diff --git a/backend/.dockerignore b/backend/.dockerignore
index fe1152b..94630a0 100644
--- a/backend/.dockerignore
+++ b/backend/.dockerignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# Ignore common files that shouldn't be in the container
 **/.classpath
 **/.dockerignore
 **/.env
@@ -13,16 +14,23 @@
 **/*.jfm
 **/azds.yaml
 **/bin
+**/obj
 **/charts
 **/docker-compose*
 **/Dockerfile*
 **/node_modules
 **/npm-debug.log
-**/obj
-**/secrets.dev.yaml
-**/values.dev.yaml
-LICENSE
-README.md
+**/.idea
+**/.vs
+**/.vscode
+**/*.user
+**/*.suo
+**/*.userosscache
+**/*.sln.docstates
+
+# Include all .csproj files - they are needed for the build
+!**/*.csproj
+!**/*.sln
 !**/.gitignore
 !.git/HEAD
 !.git/config
diff --git a/backend/Dockerfile b/backend/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aea9bcb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# Build stage - using .NET SDK
+FROM mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/sdk:10.0 AS build
+WORKDIR /src
+
+# Copy project files first for better layer caching
+COPY ["*.sln", "./"]
+COPY ["JoaoLoureiro.Portfolio.Api/*.csproj", "JoaoLoureiro.Portfolio.Api/"]
+COPY ["JoaoLoureiro.Portfolio.Application/*.csproj", "JoaoLoureiro.Portfolio.Application/"]
+COPY ["JoaoLoureiro.Portfolio.Domain/*.csproj", "JoaoLoureiro.Portfolio.Domain/"]
+COPY ["JoaoLoureiro.Portfolio.Infrastructure/*.csproj", "JoaoLoureiro.Portfolio.Infrastructure/"]
+
+# Restore dependencies
+WORKDIR "/src/JoaoLoureiro.Portfolio.Api"
+RUN dotnet restore
+
+# Copy remaining source code
+WORKDIR "/src"
+COPY . .
+
+# Build and publish
+WORKDIR "/src/JoaoLoureiro.Portfolio.Api"
+RUN dotnet publish -c Release -o /app/publish
+
+# Runtime stage
+FROM mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/aspnet:8.0 AS runtime
+WORKDIR /app
+
+# curl used by docker-compose healthcheck
+RUN apt-get update \
+    && apt-get install -y curl \
+    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
+# Configure logging to show in container logs
+ENV ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT=Development
+ENV DOTNET_CLI_TELEMETRY_OPTOUT=1
+ENV ASPNETCORE_URLS=http://+:3001
+ENV ASPNETCORE_HTTP_PORT=3001
+ENV ASPNETCORE_LOGGING__CONSOLE__DISABLECOLORS=true
+
+# Expose the port
+EXPOSE 3001
+
+# Copy published app
+COPY --from=build /app/publish .
+
+# Entry point with enhanced logging
+ENTRYPOINT ["dotnet", "JoaoLoureiro.Portfolio.Api.dll"]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7fb478c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+version: '3.8'
+
+services:
+  # Backend Service
+  backend:
+    build:
+      context: ./backend
+      dockerfile: Dockerfile
+    container_name: portfolio-backend
+    environment:
+      - ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT=Production
+      - ASPNETCORE_URLS=http://+:80
+    networks:
+      - traefik_network
+    restart: unless-stopped
+    labels:
+      - "traefik.enable=true"
+      - "traefik.http.routers.portfolio-backend.rule=Host(`api.yourdomain.com`)"
+      - "traefik.http.routers.portfolio-backend.entrypoints=websecure"
+      - "traefik.http.services.portfolio-backend.loadbalancer.server.port=80"
+      - "traefik.docker.network=traefik_network"
+      - "traefik.http.routers.portfolio-backend.tls.certresolver=le"
+      - "traefik.http.routers.portfolio-backend.middlewares=auth@docker"
+
+  # Frontend Service
+  frontend:
+    build:
+      context: ./frontend
+      dockerfile: Dockerfile
+    container_name: portfolio-frontend
+    environment:
+      - NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=https://api.yourdomain.com
+    networks:
+      - traefik_network
+    restart: unless-stopped
+    labels:
+      - "traefik.enable=true"
+      - "traefik.http.routers.portfolio-frontend.rule=Host(`yourdomain.com`, `www.yourdomain.com`)"
+      - "traefik.http.routers.portfolio-frontend.entrypoints=websecure"
+      - "traefik.http.services.portfolio-frontend.loadbalancer.server.port=3000"
+      - "traefik.docker.network=traefik_network"
+      - "traefik.http.routers.portfolio-frontend.tls.certresolver=le"
+      - "traefik.http.routers.portfolio-frontend.middlewares=auth@docker"
+
+networks:
+  traefik_network:
+    external: true  # Using your existing Traefik network