diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index b1bd10d3..db6a7766 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -59,16 +59,28 @@ updating the code if necessary.
 
 Setting up the development environment:
  * Install Python 3.10+
- * Install the requirements
+ * Install the requirements (needs pip 25.1+)
    ```bash
-   $ python3 -m pip install -U pip
-   $ python3 -m pip install -Ur requirements-dev.txt
+   # recommended to use a virtual environment
+   $ python3 -m venv .venv
+   $ source .venv/bin/activate
+   # make sure pip is up to date
+   $ pip install -U pip
+   # install all development dependencies and driver
+   $ pip install -U --group dev -e .
    ```
  * Install the pre-commit hook, that will do some code-format-checking everytime
    you commit.
    ```bash
    $ pre-commit install
    ```
+ * If you need to commit, skipping the pre-commit hook, you can use the `--no-verify`
+   option with `git commit`:
+   ```bash
+   $ git commit --no-verify
+   ```
+   However, the checks will still be run in CI on every pull request. So this can only be
+   used for quick local commits. Make sure all check pass before opening a pull request.
 
 
 ## Got an idea for a new project?
diff --git a/benchkit/Dockerfile b/benchkit/Dockerfile
index e425b66e..87eed099 100644
--- a/benchkit/Dockerfile
+++ b/benchkit/Dockerfile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-FROM python:3.12
+FROM python:3.13
 
 WORKDIR /driver
 
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ COPY . /driver
 
 # Install dependencies
 RUN pip install -U pip && \
-    pip install -Ur requirements-dev.txt
+    pip install --group benchkit && \
+    pip install .
 
 ENTRYPOINT ["python", "-m", "benchkit"]
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index fd287b48..491b0c5b 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -68,6 +68,87 @@ requires = [
 ]
 build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
+[dependency-groups]
+# To install all development dependencies as well as the driver with all optional dependencies,
+# run `pip install --group dev`
+dev = [
+    # dev tools
+    {include-group = "dep-project-dependencies"},
+    {include-group = "tox"},
+    {include-group = "precommit"},
+    {include-group = "unasync"},
+    {include-group = "test"},
+    {include-group = "typing"},
+    {include-group = "docs"},
+    {include-group = "testkit"},
+    {include-group = "benchkit"},
+    {include-group = "packaging"},
+    {include-group = "release"},
+]
+# tool for runnig test matrix
+tox = ["tox >= 4.25.0"]
+# run pre-commit hooks (includes linting, formatting, type checking, ...)
+precommit = [
+    "pre-commit >= 4.2.0",
+    # runs unasync and type checker outside pre-commit's isolation
+    {include-group = "unasync"},
+    {include-group = "typing"},
+]
+# auto-generate sync driver from async code
+unasync = [
+    "unasync == 0.5.0",
+    "isort >= 6.0.1",
+]
+# dependencies for running tests
+test = [
+    "coverage[toml] >= 7.8.0",
+    {include-group = "dep-freezegun"},
+    "mock >= 5.2.0",
+    "pytest >= 8.3.5",
+    "pytest-asyncio >= 0.26.0",
+    "pytest-benchmark >= 5.1.0",
+    "pytest-cov >= 6.1.1",
+    "pytest-mock >= 3.14.0",
+]
+# type checker and type stubs for static type checking
+typing = [
+    "mypy >= 1.15.0",
+    "typing-extensions >= 4.13.2",
+    "types-pytz >= 2025.2.0.20250326",
+    {include-group = "dep-project-dependencies"},
+    # tests are also type-checked
+    {include-group = "test"},
+    # testkit backend is also type-checked
+    {include-group = "testkit"},
+    # benchkit backend is also type-checked
+    {include-group = "benchkit"},
+]
+# generate documentation
+docs = ["Sphinx >= 8.1.3"]
+# running the testkit backend
+testkit = [
+    {include-group = "dep-freezegun"},
+]
+# running the benchkit backend for benchmarking
+benchkit = ["sanic >= 25.3.0"]
+# building and packaging the driver
+packaging = [
+    "build >= 1.2.2",
+]
+# releasing the packaged driver to PyPI
+release = [
+    "twine >= 6.1.0",
+]
+
+# single dependencies and other include-groups (not really meant to be installed as a group, but to avoid duplication)
+dep-freezegun = ["freezegun >= 1.5.1"]
+dep-project-dependencies = [
+    "pytz",
+    "numpy >= 1.7.0, < 3.0.0",
+    "pandas >= 1.1.0, < 3.0.0",
+    "pyarrow >= 1.0.0",
+]
+
 [tool.setuptools.dynamic]
 version = {attr = "neo4j._meta.version"}
 
