diff --git a/components/cores/uapp-java/.project-creation/config.json b/components/cores/uapp-java/.project-creation/config.json
index 04ef90e..ca003f1 100644
--- a/components/cores/uapp-java/.project-creation/config.json
+++ b/components/cores/uapp-java/.project-creation/config.json
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 {
     "files": [
         ".pre-commit-config.yaml",
-        ".project-creation/templates/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json",
         ".project-creation/templates/.vscode/launch.json"
     ]
 }
diff --git a/components/cores/uapp-java/.project-creation/test/test_integration.py b/components/cores/uapp-java/.project-creation/test/test_integration.py
index 9697cd0..f34b2bc 100644
--- a/components/cores/uapp-java/.project-creation/test/test_integration.py
+++ b/components/cores/uapp-java/.project-creation/test/test_integration.py
@@ -30,10 +30,6 @@ def is_file(path: str):
 def test_files_in_place():
     os.chdir(os.environ["VELOCITAS_APP_ROOT"])
 
-    # devcontainer
-    is_dir(".devcontainer")
-    is_file(".devcontainer/devcontainer.json")
-
     # vscode project
     is_dir(".vscode")
     is_file(".vscode/launch.json")
diff --git a/components/cores/uapp-java/.project-creation/templates/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json b/components/extensions/devcontainer-setup-java/src/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
similarity index 87%
rename from components/cores/uapp-java/.project-creation/templates/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
rename to components/extensions/devcontainer-setup-java/src/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
index deff346..a20b3a3 100644
--- a/components/cores/uapp-java/.project-creation/templates/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
+++ b/components/extensions/devcontainer-setup-java/src/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@
 		"ghcr.io/devcontainers-contrib/features/pre-commit:2": {
 			"version": "3.5.0"
 		},
-		"ghcr.io/devcontainers/features/common-utils:2.3.2": {},
+		"ghcr.io/devcontainers/features/common-utils:2.3.2": {}
 	},
 	// Use 'forwardPorts' to make a list of ports inside the container available locally.
 	// "forwardPorts": [],
-	// Use 'postCreateCommand' to run commands after the container is created.
-	"postCreateCommand": "",
+	"onCreateCommand": "bash .devcontainer/scripts/onCreateCommand.sh",
+	"postStartCommand": "bash .devcontainer/scripts/postStartCommand.sh",
 	// Configure tool-specific properties.
 	"customizations": {
 		"vscode": {
diff --git a/components/extensions/devcontainer-setup-java/src/.devcontainer/scripts/onCreateCommand.sh b/components/extensions/devcontainer-setup-java/src/.devcontainer/scripts/onCreateCommand.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..89df682
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/extensions/devcontainer-setup-java/src/.devcontainer/scripts/onCreateCommand.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Copyright (c) 2024 Contributors to the Eclipse Foundation
+#
+# This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
+# terms of the Apache License, Version 2.0 which is available at
+# https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+# exit when any command fails
+set -e
+
+# restart Docker connection if in Codespaces
+# Workaround according to https://github.com/devcontainers/features/issues/671#issuecomment-1701754897
+if [ "${CODESPACES}" = "true" ]; then
+    sudo pkill dockerd && sudo pkill containerd
+    /usr/local/share/docker-init.sh
+fi
+
+echo "#######################################################"
+echo "### Run VADF Lifecycle Management                   ###"
+echo "#######################################################"
+# needed to get rid of old leftovers
+sudo rm -rf ~/.velocitas
+velocitas init
+velocitas sync
+
+sudo chmod +x .devcontainer/scripts/*.sh
+sudo chown -R $(whoami) $HOME
+
+if [ "${CODESPACES}" = "true" ]; then
+    echo "#######################################################"
+    echo "### Setup Access to Codespaces                      ###"
+    echo "#######################################################"
+
+    # Remove the default credential helper
+    sudo sed -i -E 's/helper =.*//' /etc/gitconfig
+
+    # Add one that just uses secrets available in the Codespace
+    git config --global credential.helper '!f() { sleep 1; echo "username=${GITHUB_USER}"; echo "password=${MY_GH_TOKEN}"; }; f'
+fi
+
+git config --global --add safe.directory "*"
+
+echo "#######################################################"
+echo "### Install Dependencies                            ###"
+echo "#######################################################"
+velocitas exec build-system install
+
+echo "#######################################################"
+echo "### VADF package status                             ###"
+echo "#######################################################"
+velocitas upgrade --dry-run
+
+# Don't let container creation fail if lifecycle management fails
+echo "Done!"
