diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e98715f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# Build output & deps — recreated inside the image
+.next
+node_modules
+
+# Source control
+.git
+.gitignore
+
+# Local env files — never bake secrets into an image
+.env
+.env.*
+!.env.example
+
+# Editor / tooling
+.claude
+.vscode
+*.log
+npm-debug.log*
+
+# OS noise
+.DS_Store
+Thumbs.db
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f5b584
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+# syntax=docker/dockerfile:1
+
+# ── Stage 1: install dependencies ─────────────────────────────────────────────
+FROM node:20-alpine AS deps
+RUN apk add --no-cache libc6-compat
+WORKDIR /app
+
+COPY package.json package-lock.json ./
+RUN npm ci
+
+# ── Stage 2: build the app ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+FROM node:20-alpine AS builder
+WORKDIR /app
+
+COPY --from=deps /app/node_modules ./node_modules
+COPY . .
+
+RUN npm run build
+
+# ── Stage 3: production runner ────────────────────────────────────────────────
+FROM node:20-alpine AS runner
+WORKDIR /app
+
+ENV NODE_ENV=production
+ENV PORT=3000
+ENV HOSTNAME="0.0.0.0"
+
+# Run as non-root for security
+RUN addgroup --system --gid 1001 nodejs \
+ && adduser  --system --uid 1001 nextjs
+
+# Static assets
+COPY --from=builder /app/public ./public
+
+# Standalone server + compiled output (standalone mode bundles only what's needed)
+COPY --from=builder --chown=nextjs:nodejs /app/.next/standalone ./
+COPY --from=builder --chown=nextjs:nodejs /app/.next/static   ./.next/static
+
+USER nextjs
+
+EXPOSE 3000
+
+CMD ["node", "server.js"]
diff --git a/next.config.ts b/next.config.ts
index e9ffa30..f427b6c 100644
--- a/next.config.ts
+++ b/next.config.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import type { NextConfig } from "next";
 
 const nextConfig: NextConfig = {
-  /* config options here */
+  // Produces a self-contained server bundle in .next/standalone — required for Docker
+  output: "standalone",
 };
 
 export default nextConfig;