diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d4d8f0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# Include files that you wouldn't want included in your container 
+
+**/.classpath
+**/.dockerignore
+**/.env
+**/.git
+**/.gitignore
+**/.vs
+**/.vscode
+**/.next
+**/.cache
+**/*.*proj.user
+**/*.dbmdl
+**/*.jfm
+**/charts
+**/docker-compose*
+**/compose*
+**/Dockerfile*
+**/node_modules
+**/npm-debug.log
+**/obj
+**/build
+**/dist
+LICENSE
+README.md
+**/public/__env.js
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 88fc387..8644b9a 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,22 +1,47 @@
-# Choose the Image which has Node installed already
-FROM node:18.17-alpine
+FROM node:18-alpine as base
+
+RUN apk add --no-cache g++ make py3-pip libc6-compat
 
-# make the 'app' folder the current working directory
 WORKDIR /app
 
-# copy both 'package.json' and 'package-lock.json' (if available)
 COPY package*.json ./
 
-# install project dependencies
+FROM base as builder
+
+WORKDIR /app
+
+COPY . .
+# Install project dependencies
 RUN npm install
+RUN npm run build
+
+FROM base as production
+
+WORKDIR /app
+
+ENV NODE_ENV=production
 
+# Install only production dependencies
+RUN npm ci --only=production
+
+# Install pm2 process manager
 RUN npm install pm2@latest -g
 
-# copy project files and folders to the current working directory 
-COPY . .
+RUN addgroup -g 1001 -S nodejs
+RUN adduser -S nextjs -u 1001
+
+USER nextjs
+
+# Copy necessary files from builder stage
+COPY --from=builder --chown=nextjs:nodejs /app/.next ./.next
+COPY --from=builder --chown=nextjs:nodejs /app/next.config.mjs ./
+COPY --from=builder /app/node_modules ./node_modules
+COPY --from=builder /app/package.json ./package.json
+COPY --from=builder /app/public ./public
+COPY --from=builder /app/.env.production ./.env
 
-# specifies that the container will listen on port 3000
 EXPOSE 3000
 
 # specifies the command to run when the Docker image is started 
-ENTRYPOINT ["./entrypoint.sh"]
\ No newline at end of file
+ENTRYPOINT ["./entrypoint.sh"]
+
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..669e4c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+SERVICE_NAME = aws-rstart-labs
+
+start-app:
+	docker-compose up
+
+tear-app: 
+	docker-compose down --rmi $(SERVICE_NAME)
+
+# Phony targets to avoid conflicts with file names
+.PHONY: start-app tear-app
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9c3e176
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+version: "3"
+services:
+  aws-rstart-labs:
+    build: .
+    ports:
+      - "3000:3000"