diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..57ed54c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# Backend
+DATABASE_URL=postgres://campaign_manager:devpassword@localhost:5432/campaign_manager
+JWT_SECRET=change-me-to-a-long-random-secret
+PORT=3000
+
+# Object storage (Cloudflare R2 or any S3-compatible)
+S3_ENDPOINT=https://<accountid>.r2.cloudflarestorage.com
+S3_BUCKET=campaign-manager-assets
+S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID=
+S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=
+S3_PUBLIC_URL=https://assets.campaign-manager.example.com
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4ffae28..7cf9e55 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -31,3 +31,36 @@
 
   Verification results: ✅ symbiote build → dist/ with index.html + manifest.json ✅ web build → SvelteKit static output
   ✅ cargo check → no errors
+
+
+  Local dev workflow is now:                                                                                             
+                                                                                                                         
+  # Start Postgres                                                                                                       
+  docker compose up -d                                                                                                   
+              
+  # Copy and fill in secrets
+  cp .env.example .env
+
+  # Run backend
+  cd backend && cargo run
+
+  # Symbiote (build-watch mode — see below)
+  pnpm dev:symbiote
+
+  # Web app
+  pnpm dev:web  Local dev workflow is now:                                                                                             
+                                                                                                                         
+  # Start Postgres                                                                                                       
+  docker compose up -d                                                                                                   
+              
+  # Copy and fill in secrets
+  cp .env.example .env
+
+  # Run backend
+  cd backend && cargo run
+
+  # Symbiote (build-watch mode — see below)
+  pnpm dev:symbiote
+
+  # Web app
+  pnpm dev:web
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9dae8c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+services:
+  postgres:
+    image: postgres:18
+    restart: unless-stopped
+    environment:
+      POSTGRES_DB: campaign_manager
+      POSTGRES_USER: campaign_manager
+      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: devpassword
+    ports:
+      - "5432:5432"
+    volumes:
+      - postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
+    healthcheck:
+      test: ["CMD-SHELL", "pg_isready -U campaign_manager"]
+      interval: 5s
+      timeout: 5s
+      retries: 5
+
+volumes:
+  postgres_data: