diff --git a/.github/copilot-instructions.md b/.github/copilot-instructions.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..36ca1e78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/copilot-instructions.md
@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+# GitHub Copilot Instructions for opensource-mieweb
+
+**ALWAYS follow these instructions first. Only search for additional information or run bash commands when the information below is incomplete or found to be in error.**
+
+This repository contains configuration and automation scripts for managing a Proxmox-based LXC container hosting environment with automated DNS, NGINX reverse proxy, LDAP authentication, and security monitoring via Wazuh.
+
+## Repository Structure
+
+### Core Infrastructure
+- **`container creation/`** - LXC container lifecycle management scripts
+- **`gateway/`** - Network routing, iptables management, and daily cleanup scripts  
+- **`nginx reverse proxy/`** - NGINX configuration with JavaScript modules for dynamic backend resolution
+- **`dnsmasq service/`** - DNS/DHCP services with wildcard routing
+- **`LDAP/`** - Authentication infrastructure (contains git submodules)
+- **`Wazuh/`** - Security monitoring with Node.js management scripts
+- **`ci-cd automation/`** - Contains Proxmox-Launchpad GitHub Action submodule
+
+### Git Submodules (CRITICAL - Must Initialize)
+- **`LDAP/LDAPServer`** - Node.js LDAP gateway server
+- **`LDAP/pown`** - LDAP client automation with Terraform/AWS testing
+- **`ci-cd automation/Proxmox-Launchpad`** - GitHub Action for container deployment
+
+## Working Effectively
+
+### Bootstrap Repository (REQUIRED FIRST STEPS)
+1. **Initialize submodules**: `git submodule update --init --recursive` 
+   - Takes ~30 seconds. NEVER CANCEL.
+   - Set timeout to 60+ seconds.
+
+2. **Build Wazuh component**:
+   ```bash
+   cd Wazuh
+   npm install
+   ```
+   - Takes ~1 second. Builds successfully.
+
+3. **Build LDAPServer component**:
+   ```bash
+   cd "LDAP/LDAPServer/src"
+   npm install
+   ```
+   - Takes ~12 seconds. NEVER CANCEL. Set timeout to 30+ seconds.
+   - Expect deprecation warnings - these are normal and build succeeds.
+
+### Validation Commands (Run After Any Changes)
+
+**CRITICAL**: Always run these validation steps before committing changes:
+
+1. **Syntax check all shell scripts**:
+   ```bash
+   find . -name "*.sh" -exec bash -n {} \;
+   ```
+   - Takes <1 second. Must complete without errors.
+
+2. **Syntax check all JavaScript files**:
+   ```bash
+   find . -name "*.js" -exec node -c {} \;
+   ```
+   - Takes <1 second. Must complete without errors.
+
+3. **Verify Node.js applications can start** (they will fail to connect to external services, which is expected):
+   ```bash
+   # Test Wazuh runner (should run without errors)
+   cd Wazuh && node runner.js getAgents 2>/dev/null && echo "Wazuh runner OK"
+   
+   # Test LDAPServer (will fail with config errors, which is expected)
+   cd "LDAP/LDAPServer/src" && timeout 5 node index.js 2>/dev/null || echo "LDAPServer needs config (expected)"
+   ```
+
+## Manual Validation Scenarios
+
+**ALWAYS test infrastructure changes with these scenarios:**
+
+### Container Creation Scripts
+Most container scripts require Proxmox infrastructure, but you can:
+- **Syntax validate**: All scripts in `container creation/` pass `bash -n` checks
+- **Check dependencies**: Scripts source from `/var/lib/vz/snippets/` (will be missing in sandbox)
+- **Verify logic**: Review script flow in `container creation/create-container.sh` (220 lines)
+
+### Network and Gateway Scripts  
+- **Test syntax**: All scripts in `gateway/` are syntactically valid
+- **Review cleanup logic**: `gateway/prune_iptables.sh` and `gateway/prune_temp_files.sh`
+- **Check fingerprint extraction**: `gateway/extract-fingerprint.sh`
+