diff --git a/requirements-dev.txt b/requirements-dev.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 03cf6c4f..00000000
--- a/requirements-dev.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-# the driver itself
--e .[pandas,numpy,pyarrow]
-
-# needed for packaging
-build>=1.2.2
-
-# auto-generate sync driver from async code
-unasync==0.5.0
-# pre-commit hooks and tools
-pre-commit>=4.2.0
-isort>=6.0.1
-mypy>=1.15.0
-typing-extensions>=4.13.2
-types-pytz>=2025.2.0.20250326
-ruff>=0.11.6
-
-# needed for running tests
-coverage[toml]>=7.8.0
-freezegun>=1.5.1
-mock>=5.2.0
-pytest>=8.3.5
-pytest-asyncio>=0.26.0
-pytest-benchmark>=5.1.0
-pytest-cov>=6.1.1
-pytest-mock>=3.14.0
-tox>=4.25.0
-
-# needed for building docs
-Sphinx>=8.1.3
-
-# needed for BenchKit
-sanic>=25.3.0
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index af44f198..00000000
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-pytz
diff --git a/testkit/Dockerfile b/testkit/Dockerfile
index 56fc59be..44aba2ed 100644
--- a/testkit/Dockerfile
+++ b/testkit/Dockerfile
@@ -54,6 +54,5 @@ RUN pyenv global $(pyenv versions --bare --skip-aliases | sort --version-sort --
 # + tox and tools for starting the tests
 # https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable/news/
 RUN for version in $PYTHON_VERSIONS; do \
-        python$version -m pip install -U pip && \
-        python$version -m pip install -U coverage tox; \
+        python$version -m pip install -U pip; \
     done
diff --git a/testkit/build.py b/testkit/build.py
index e56edaa7..07c20137 100644
--- a/testkit/build.py
+++ b/testkit/build.py
@@ -21,11 +21,11 @@
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     run_python(
-        ["-m", "pip", "install", "-U", "pip", "build"],
+        ["-m", "pip", "install", "--group", "packaging"],
         warning_as_error=False,
     )
     run_python(["-m", "build", "."], warning_as_error=True)
     run_python(
-        ["-m", "pip", "install", "-Ur", "requirements-dev.txt"],
+        ["-m", "pip", "install", "--group", "testkit", "-e", "."],
         warning_as_error=False,
     )
diff --git a/testkit/integration.py b/testkit/integration.py
index 2e1977d1..22c6136a 100644
--- a/testkit/integration.py
+++ b/testkit/integration.py
@@ -18,4 +18,8 @@
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
+    run_python(
+        ["-m", "pip", "install", "--group", "tox"],
+        warning_as_error=False,
+    )
     run_python(["-m", "tox", "-vv", "-f", "integration"])
diff --git a/testkit/unittests.py b/testkit/unittests.py
index 12f12a7a..67578280 100644
--- a/testkit/unittests.py
+++ b/testkit/unittests.py
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
+    run_python(
+        ["-m", "pip", "install", "--group", "tox"],
+        warning_as_error=False,
+    )
     run_python(
         [
             "-m",
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index f00edc9a..f31fae52 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -3,7 +3,12 @@ envlist = py{310,311,312,313}-{unit,integration,performance}
 
 [testenv]
 passenv = TEST_*
-deps = -r requirements-dev.txt
+dependency_groups =
+    test
+extras =
+    numpy
+    pandas
+    pyarrow
 setenv =
     COVERAGE_FILE={envdir}/.coverage
     TEST_SUITE_NAME={envname}