diff --git a/.github/workflows/pythonpackage.yml b/.github/workflows/pythonpackage.yml
index 99c38d39..e662397e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pythonpackage.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pythonpackage.yml
@@ -19,23 +19,31 @@ jobs:
       uses: actions/setup-python@v1.1.1
       with:
         python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-    - name: Install dependencies
+    - name: Install Mac dependencies
+      if: startsWith(matrix.os, 'mac')
+      run: |
+        brew update && brew install gmp boost openssl
+    - name: Install ubuntu dependencies
+      if: startsWith(matrix.os, 'ubuntu')
+      run: |
+        sudo apt-get install libboost-all-dev libssl-dev
+    - name: Run install script
+      env:
+        INSTALL_PYTHON_VERSION: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
       run: |
-        brew update && brew install gmp boost openssl || echo ""
-        sudo apt-get install libboost-all-dev || echo ""
-        sudo apt-get install libssl-dev || echo ""
         sh install.sh
+    - name: Install time lord
+      run: |
+        sh install-timelord.sh
+    - name: Install developer requirements
+      run: |
+        venv/bin/python -m pip install -r requirements-dev.txt
     - name: Lint source with flake8
       run: |
         ./venv/bin/flake8 src --exclude src/electron-ui/node_modules
     - name: Lint source with mypy
       run: |
         ./venv/bin/mypy src tests
-    - name: Install chiavdf from source
-      if: matrix['python-version'] == '3.7' && startsWith(matrix.os, 'ubuntu')
-      run: |
-        source venv/bin/activate
-        pip install --force --no-binary chiavdf chiavdf==0.12.1
     - name: Test blockchain code with pytest
       run: |
         ./venv/bin/py.test tests -s -v
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index d330cb47..253c27bd 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ The first time the tests are run, BlockTools will create and persist many plots.
 proofs of space during testing. The next time tests are run, this won't be necessary.
 
 ```bash
+pip install -r requirements-dev.txt   # you only need to do this once
 black src tests && flake8 src --exclude src/wallet/electron/node_modules  && mypy src tests
 py.test tests -s -v
 ```
diff --git a/INSTALL.md b/INSTALL.md
index ffd7ed58..f85671b9 100644
--- a/INSTALL.md
+++ b/INSTALL.md
@@ -18,19 +18,24 @@ sh install.sh
 
 ### Debian/Ubuntu
 
-On Ubuntu 18.04, you need python 3.7.
+On Ubuntu 18.04, you need python 3.7. It's not available in the default
+repository, so you need to add an alternate source.
 
 ```bash
-sudo add-apt-repository ppa:deadsnakes/ppa
-sudo apt install python3.7-venv python3.7-dev
+sudo -s
+apt install software-properties-common -y  # for add-apt-repository
+add-apt-repository ppa:deadsnakes/ppa -y
+exit
 ```
 
