diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 20f50c4..66f9a3e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,11 +1,29 @@
-Clarion
-=======
+# Clarion
 
 A CfP automation system for OpenFest.
 
-Installation
-------------
+## Installation
+
+### For local development
 
 1. `git clone https://github.com/ignisf/clarion.git`
 2. Run `bundle install; bin/rake bootstrap`
-3. You can now run the rails server with `bin/rails s`
\ No newline at end of file
+3. You can now run the rails server with `bin/rails s`
+
+### For production
+
+`docker build -t clarion:latest -f Dockerfile .`
+
+Note that the docker image contains a default user (for credentials see `db/seeds.rb`).
+
+### docker-compose
+
+`docker-compose up` will bring everything up on `http://127.0.0.1:3000` with production configuration.
+
+## Initial Usage
+
+1. Go to `http://127.0.0.1:3000/management/`
+2. Login (for initial creds see `db/seeds.rb`)
+3. Change the credentials
+3. Create a conference.
+  - NB: When creating a conference make sure to use the same `domain` as the one you are currently using, otherwise nothing will be shown.
diff --git a/config/database.yml b/config/database.yml
index 2078e39..827bc92 100644
--- a/config/database.yml
+++ b/config/database.yml
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ test:
 #
 production:
   <<: *default
-  host: host.containers.internal
+  host: <%= ENV.fetch("CLARION_DATABASE_HOST") { "host.containers.internal" } %>
   database: clarion
   username: clarion
   password: <%= ENV["CLARION_DATABASE_PASSWORD"] %>
diff --git a/config/environments/production.rb b/config/environments/production.rb
index 6af3a47..f925da5 100644
--- a/config/environments/production.rb
+++ b/config/environments/production.rb
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ Rails.application.configure do
   # config.assume_ssl = true
 
   # Force all access to the app over SSL, use Strict-Transport-Security, and use secure cookies.
-  config.force_ssl = true
+  config.force_ssl = ENV["CLARION_USE_PLAINTEXT"] != "yes"
 
   # Log to STDOUT by default
   config.logger = ActiveSupport::Logger.new(STDOUT)
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ Rails.application.configure do
   config.action_mailer.default_options = {from: "OpenFest <cfp@openfest.org>"}
   config.action_mailer.default_url_options = {host: "cfp.openfest.org"}
   config.action_mailer.smtp_settings = {
-    address: "mail.openfest.org"
+    address: ENV.fetch("CLARION_MAIL_SERVER", "mail.openfest.org")
   }
 
   # Enable locale fallbacks for I18n (makes lookups for any locale fall back to
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0619732
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+services:
+  clarion:
+    build:
+      dockerfile: Dockerfile
+      context: .
+    environment:
+      RAILS_ENV: production
+      CLARION_DATABASE_HOST: db
+      CLARION_DATABASE_PASSWORD: not-a-real-db-password-tiliez4phei9oZoo1Shoyitee2zoon8O
+      REDIS_URL: redis://redis:6379/1
+      CLARION_MAIL_SERVER: mail-dummy
+      CLARION_USE_PLAINTEXT: yes
+      SECRET_KEY_BASE: not-a-real-secret-oodeig8etho1usik5Eehoh9jah9yuS3o
+    ports:
+      - 127.0.0.1:3000:3000
+
+  redis:
+    image: redis:7
+
+  mail-dummy:
+    image: python:3.11-slim
+    command: python3 -m smtpd --debug --class DebuggingServer 0.0.0.0:25
+    expose:
+      - 25
+
+  db:
+    image: postgres:16.3
+    environment:
+      POSTGRES_USER: clarion
+      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: not-a-real-db-password-tiliez4phei9oZoo1Shoyitee2zoon8O
+      POSTGRES_DB: clarion
+    volumes:
+      - pgdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data
+
+volumes:
+  pgdata: