diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 6dbfa00..3bbde9c 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ dist-ssr
 *.sw?
 
 # ENV
+docker/.env
+!docker/.env.example
 .env
 .env*
 !.env.example
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ee50ddb..7510b8d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -34,13 +34,13 @@ Theo solved this by doing all of the work client side. Once you've went to https
 
 ### How to self host
 
-1. Clone the repo
-2. Fill out the .env.example file & rename it to .env
-3. Run `pnpm install` from the root of the repo
-4. Run `pnpm build` from the root of the repo
-5. Navigate to the docker folder & run `sudo docker-compose up -d`
+1. Clone the repo.
+2. Fill out the .env.example file in the root directory & rename it to .env.
+3. Run `pnpm install && pnpm build` from the root of the repo.
+4. Navigate to the docker folder & fill out the .env.example file & rename it to .env.
+5. Run `sudo docker compose up -d` from within the docker directory.
 
 ### How to update the website
 
-1. Run `pnpm build` from the root of the repo
+1. Run `pnpm build` from the root of the repo.
 2. Navigate to the docker folder & run `sudo docker compose down && sudo docker-compose up -d`
diff --git a/docker/.env.example b/docker/.env.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3bc310e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/.env.example
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+PORT=5000
+DOMAIN=bang.mydomain.com
+NETWORK=bridge
diff --git a/docker/docker-compose.yml b/docker/docker-compose.yml
index 347cb95..a933493 100644
--- a/docker/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose.yml
@@ -1,23 +1,23 @@
-version: '3.8'
-
 services:
   bang-web-server:
+    env_file:
+      - .env
     build:
-      context: ../ # point to the parent directory where package.json and source code reside
-      dockerfile: docker/Dockerfile # specific path to the Dockerfile
+      context: ../
+      dockerfile: docker/Dockerfile
     container_name: bang
-    domainname: bang.gbrown.org
-    hostname: bang
+    domainname: ${DOMAIN}
     networks:
-      - node_apps
+      - ${NETWORK}
+    hostname: bang
     ports:
-      - "5000:5000"
+      - ${PORT}:${PORT}
     tty: true
     restart: unless-stopped
     volumes:
-      - ../:/app # mount the parent directory to /app in the container
+      - ../:/app
     command: serve -s /app/dist -l 5000
 
 networks:
-  node_apps:
+  ${NETWORK}:
     external: true
diff --git a/docker/update-bang b/docker/update-bang
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..54d5d33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/update-bang
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Function to check if we're in the correct directory
+check_directory() {
+    if [ -d "docker" ] && [ -f "package.json" ]; then
+        return 0 # We're in the root directory
+    fi
+    return 1
+}
+
+# Initialize root_dir
+root_dir=""
+
+# Check if argument is provided
+if [ $# -eq 1 ]; then
+    # Use provided path
+    if [ -d "$1" ]; then
+        root_dir="$1"
+        cd "$root_dir" || exit 1
+    else
+        echo "Error: Provided directory does not exist"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+else
+    # No argument provided, try to determine location
+    current_dir=$(basename "$(pwd)")
+    
+    if [ "$current_dir" = "docker" ]; then
+        cd .. || exit 1
+    elif [ "$current_dir" != "Bang" ]; then
+        echo "Error: Not in the correct directory and no valid path provided"
+        echo "Please either:"
+        echo "1. Run this script from the Bang root directory"
+        echo "2. Run this script from the docker directory"
+        echo "3. Provide the path to the Bang root directory as an argument"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+fi
+
+# Verify we're in the correct directory
+if ! check_directory; then
+    echo "Error: Not in the correct directory structure"
+    echo "Make sure you're in a directory with 'docker' folder and package.json"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+git pull
+pnpm build
+cd docker || exit 1
+sudo docker compose down
+sudo docker compose up -d
+cd ..