diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9b6a3969..14bd7faa 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -131,3 +131,54 @@ BEAGLE_AUTH_LDAP_SERVER_URI
 ```
 
 Beagle can run without these, but it will not be able to access SMILE and LDAP server for authentication.
+
+# Development Instance using Podman
+
+In macOS:
+
+```
+brew install podman
+podman machine init
+sudo /opt/homebrew/Cellar/podman/5.7.1/bin/podman-mac-helper install # installs system helper to use default Docker API socket
+podman machine start
+```
+
+Run with
+
+```
+podman compose -f compose.dev.yml down && podman compose -f compose.dev.yml up
+```
+
+## Initial configuration of the database is required.
+
+```
+python3 manage.py loaddata \
+  beagle_etl.operator.json \
+  file_system.filegroup.json \
+  file_system.filetype.json \
+  file_system.storage.json \
+  runner.pipeline.json
+
+python3 manage.py createsuperuser # use prompts to create a super user for dev admin panel
+
+mkdir static
+python3 manage.py collectstatic # for django admin panel themes
+```
+
+## Basic podman commands
+
+```
+podman ps # see running podman containers
+podman exec -it <container_id> /bin/bash # enter podman container
+
+# While in beagle container_id
+python3 manage.py <command> # run tests and other manage.py commands 
+```
+
+By default, admin panel for dev env is accessible at http://localhost:5007/admin
+
+## TODO 
+
+This is for basic, local development only. No connection to SMILE or RIDGEBACK services yet.
+
+Useful for developing new Django apps and running local tests for operators. Database entries beyond what's included above are left up to the developer.
diff --git a/compose.dev.yml b/compose.dev.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dd17ce04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compose.dev.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+services:
+  api:
+    init: true
+    image: mskcc/beagle:2.2.0
+    networks:
+      - beagle_net
+    build:
+      context: .
+    working_dir: /app
+    command: python manage.py runserver 0:5007 --noreload
+    volumes:
+      - .:/app:z
+    environment:
+      BEAGLE_DB_URL: db
+      BEAGLE_DB_NAME: beagle
+      BEAGLE_DB_USERNAME: beagle
+      BEAGLE_DB_PASSWORD: beagle
+      DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE: beagle.settings
+      BEAGLE_RABBITMQ_USERNAME: BEAGLE
+      BEAGLE_RABBITMQ_PASSWORD: beagle
+      BEAGLE_RABBITMQ_URL: rabbitmq:5672
+    ports:
+      - "5007:5007"
+    depends_on:
+      - db
+      - rabbitmq
+      - memcached
+
+  worker:
+    build:
+      context: .
+    working_dir: /app
+    networks:
+      - beagle_net
+    command: celery -A beagle_etl worker -l info
+    volumes:
+      - .:/app:z
+    environment:
+      DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE: beagle.settings
+      BEAGLE_DB_NAME: beagle
+      BEAGLE_DB_USERNAME: beagle
+      BEAGLE_DB_PASSWORD: beagle
+      CELERY_BROKER_URL: amqp://BEAGLE:beagle@rabbitmq:5672//  
+    depends_on:
+      - rabbitmq
+      - db
+
+  beat:
+    build:
+      context: .
+    working_dir: /app
+    networks:
+      - beagle_net
+    command: celery -A beagle_etl beat -l info
+    volumes:
+      - .:/app:z
+    environment:
+      DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE: beagle.settings 
+      BEAGLE_DB_NAME: beagle
+      BEAGLE_DB_USERNAME: beagle
+      BEAGLE_DB_PASSWORD: beagle
+      CELERY_BROKER_URL: amqp://BEAGLE:beagle@rabbitmq:5672//
+    depends_on:
+      - rabbitmq
+      - db
+
+  db:
+    image: postgres:16
+    working_dir: /app
+    networks:
+      - beagle_net
+    environment:
+      POSTGRES_DB: beagle
+      POSTGRES_USER: beagle
+      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: beagle
+      BEAGLE_DB_NAME: beagle
+      BEAGLE_DB_USERNAME: beagle
+      BEAGLE_DB_PASSWORD: beagle
+    ports:
+      - "5433:5432"
+    volumes:
+      - pgdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data:z
+      - .:/app:z
+
+  rabbitmq:
+    image: rabbitmq:3-management
+    networks:
+      - beagle_net
+    environment:
+      RABBITMQ_DEFAULT_USER: BEAGLE
+      RABBITMQ_DEFAULT_PASS: beagle
+    ports:
+      - "5672:5672"
+      - "15672:15672"  # management UI
+
+  memcached:
+    image: memcached:1.6
+    networks:
+      - beagle_net
+    ports:
+      - "11211:11211"
+
+volumes:
+  pgdata:
+
+networks:
+  beagle_net: