diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b8aefbd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+node_modules/
+LICENSE
+README.md
+package-lock.json
+yarn.lock
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7640399
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+FROM node:17
+
+# Set working directory 
+WORKDIR /opt/catApi
+# and copy files into that directory 
+COPY . ./
+
+RUN npm install -g npm@8 && npm install --save-dev
+
+CMD npm start
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bdf6df5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+## DO NOT USE ##
+services:
+  catweb:
+    build: .
+    ports:
+      - "${PORT}:${PORT}"
+    command: npm start
+    container_name: catApi
+    restart: unless-stopped
+    volumes:
+      - type: bind
+        source: ./images
+        target: /opt/catApi/images
+      - type: bind
+        source: ./.env
+        target: /opt/catApi/.env
+    tmpfs: /tmp # temp files such are stored here
+    working_dir: /opt/catApi
+    tty: true
+    environment:
+      - NODE_ENV=production # for production
+      - LOG_LEVEL=debug # debug, info, warn, error
+      - FORCE_COLOR=3 # force color output