diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index d41a762c..40f7ad7f 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -41,10 +41,24 @@ ## 🚀 Getting Started
 
 ## 🧱 Local Development Setup
 
-Either run  `docker compose -f dev.docker-compose.yml up` or install & run everything Locally (described below).
+Booklore has a simple all-in-one Docker development stack, or you can install & run everything manually.
 
 
-### 1. Prerequisites
+### Development using Docker stack
+
+Run  `docker compose -f dev.docker-compose.yml up`
+
+- Dev web server is accessible at `http://localhost:4200/`
+- Dev database is accessible at `http://localhost:3366/`
+- Remote java debugging is accessible at `http://localhost:5005/`
+
+All ports are configurable using environment variables - see dev.docker-compose.yml
+
+---
+
+### Development on local machine
+
+#### 1. Prerequisites
 
 - **Java 21+**
 - **Node.js 18+**
@@ -53,7 +67,7 @@ ### 1. Prerequisites
 
 ---
 
-### 2. Frontend Setup
+#### 2. Frontend Setup
 
 To set up the Angular frontend:
 
@@ -69,9 +83,9 @@ ### 2. Frontend Setup
 
 ---
 
-### 3. Backend Setup
+#### 3. Backend Setup
 
-#### a. Configure `application-dev.yml`
+##### a. Configure `application-dev.yml`
 
 Create or edit `booklore-api/src/main/resources/application-dev.yml`:
 
@@ -90,7 +104,7 @@ #### a. Configure `application-dev.yml`
 
 > 🔧 Replace `/path/to/...` with actual local paths
 
-#### b. Run the Backend
+##### b. Run the Backend
 
 ```bash
 cd booklore-api
diff --git a/booklore-api/build.gradle b/booklore-api/build.gradle
index c229729f..ade8a418 100644
--- a/booklore-api/build.gradle
+++ b/booklore-api/build.gradle
@@ -94,3 +94,9 @@ test {
     jvmArgs("-XX:+EnableDynamicAgentLoading")
 }
 
+bootRun {
+    def debug = System.getenv('REMOTE_DEBUG_ENABLED')
+    if (debug.equals("true")) { 
+        jvmArgs("-agentlib:jdwp=transport=dt_socket,server=y,suspend=n,address=*:5005")
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/dev.docker-compose.yml b/dev.docker-compose.yml
index 9ce435b3..841fdec0 100644
--- a/dev.docker-compose.yml
+++ b/dev.docker-compose.yml
@@ -4,10 +4,12 @@ services:
     command: sh -c "cd /booklore-api && ./gradlew bootRun"
     ports:
       - "${BACKEND_PORT:-8080}:8080"
+      - "${REMOTE_DEBUG_PORT:-5005}:5005"
     environment:
       - DATABASE_URL=jdbc:mariadb://backend_db:3306/booklore
       - DATABASE_USERNAME=booklore
       - DATABASE_PASSWORD=booklore
+      - REMOTE_DEBUG_ENABLED=true
     stdin_open: true
     tty: true
     restart: unless-stopped
@@ -29,6 +31,8 @@ services:
       - MYSQL_DATABASE=booklore
       - MYSQL_USER=booklore
       - MYSQL_PASSWORD=booklore
+    ports:
+      - "${DB_PORT:-3366}:3306"
     healthcheck:
       test: [ "CMD", "mariadb-admin", "ping", "-h", "localhost", "-uroot", "-pbooklore" ]
       interval: 10s