diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-package.yml b/.github/workflows/python-package.yml
index e511102..c2083db 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-package.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-package.yml
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        python-version: ["3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
+        python-version: ["3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
 
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index bbcce4d..ea6378b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ endif
 SHELL:=zsh -eu -o pipefail -o null_glob
 SELF:=$(firstword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))
 
-VE_DIR=venv
+VE_DIR:=venv
+PY_VERSION:=3.13
 
 TEST_DIRS:=tests
 DOC_TESTS:=src ./README.md
@@ -40,27 +41,23 @@ devready:
 
 #=> venv: make a Python 3 virtual environment
 ${VE_DIR}:
-	python3 --version
-	python3 -mvenv $@; \
-	source $@/bin/activate; \
-	python3 -m ensurepip --upgrade; \
-	pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
-
+	uv venv --python ${PY_VERSION} $@
+	
 #=> develop: install package in develop mode
 .PHONY: develop
 develop:
-	pip install -e ".[dev,tests]"
+	uv pip install -e ".[dev,tests]"
 	pre-commit install
 
 #=> install: install package
 .PHONY: install
 install:
-	pip install "."
+	uv pip install "."
 
 #=> build: make sdist and wheel
 .PHONY: build
 build: %:
-	python -m build
+	uv build
 
 
 ############################################################################
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 212e681..87525ea 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 [![codecov](https://codecov.io/gh/biocommons/biocommons.example/graph/badge.svg?token=CCUMQQV5R6)](https://codecov.io/gh/biocommons/biocommons.example)
 
+---
+
 This repo provides a template for biocommons Python packages.  Here's how to use it:
 
 1. Click the [Use this template](https://github.com/biocommons/example/generate)
@@ -11,28 +13,43 @@ This repo provides a template for biocommons Python packages.  Here's how to use
 1. Remove this header.
 1. Commit and push.
 
+Delete this section in your generated template.
+
+---
+
 ## Installation
 
 To install from pypi: ```pip install biocommons.example```
 
 ## Developer Setup
 
-Developers must install zsh, which is required by the Makefile. zsh is included by default in MacOS, and is readily available on all modern Linux distributions.
+### Prerequisites
 
-Setup like this:
+- [GNU make](https://www.gnu.org/software/make/): Current mechanism for consistent invocation of developer tools.
+  - Mac: [Install brew](https://brew.sh/), then [install make](https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/make)
+  - Ubuntu: `sudo apt install make`
+- [uv](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/): An extremely fast Python package and project manager, written in Rust.
+  - All platforms: See the [uv installation instructions](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/getting-started/installation/).
+- [zsh](https://www.zsh.org/): Shell used by the Makefile
+  - Mac: included by default
+  - Ubuntu: `sudo apt install zsh`
+
+### One-time developer setup
+
+Create a Python virtual environment and install dependencies:
 
     make devready
+
+### Development
+
+Activate your environment:
+
     source venv/bin/activate
 
 Code reformatting:
 
     make reformat
 
-Install pre-commit hook:
-
-    # included in `make devready`, not necessary for new installations
-    pre-commit install
-
 Test:
 
     make test   # for current environment
@@ -77,7 +94,3 @@ Try it:
 
 * Quality tools: Code linting and reformatting with Ruff
 * GitHub Actions for testing and packaging
-
-## ToDo
-
-* Add devcontainer support
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 4ccdb79..de2b403 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -3,31 +3,35 @@ name = "biocommons.example"
 authors = [
     { name = "biocommons contributors", email = "biocommons-dev@googlegroups.com" },
 ]
-description = "Example Package"
+description = "biocommons.example Package"
 readme = "README.md"
-license = { file = "LICENSE.txt" }
-requires-python = ">=3.10"
+license = "Apache-2.0"
+# license_files = [ "LICENSE.txt" ]
+# requires-python = ">=3.11"
 classifiers = [
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
+    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9",
+    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13",
-    "License :: OSI Approved :: MIT License",
     "Operating System :: OS Independent",
 ]
 dynamic = ["version"]
-dependencies = ["coloredlogs ~= 15.0", "pyyaml ~= 6.0"]
+dependencies = [
+    "coloredlogs ~= 15.0",
+    "pyyaml ~= 6.0",
+]
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
 dev = [
     "build ~= 0.8",
     "ipython ~= 8.4",
-    "pre-commit ~= 3.4",
+    "pre-commit>=3.8.0",
     "ruff == 0.4.4",
 ]
 tests = [
     "pytest-cov ~= 4.1",
-    "pytest-optional-tests",
     "pytest ~= 7.1",
     "vcrpy",
     "tox ~= 4.15",