diff --git a/components/extensions/devcontainer-setup-java/src/.devcontainer/scripts/postStartCommand.sh b/components/extensions/devcontainer-setup-java/src/.devcontainer/scripts/postStartCommand.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..e4474e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/extensions/devcontainer-setup-java/src/.devcontainer/scripts/postStartCommand.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Copyright (c) 2024 Contributors to the Eclipse Foundation
+#
+# This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
+# terms of the Apache License, Version 2.0 which is available at
+# https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+echo "#######################################################"
+echo "### Auto-Upgrade CLI                                ###"
+echo "#######################################################"
+
+ROOT_DIRECTORY=$( realpath "$( cd -- "$(dirname "$0")" >/dev/null 2>&1 ; pwd -P )/../.." )
+DESIRED_VERSION=$(cat $ROOT_DIRECTORY/.velocitas.json | jq .cliVersion | tr -d '"')
+
+# Get installed CLI version
+INSTALLED_VERSION=v$(velocitas --version | sed -E 's/velocitas-cli\/(\w+.\w+.\w+).*/\1/')
+
+if [ "$DESIRED_VERSION" = "$INSTALLED_VERSION" ]; then
+  echo "> Already up to date!"
+  exit 0
+else
+  echo "> Checking upgrade to $DESIRED_VERSION"
+fi
+
+AUTHORIZATION_HEADER=""
+if [ "${GITHUB_API_TOKEN}" != "" ]; then
+  AUTHORIZATION_HEADER="-H \"Authorization: Bearer ${GITHUB_API_TOKEN}\""
+fi
+
+if [ "$DESIRED_VERSION" = "latest" ]; then
+  CLI_RELEASES_URL=https://api.github.com/repos/eclipse-velocitas/cli/releases/latest
+else
+  CLI_RELEASES_URL=https://api.github.com/repos/eclipse-velocitas/cli/releases/tags/${DESIRED_VERSION}
+fi
+
+CLI_RELEASES=$(curl -s -L \
+-H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
+-H "X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2022-11-28" \
+${AUTHORIZATION_HEADER} \
+${CLI_RELEASES_URL})
+
+res=$?
+if test "$res" != "0"; then
+   echo "the curl command failed with exit code: $res"
+   exit 0
+fi
+
+DESIRED_VERSION_TAG=$(echo ${CLI_RELEASES} | jq -r .name)
+
+if [ "$DESIRED_VERSION_TAG" = "null" ] || [ "$DESIRED_VERSION_TAG" = "" ]; then
+  echo "> Can't find desired Velocitas CLI version: $DESIRED_VERSION. Skipping Auto-Upgrade."
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+if [ "$DESIRED_VERSION_TAG" != "$INSTALLED_VERSION" ]; then
+  echo "> Upgrading CLI..."
+  if [[ $(arch) == "aarch64" ]]; then
+    CLI_ASSET_NAME=velocitas-linux-arm64
+  else
+    CLI_ASSET_NAME=velocitas-linux-x64
+  fi
+  CLI_INSTALL_PATH=/usr/bin/velocitas
+  CLI_DOWNLOAD_URL="https://github.com/eclipse-velocitas/cli/releases/download/${DESIRED_VERSION_TAG}/${CLI_ASSET_NAME}"
+
+  echo "> Downloading Velocitas CLI from ${CLI_DOWNLOAD_URL}"
+  sudo curl -s -L ${CLI_DOWNLOAD_URL} -o "${CLI_INSTALL_PATH}"
+  sudo chmod +x "${CLI_INSTALL_PATH}"
+else
+  echo "> Up to date!"
+fi
+
+echo "> Using CLI: $(velocitas --version)"
diff --git a/manifest.json b/manifest.json
index 507fd59..d254ce2 100644
--- a/manifest.json
+++ b/manifest.json
@@ -32,6 +32,12 @@
             "compatibleCores": [
                 "uprotocol-core-java"
             ],
+            "files": [
+                {
+                    "src": "components/extensions/devcontainer-setup-java/src",
+                    "dst": "."
+                }
+            ],
             "mandatory": true
         }
     ]