+### LDAP Configuration
+- **Environment setup**: Copy `.env.example` to `.env` in `LDAP/LDAPServer/src/` before testing
+- **Client automation**: Review `LDAP/pown/pown.sh` for LDAP client setup logic
+- **Test framework**: `LDAP/pown/tests/test.sh` requires AWS credentials (not available in sandbox)
+
+## Technology Stack & Dependencies
+
+### Node.js Applications
+- **Required Node.js version**: >=18.0.0, npm >=9.0.0 (available in environment)
+- **Wazuh dependencies**: axios, dotenv (lightweight, builds quickly)
+- **LDAPServer dependencies**: ldapjs, mongodb, mysql2, winston (complex, longer build time)
+
+### Shell Scripts  
+- **Bash scripts**: All use `#!/bin/bash` with `set -e` for error handling
+- **Dependencies**: Expect Proxmox `pct` commands, LDAP utilities, iptables
+- **External services**: Scripts reference Wazuh server, LDAP servers, database connections
+
+### Infrastructure Dependencies
+- **Proxmox VE**: Required for container management commands
+- **External services**: LDAP authentication, Wazuh manager, database servers
+- **Network infrastructure**: DNS, NGINX reverse proxy, iptables rules
+
+## Common Tasks & Expected Timings
+
+### Build Operations
+- **Full repository setup**: ~45 seconds (submodules + npm installs)
+- **Wazuh build**: <1 second
+- **LDAPServer build**: ~12 seconds
+- **Syntax validation**: <1 second for all scripts
+
+### Development Workflow
+1. **Always initialize submodules first** if working from fresh clone
+2. **Run syntax validation** after any script changes
+3. **Test Node.js builds** after package.json modifications  
+4. **Review configuration files** (.env.example, ossec.conf, etc.) for external service requirements
+5. **Check script dependencies** - most require Proxmox/LDAP infrastructure not available in sandbox
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Build Issues
+- **LDAPServer deprecation warnings**: Normal, build still succeeds
+- **Missing /var/lib/vz/snippets/**: Expected in sandbox - scripts source Proxmox-specific paths
+- **LDAP connection errors**: Expected - requires actual LDAP server configuration
+- **Wazuh API failures**: Expected - requires Wazuh manager with authentication
+
+### Script Issues
+- **Permission denied**: Scripts expect to run on Proxmox host with root/sudo access
+- **Command not found (pct, pvesh)**: Proxmox utilities not available in sandbox
+- **Network connectivity**: External services (Wazuh, LDAP) not accessible from sandbox
+
+### Configuration Issues
+- **Missing .env files**: Copy from .env.example templates when available
+- **SSL/TLS errors**: Scripts expect certificate content in environment variables
+- **Database connections**: MySQL/MongoDB connection strings required for LDAPServer
+
+## DO NOT Attempt
+- **Running container creation scripts**: Requires Proxmox VE host
+- **LDAP server connections**: Requires configured LDAP infrastructure  
+- **Wazuh agent registration**: Requires Wazuh manager with API access
+- **Network configuration changes**: Requires iptables and DNS management permissions
+- **AWS/Terraform tests**: `LDAP/pown/tests/` requires AWS credentials
+
+## Key Files to Reference
+
+### Main Scripts
+- `container creation/create-container.sh` - Main container lifecycle script
+- `gateway/prune_iptables.sh` - Network cleanup automation
+- `Wazuh/runner.js` - Wazuh agent management interface
+
+### Configuration Templates
+- `LDAP/LDAPServer/src/.env.example` - LDAP server configuration
+- `Wazuh/ossec.conf` - Wazuh agent configuration
+- `nginx reverse proxy/` - Web server configuration files
+
+### Package Management
+- `Wazuh/package.json` - Security monitoring dependencies
+- `LDAP/LDAPServer/src/package.json` - LDAP gateway dependencies
+
+Always reference README.md files in individual directories for component-specific details.
\ No newline at end of file