diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 54e6a0b..cea32de 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ endif
 # Override with: CONTAINER_RUNTIME=podman make rebuild-app
 CONTAINER_RUNTIME ?= $(shell command -v docker 2>/dev/null || command -v podman 2>/dev/null)
 
+# Dev compose stack: base prod file merged with the dev override (local build + tests).
+# Prod deploy does NOT use this — it runs plain `docker compose` against the base file only.
+COMPOSE := $(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.dev.yml
+
 # Default target
 help:
 	@echo "Available targets:"
@@ -48,9 +52,9 @@ test:
 # Run integration tests in containers (matches production environment)
 test-integration:
 	@echo "Building test containers..."
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose --profile tests build
+	$(COMPOSE) --profile tests build
 	@echo "Starting application containers..."
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose up -d db app
+	$(COMPOSE) up -d db app
 	@echo "Waiting for services to be healthy..."
 	@until $(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) exec bookhoard_db pg_isready -U postgres > /dev/null 2>&1; do \
 		echo "  Database not ready yet..."; \
@@ -64,7 +68,7 @@ test-integration:
 	echo "  ✓ Application is ready"
 	@echo ""
 	@echo "Running integration tests in container..."
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose --profile tests run --rm tests
+	$(COMPOSE) --profile tests run --rm tests
 	@echo ""
 	@echo "✅ Integration tests completed!"
 	@echo "📝 Containers are still running. Use 'make logs' to view logs or 'make clean' to stop."
@@ -75,67 +79,67 @@ test-all: test test-integration
 # Rebuild app container only (preserve DB, with cache)
 rebuild-app:
 	@echo "Rebuilding app container (database stays running)..."
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose up --build --force-recreate -d app
+	$(COMPOSE) up --build --force-recreate -d app
 	@echo "✓ App container rebuilt and restarted"
 
 # Rebuild app container only (preserve DB, no cache)
 rebuild-app-force:
 	@echo "Force rebuilding app container (database stays running, no cache)..."
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose build --no-cache app
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose up --force-recreate -d app
+	$(COMPOSE) build --no-cache app
+	$(COMPOSE) up --force-recreate -d app
 	@echo "✓ App container rebuilt and restarted"
 
 # Rebuild all containers (preserve DB, with cache)
 rebuild:
 	@echo "Rebuilding all containers (database preserved)..."
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose up --build --force-recreate -d
+	$(COMPOSE) up --build --force-recreate -d
 	@echo "✓ All containers rebuilt and restarted"
 
 # Rebuild all containers (preserve DB, no cache)
 rebuild-force:
 	@echo "Force rebuilding all containers (database preserved, no cache)..."
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose build --no-cache
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose up --force-recreate -d
+	$(COMPOSE) build --no-cache
+	$(COMPOSE) up --force-recreate -d
 	@echo "✓ All containers rebuilt and restarted"
 
 # Rebuild all containers (remove DB, no cache)
 rebuild-force-db:
 	@echo "Force rebuilding all containers (database will be DELETED, no cache)..."
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose down -v
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose build --no-cache
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose up --force-recreate -d
+	$(COMPOSE) down -v
+	$(COMPOSE) build --no-cache
+	$(COMPOSE) up --force-recreate -d
 	@echo "✓ All containers rebuilt and restarted"
 
 # Stop and remove containers
 clean:
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose down -v
+	$(COMPOSE) down -v
 
 # Quick start (if already built)
 up:
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose up -d
+	$(COMPOSE) up -d
 
 # Stop all containers (alias for clean)
 down:
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose down
+	$(COMPOSE) down
 
 # Restart app container (preserves database)
 restart:
 	@echo "Restarting app container (database stays running)..."
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose restart app
+	$(COMPOSE) restart app
 	@echo "✓ App container restarted"
 
 # Show container status
 ps:
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose ps
+	$(COMPOSE) ps
 
 # Show container logs
 logs:
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose logs -f
+	$(COMPOSE) logs -f
 
 # Start containers with test mode enabled for manual testing
 test-env-up:
 	@echo "Starting containers with test mode enabled..."
-	TEST_MODE=true RATE_LIMIT_ENABLED=false REQUESTS_PER_MINUTE=1000 $(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose up --build --force-recreate -d
+	TEST_MODE=true RATE_LIMIT_ENABLED=false REQUESTS_PER_MINUTE=1000 $(COMPOSE) up --build --force-recreate -d
 	@echo "Waiting for services to be ready..."
 	@until $(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) exec bookhoard_db pg_isready -U postgres > /dev/null 2>&1; do sleep 1; done
 	@until $(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) exec bookhoard curl -sf http://localhost:8765/health > /dev/null 2>&1; do sleep 1; done
@@ -144,7 +148,7 @@ test-env-up:
 
