diff --git a/doc/developer-quickstart.md b/doc/developer-quickstart.md
index 531f25a87a..b9255e3d5b 100644
--- a/doc/developer-quickstart.md
+++ b/doc/developer-quickstart.md
@@ -4,6 +4,16 @@ The instructions below are for people interested in developing sourmash.
 They should get you up and running with a sourmash development environment
 in about 15 minutes.
 
+## Install conda (or mamba)
+
+(You don't need to do this if you already have conda and mamba installed!)
+
+Follow the
+[installation instructions](https://github.com/conda-forge/miniforge#install)
+for installing `mambaforge` (a conda distribution that uses
+[`mamba`](https://github.com/TheSnakePit/mamba) and the
+[`conda-forge`](https://conda-forge.org/) channel by default).
+
 ## Create a conda environment with basic requirements:
 
 First, install all of the necessary base packages:
diff --git a/doc/developer.md b/doc/developer.md
index 2368611e7a..850fa2c8cc 100644
--- a/doc/developer.md
+++ b/doc/developer.md
@@ -4,6 +4,14 @@
 
 # Developer information
 
+## Developer quickstart with conda
+
+You can quickly get started with a development environment using
+conda; see the
+[developer quickstart with conda](developer-quickstart.md)!
+
+Read on for more details about sourmash development!
+
 ## Development environment
 
 You can get the latest development branch with:
@@ -12,31 +20,15 @@ git clone https://github.com/sourmash-bio/sourmash.git
 ```
 sourmash runs under Python 3.8 and later.
 
-We recommend using `conda` or `Nix` for setting up an environment for developing
-new features, running tests and code quality checks.
-Here are some suggestions on how to set them up (note: you only need one =])
-
-### Using mamba (conda alternative)
-
-Follow the [installation instructions](https://github.com/conda-forge/miniforge#install) for
-installing `mambaforge` (a conda distribution that uses
-[`mamba`](https://github.com/TheSnakePit/mamba)
-and the [`conda-forge`](https://conda-forge.org/) channel by default).
+We recommend using `conda` or `Nix` for setting up an environment for
+developing new features, running tests and code quality checks.  Here
+are some suggestions on how to set them up (note: you only need one
+=])
 
-Once `mamba` is installed, run
-```
-mamba create -n sourmash_dev 'tox>=3.27,<4' tox-conda rust git compilers pandoc
-```
-to create an environment called `sourmash_dev` containing the programs needed
-for development.
-
-To activate the new environment, run
-```
-conda activate sourmash_dev
-```
-and proceed to the ["Running tests and checks"](#running-tests-and-checks) section.
+See the [developer quickstart with conda](developer-quickstart.md) for
+conda instructions!
 
-### Using Nix
+### Conda/mamba alternative: Using Nix
 
 Follow the [installation instructions](https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/#chap-installation)
 for setting up Nix in your system (Linux or macOS).
@@ -296,6 +288,7 @@ make clean
 ```{toctree}
 :maxdepth: 2
 
+developer-quickstart
 release
 requirements
 storage
diff --git a/doc/toc.md b/doc/toc.md
index 5e41325360..aba28737af 100644
--- a/doc/toc.md
+++ b/doc/toc.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ databases-advanced.md
 databases.md
 dev_plugins.md
 developer.md
+developer-quickstart.md
 faq.md
 funding.md
 index.md