diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8f6a6ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+###########
+# BUILDER #
+###########
+
+# pull official base image
+FROM python:3.12-slim-bullseye as BUILDER
+
+# set environment variables
+ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1 \
+    PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE=1 \
+    PIP_NO_CACHE_DIR=off \
+    PIP_DISABLE_PIP_VERSION_CHECK=ON \
+    PIP_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT=100 \
+    DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive \
+    POETRY_HOME=/etc/poetry \
+    POETRY_VERSION=1.7.1 \
+    POETRY_VIRTUALENVS_IN_PROJECT=1 \
+    POETRY_VIRTUALENVS_CREATE=1 \
+    POETRY_NO_INTERACTION=1 \
+    POETRY_CACHE_DIR=/tmp/poetry_cache \
+    APP_HOME=/home/app
+
+# update system
+RUN apt-get update \
+    && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
+    build-essential \
+    curl \
+    && apt-get clean
+
+# install poetry
+RUN curl -sSL https://install.python-poetry.org | python3 -
+ENV PATH="${POETRY_HOME}/bin:$PATH"
+
+# install runtime dependencies
+WORKDIR ${APP_HOME}
+COPY poetry.lock pyproject.toml ./
+RUN --mount=type=cache,target=${POETRY_CACHE_DIR} poetry install --no-root
+
+#########
+# FINAL #
+#########
+
+# pull official base image
+FROM python:3.12-slim-bullseye
+
+# copy virtualenv made by poetry
+ENV APP_HOME=/home/app \
+    VIRTUAL_ENV=/home/app/.venv
+COPY --from=builder ${VIRTUAL_ENV} ${VIRTUAL_ENV}
+ENV PATH="${VIRTUAL_ENV}/bin:${PATH}"
+
+# create home directory and app user
+RUN mkdir -p /home/app && \
+    addgroup --system app && \
+    adduser --system --group app
+
+# add code while changing ownership
+WORKDIR $APP_HOME
+COPY --chown=app:app ./src .
+
+# change to the app user
+USER app
+
+ENTRYPOINT [ "gunicorn", "web:server", "-b", "0.0.0.0:8050" ]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker-compose.local.yml b/docker-compose.local.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7f01e12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.local.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+services:
+  app:
+    image: visual_critical_discourse_analysis:dev
+    container_name: visual_critical_discourse_analysis
+    build:
+      context: .
+      dockerfile: Dockerfile
+    ports:
+      - 8050:8050
+    networks:
+      - backend
+
+networks:
+  backend:
+    external: false
\ No newline at end of file