 Install dependencies.
 
 ```bash
-sudo apt-get update
-sudo apt-get install build-essential git cmake libgmp3-dev python3-dev -y
-sudo apt-get install python3-venv libssl-dev libboost-all-dev -y
+sudo -s
+apt-get update
+apt-get install python3.7-venv python3.7-dev -y  # install python3.7 with venv and headers
+apt-get install build-essential git cmake libgmp3-dev libssl-dev libboost-all-dev -y
+exit
 
 git clone https://github.com/Chia-Network/chia-blockchain.git
 cd chia-blockchain
diff --git a/install-timelord.sh b/install-timelord.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8af45e4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/install-timelord.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+
+THE_PATH=`python -c 'import pkg_resources; print( pkg_resources.get_distribution("chiavdf").location)' 2> /dev/null`/vdf_client
+
+if [ -e $THE_PATH ]
+then
+  echo "vdf_client already exists, no action taken"
+else
+  if [ -e venv/bin/python ]
+  then
+    echo "installing chiavdf from source"
+    echo venv/bin/python -m pip install --force --no-binary chiavdf chiavdf==0.12.1
+    venv/bin/python -m pip install --force --no-binary chiavdf chiavdf==0.12.1
+  else
+    echo "no venv created yet, please run install.sh"
+  fi
+fi
diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 5afc5c50..bba0ed90 100644
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/bin/bash
 set -e
 
 if [ `uname` = "Linux" ] && type apt-get; then
@@ -6,12 +5,16 @@ if [ `uname` = "Linux" ] && type apt-get; then
     sudo apt-get install -y libgmp3-dev libboost-dev libboost-system-dev npm python3-dev cmake
 fi
 
-python3 -m venv venv
+# this fancy syntax sets INSTALL_PYTHON_PATH to "python3.7" unless INSTALL_PYTHON_VERSION is defined
+# if INSTALL_PYTHON_VERSION=3.8, then INSTALL_PYTHON_PATH becomes python3.8
+
+INSTALL_PYTHON_PATH=python${INSTALL_PYTHON_VERSION:-3.7}
+
+$INSTALL_PYTHON_PATH -m venv venv
 ln -s venv/bin/activate
 . ./activate
 # pip 20.x+ supports Linux binary wheels
 pip install --upgrade pip
-pip install wheel
 pip install -e .
 pip install -r requirements.txt
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5e59761b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+[build-system]
+requires = ["setuptools>=42", "wheel", "setuptools_scm[toml]>=3.5.0"]
+build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
+
+[tool.setuptools_scm]
+local_scheme = "no-local-version"
diff --git a/requirements-dev.txt b/requirements-dev.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fdd3f576
--- /dev/null
+++ b/requirements-dev.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+Click==7.0
+PyYAML==5.3
+appdirs==1.4.3
+autoflake==1.3.1
+black==19.10b0
+cbor2==5.0.1
+cffi==1.13.2
+cryptography==2.8
+entrypoints==0.3
+flake8==3.7.9
+idna==2.8
+importlib-metadata==1.4.0
+isort==4.3.21
+mccabe==0.6.1
+more-itertools==8.1.0
+multidict==4.7.4
+mypy-extensions==0.4.3
+mypy==0.761
+packaging==20.0
+pathspec==0.7.0
+pluggy==0.13.1
+py==1.8.1
+pycodestyle==2.5.0
+pycparser==2.19
+pyflakes==2.1.1
+pyparsing==2.4.6
+pytest-asyncio==0.10.0
+pytest==5.3.4
+regex==2020.1.8
+setuptools-scm==3.4.2
+six==1.14.0
+toml==0.10.0
+typed-ast==1.4.1
+typing-extensions==3.7.4.1
+wcwidth==0.1.8
+websockets==8.1.0
+zipp==2.0.0
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 8b1d091d..736ec0ad 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,54 +1,3 @@
-aiohttp==3.6.2
-aiosqlite==0.11.0
-aiter==0.13.20191203
-appdirs==1.4.3
-async-timeout==3.0.1
-attrs==19.3.0
-autoflake==1.3.1
-black==19.10b0
-blspy==0.1.14
-cbor2==5.0.1
-cffi==1.13.2
-chardet==3.0.4
-chiabip158==0.12
-chiapos==0.12
-chiavdf==0.12.1
-Click==7.0
-colorlog==4.1.0
-cryptography==2.8
-entrypoints==0.3
-flake8==3.7.9
-idna==2.8
-importlib-metadata==1.4.0
-isort==4.3.21
-mccabe==0.6.1
-miniupnpc==2.0.2
-more-itertools==8.1.0
-multidict==4.7.4
-mypy==0.761
-mypy-extensions==0.4.3
-packaging==20.0
-pathspec==0.7.0
-pluggy==0.13.1
-py==1.8.1
-pycodestyle==2.5.0
-pycparser==2.19
-pyflakes==2.1.1
-pyparsing==2.4.6
-pytest==5.3.4
-pytest-asyncio==0.10.0
-PyYAML==5.3
-regex==2020.1.8
-setuptools-scm==3.4.2
-six==1.14.0
-toml==0.10.0
-typed-ast==1.4.1
-typing-extensions==3.7.4.1
-wcwidth==0.1.8
-yarl==1.4.2
-zipp==2.0.0
-sortedcontainers==2.1.0
-websockets==8.1.0
 -e git+https://github.com/Chia-Network/py-setproctitle.git@d2ed86c5080bb645d8f6b782a4a86706c860d9e6#egg=py-setproctitle
 -e git+https://github.com/Chia-Network/clvm.git@b912f3a0e0bd18a5ecbb29124a00fc68d8b03adb#egg=clvm
 -e git+https://github.com/Chia-Network/clvm_tools.git@6ff53bcfeb0c970647b6cfdde360d32b316b1326#egg=clvm_tools
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 4f1fc8d0..67ac4378 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ dependencies = [
     "chiavdf",  # timelord and vdf verification
     "chiabip158",  # bip158-style wallet filters
     "chiapos",  # proof of space
+    "sortedcontainers",
 ]
 dev_dependencies = [
     "pytest",