcontainer.md

@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+# Device Containers Getting Started Guide
+
+This guide will walk you through using a [Development Container](https://containers.dev/)
+configured with all the tools needed to build and run CNDP. The Dev
+Container setup is compatible with local development in Visual Studio Code
+and with GitHub Codespaces for cloud-based workflows.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+- **VSCode**
+- **Docker**
+- **VSCode Dev Containers Extension**
+
+> **_NOTE_**: Details of the Dev Container prerequisites can be found
+[here](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/devcontainers/tutorial#_prerequisites).
+
+## Basic Workflow
+
+1. Dev Container Configurations can be found in the `.devcontainer` directory.
+   Files are set up with configuration details: the Docker image to use,
+   extensions to install, environment variables...
+   > **_NOTE_**: The Dev Container configuration provided supports both root
+   (not recommended) and non-root (recommended) users.
+2. Open project in Container: Open the project folder in VS Code or Github
+   workspaces to build and attach the development environment.
+3. Development: Work as usual, with access to tools and dependencies defined
+   in the container.
+
+The following sections will walk through Step 2 in detail.
+
+### Running in Visual Studio Code
+
+Follow these steps to launch and work with the Dev Container in Visual
+Studio Code.
+
+Open the project in Visual Studio Code. A pop up will appear asking to reopen
+in project in a Dev Container.
+![reopen-in-container](./images/reopen-in-container.png)
+
+If the pop up doesn't appear, the container can be launched by accessing the
+Visual Studio Code Command Palette and looking for the:
+`Dev Containers: Reopen in Container` option as shown below.
+
+![reopen-in-container](./images/rebuild-container.png)
+
+Visual Studio Code will relaunch inside the Dev Container.
+
+When the container is ready CNDP can be built as usual.
+
+### Running in Github Codespace
+
+Use GitHub Codespaces for cloud-based development with the same Dev Container configuration.
+
+### Running the Tutorials in the Dev Container
+
+1. Navigate to your repository and click the `< >Code` dropdown.
+2. In the Codespaces tab, click the ellipsis (...), then select `+ New with Options`:
+![codespaces-options](./images/codespaces-options.png)
+3. (If needed) Select the Branch, the Dev Container configuration, number of CPUs:
+![codespaces-config](./images/codespaces-config.png)
+4. Click the Button to `Create codespace`.
+
+When the codespace is available CNDP can be built as usual.

README.md

@@ -98,6 +98,40 @@ To run pre-commit manually
 pre-commit run --all-files
 ```
 
+### Development Container (Dev Container)
+
+This project includes a **Dev Container** specification that provides a
+consistent, isolated development environment. With this setup, you can
+develop and build CNDP as well as run its tutorials seamlessly.
+
+#### Key Benefits
+
+- **Consistency**: All developers can work with the same development
+  environment, ensuring uniform behavior across different systems.
+- **Isolation**: The container prevents potential conflicts with software
+  installed on your local machine.
+- **Portability**: Easily share the development environment with team members,
+  minimizing onboarding time and setup issues.
+
+#### How to Use the Dev Container
+
+1. **Visual Studio Code (Locally)**:
+   - Open the project in VS Code and use the *Dev Containers* extension to
+     launch the environment.
+   - Simply choose **“Reopen in Container”**, and VS Code will build and
+     attach the container for you.
+
+2. **GitHub Codespaces**:
+  If you prefer working in the cloud, the Dev Container is compatible with
+  [GitHub Codespaces](https://docs.github.com/en/codespaces/overview), allowing
+  you to develop directly in your browser with minimal local setup.
+
+#### More Information
+
+For further details, refer to the [GSG](./.devcontainer/gsg/devcontainer.md) or
+the [introduction to Dev Containers](https://docs.github.com/en/codespaces/setting-up-your-project-for-codespaces/adding-a-dev-container-configuration/introduction-to-dev-containers)
+provided by GitHub.
+
 ## CNDP notable directories
 
 The following shows a subset of the directory structure.