 # Stop test environment
 test-env-down:
-	$(CONTAINER_RUNTIME) compose down -v
+	$(COMPOSE) down -v
 
 # Verify project guidelines compliance
 verify-guidelines:
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0cf835f..08caec9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ A modern self-hosted media library system built with Go, PostgreSQL, HTMX, and T
 
 ```bash
 # 1. Clone the repository
-git clone https://github.com/yourusername/bookhoard.git
+git clone https://git.linuxhg.com/Bookhoard/bookhoard.git
 cd bookhoard
 
 # 2. Set up environment
@@ -35,8 +35,10 @@ cp .env.example .env
 #   DBPASS: openssl rand -hex 16
 # Edit .env with your generated values
 
-# 3. Start the server
-podman-compose up --build -d  # or: docker-compose up --build -d
+# 3. Pull images and start the server
+docker compose pull
+docker compose up -d
+# Optionally pin a specific version: set IMAGE_TAG in .env (defaults to "latest")
 
 # 4. Open your browser
 open http://localhost:8765
diff --git a/docker-compose.dev.yml b/docker-compose.dev.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8f43223
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.dev.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+# Development override — merged on top of docker-compose.yml (the base/prod file).
+# Activated by all `make` targets via:
+#   COMPOSE = <runtime> compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.dev.yml
+#
+# What this adds over prod:
+#   - Local image BUILDING (prod pulls a prebuilt image from the registry)
+#   - The integration-tests service (dev only, gated behind the "tests" profile)
+# Everything else (env vars, volumes, ports, healthchecks) is inherited from the base file.
+services:
+  # Build the app image locally instead of pulling from the registry
+  app:
+    build:
+      context: .
+      dockerfile: ./Dockerfile
+
+  # Integration Tests - runs against containerized app and db (dev only)
+  tests:
+    build:
+      context: .
+      dockerfile: ./Dockerfile
+      target: test-runner
+    container_name: bookhoard_tests
+    environment:
+      # Database Configuration
+      DATABASE_HOST: db
+      DATABASE_PORT: "5432"
+      DATABASE_USER: postgres
+      DATABASE_PASSWORD: ${DBPASS}
+      DATABASE_NAME: bookhoard
+      COOKIE_SECURE: false
+
+      # Application Configuration
+      JWT_SECRET: ${JWT_SECRET}
+      SERVER_PORT: "8765"
+
+      # Test Configuration
+      TEST_MODE: "true"
+      RATE_LIMIT_ENABLED: "false"
+      REQUESTS_PER_MINUTE: 1000
+
+      # Conversion Service Configuration
+      BOOKHOARD_CONVERSION_CACHE_DIR: /app/cache/kepub
+      BOOKHOARD_CONVERSION_TOOL: /usr/bin/kepubify
+      BOOKHOARD_CONVERSION_CACHE_TTL: 24h
+
+      # Test upload path (inside container)
+      TEST_UPLOAD_PATH: /app/uploads
+    depends_on:
+      db:
+        condition: service_healthy
+      app:
+        condition: service_healthy
+    volumes:
+      - ./uploads:/app/uploads
+      - bookhoard_conversion_cache:/app/cache/kepub
+    profiles:
+      - tests
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index c652ef1..c43d3e5 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@ services:
       - .env
 
   # Bookhoard Application
+  # In production this image is pulled from the Gitea container registry.
+  # Override IMAGE_TAG in .env to pin or rollback a specific version (defaults to "latest").
   app:
-    build:
-      context: .
-      dockerfile: ./Dockerfile
+    image: git.linuxhg.com/bookhoard/bookhoard:${IMAGE_TAG:-latest}
     container_name: bookhoard
     environment:
       # Database Configuration
@@ -76,49 +76,6 @@ services:
       retries: 3
       start_period: 10s
 
-  # Integration Tests - runs against containerized app and db
-  tests:
-    build:
-      context: .
-      dockerfile: ./Dockerfile
-      target: test-runner
-    container_name: bookhoard_tests
-    environment:
-      # Database Configuration
-      DATABASE_HOST: db
-      DATABASE_PORT: "5432"
-      DATABASE_USER: postgres
-      DATABASE_PASSWORD: ${DBPASS}
-      DATABASE_NAME: bookhoard
-      COOKIE_SECURE: false
-
-      # Application Configuration
-      JWT_SECRET: ${JWT_SECRET}
-      SERVER_PORT: "8765"
-
-      # Test Configuration
-      TEST_MODE: "true"
-      RATE_LIMIT_ENABLED: "false"
-      REQUESTS_PER_MINUTE: 1000
-
-      # Conversion Service Configuration
-      BOOKHOARD_CONVERSION_CACHE_DIR: /app/cache/kepub
-      BOOKHOARD_CONVERSION_TOOL: /usr/bin/kepubify
-      BOOKHOARD_CONVERSION_CACHE_TTL: 24h
-
-      # Test upload path (inside container)
-      TEST_UPLOAD_PATH: /app/uploads
-    depends_on:
-      db:
-        condition: service_healthy
-      app:
-        condition: service_healthy
-    volumes:
-      - ./uploads:/app/uploads
-      - bookhoard_conversion_cache:/app/cache/kepub
-    profiles:
-      - tests
-
 # Named Volumes
 volumes:
   postgres_data: