diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 3257a3d..8dbd7d3 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ __pycache__/
 *$py.class
 
 # Azure Functions
-local.settings.json
 
 # Distribution / packaging
 .Python
diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
index 60e70c2..e06640d 100644
--- a/.vscode/settings.json
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -5,5 +5,8 @@
     "azureFunctions.projectLanguage": "Python",
     "azureFunctions.projectRuntime": "~4",
     "debug.internalConsoleOptions": "neverOpen",
-    "azureFunctions.projectLanguageModel": 2
+    "azureFunctions.projectLanguageModel": 2,
+    "githubPullRequests.ignoredPullRequestBranches": [
+        "main"
+    ]
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3d733d3..57c7fcc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ This source code supports the article [Quickstart: Create and deploy functions t
 ## Prerequisites
 
 + [Python 3.11](https://www.python.org/)
++ [Azurite](https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/storage/common/storage-use-azurite) (for local storage emulation)
 + [Azure Functions Core Tools](https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/azure-functions/functions-run-local?pivots=programming-language-python#install-the-azure-functions-core-tools)
 + [Azure Developer CLI (AZD)](https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/developer/azure-developer-cli/install-azd)
 + To use Visual Studio Code to run and debug locally:
@@ -46,24 +47,15 @@ You can initialize a project from this `azd` template in one of these ways:
 
     ```shell
     git clone https://github.com/Azure-Samples/functions-quickstart-python-http-azd.git
-    cd functions-quickstart-python-azd
+    cd functions-quickstart-python-http-azd
     ```
 
     You can also clone the repository from your own fork in GitHub.
 
-## Prepare your local environment
+## Local settings
 
-Add a file named `local.settings.json` in the root of your project with the following contents:
+The `local.settings.json` file is included in this template with default values for local development. This file is excluded from deployment by `.funcignore`.
 
-```json
-{
-    "IsEncrypted": false,
-    "Values": {
-    "AzureWebJobsStorage": "UseDevelopmentStorage=true",
-    "FUNCTIONS_WORKER_RUNTIME": "python"
-    }
-}
-```
 
 ## Create a virtual environment
 
@@ -86,7 +78,13 @@ py -m venv .venv
 
 ## Run your app from the terminal
 
-1. To start the Functions host locally, run these commands in the virtual environment:
+1. Start Azurite for local storage emulation. In a separate terminal, run:
+
+    ```shell
+    azurite
+    ```
+
+1. In your project terminal, start the Functions host:
 
     ```shell
     pip3 install -r requirements.txt
diff --git a/infra/main.bicep b/infra/main.bicep
index 9b333e5..337a436 100644
--- a/infra/main.bicep
+++ b/infra/main.bicep
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ module api './app/api.bicep' = {
     applicationInsightsName: monitoring.outputs.name
     appServicePlanId: appServicePlan.outputs.resourceId
     runtimeName: 'python'
-    runtimeVersion: '3.12'
+    runtimeVersion: '3.13'
     storageAccountName: storage.outputs.name
     enableBlob: storageEndpointConfig.enableBlob
     enableQueue: storageEndpointConfig.enableQueue
diff --git a/local.settings.json b/local.settings.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3a10b64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/local.settings.json
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+    "IsEncrypted": false,
+    "Values": {
+        "AzureWebJobsStorage": "UseDevelopmentStorage=true",
+        "FUNCTIONS_WORKER_RUNTIME": "python"
+    }
+}
diff --git a/test.http b/test.http
index 126f49e..b9b91d3 100644
--- a/test.http
+++ b/test.http
@@ -6,10 +6,10 @@ GET http://localhost:7071/api/httpget?name=World HTTP/1.1
 
 ###
 
-POST http://localhost:7071/api/httppost HTTP/1.1
+POST http://localhost:7071/api/httppost
 content-type: application/json
 
 {
     "name": "Awesome Developer",
     "age": 25
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}