diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
index d6cbf7d6f..e59439d80 100644
--- a/.dockerignore
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -12,4 +12,8 @@ LICENCE
 **/build
 
 screenshots/
-server/public/images/*
\ No newline at end of file
+server/public/images/*
+
+# Existing entries...
+traefik/
+docker in progress/
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 89084d39e..65e46ab7a 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -47,3 +47,7 @@ CLIENT_URL_PROD=https://mern-boilerplate.amd2.localhost3002.live
 SERVER_URL_PROD=https://mern-boilerplate.amd2.localhost3002.live
 
 PORT=80
+
+# Redis
+REDIS_HOST=localhost
+REDIS_PORT=6379
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 56c3f1ff7..332ef0507 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,16 +1,52 @@
-
+# Client and Server dependencies
 client/node_modules
 server/node_modules
 
+# Log files
 client/npm-debug.log*
+server/npm-debug.log*
+**/logs/
+**/*.log
 
+# Build outputs
 client/build
+server/build
+dist/
 
+# Ignore environment files but keep examples
 **/.env*
 !**/.env*.example
 
-# ignore mongo data
+# Ignore MongoDB data but keep .gitkeep
 !server/docker/mongo-data
 server/docker/mongo-data/*
 !server/docker/mongo-data/.gitkeep
 
+# OS generated files
+**/.DS_Store
+**/Thumbs.db
+
+# IDE/editor settings
+.vscode/
+.idea/
+
+# Coverage reports
+coverage/
+
+# PM2 logs and process IDs
+pids/
+*.pid
+*.seed
+
+# Docker-related
+docker-compose.override.yml
+traefik/
+docker in progress/
+Dockerfile.backup
+**/.docker-temp
+
+# Optional: system-level junk or cache
+*.swp
+*.swo
+*.bak
+*.tmp
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index aff383437..a9b777f4d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,47 +1,77 @@
 # MERN Boilerplate
 
-This is full stack boilerplate with React, Redux, Express, Mongoose and Passport. Skip the tedious part and get straight to developing your app.
+A full-stack MERN boilerplate built with React, Redux, Express, MongoDB, Passport, and Docker. Skip setup hassle and start building your app.
 
-## Demo
+## 🚀 Live Demo
 
-- Live demo is available here: **[https://mern-boilerplate.arm1.nemanjamitic.com](https://mern-boilerplate.arm1.nemanjamitic.com)**
+👉 [View Live](https://mern-boilerplate.arm1.nemanjamitic.com)
 
-## Deployment with Docker (2023. update)
+---
 
-Since Heroku is no longer free I made Docker production deployment that you can use on any Linux VPS.
+## 🧰 Tech Stack
 
-- original [mern-docker-prod](https://github.com/nemanjam/mern-docker-prod) repository with Docker code and instructions that you can reuse to deploy your own Mern apps
-- Traefik part of the deployment [traefik-proxy](https://github.com/nemanjam/traefik-proxy) and [traefik-proxy/apps/mern-boilerplate](https://github.com/nemanjam/traefik-proxy/tree/main/apps/mern-boilerplate)
+- **Frontend**: React, Redux, Thunk, Formik, Yup  
+- **Backend**: Node.js, Express, MongoDB, Mongoose  
+- **Auth**: Passport (Local, Google, Facebook), JWT  
+- **Deployment**: Docker, Heroku  
+- **Other**: Babel, Joi Validation, Multer (Image Upload), PM2
+
+---
+
+## ⚙️ Features
+
+### Server
+
+- User & Message Models with 1:N relation
+- Full REST API with CRUD operations
+- Role-based Auth [User, Admin]
+- Local & OAuth [Google, Facebook] Authentication
+- JWT Protected Routes
+- Image Uploads with Multer
+- Server-side validation with Joi
+- Seed DB with sample data
+- `.env` file for config
+
+### Client
 
+- React Functional Components with Hooks
+- Redux for state management with Thunk
+- Auth-protected routes with different views
+- Admin dashboard with control access
+- Form Validation using Formik & Yup
+- Reusable layout & loader components
+- Modular structure
+
+---
+
+## 📦 Folder Structure
+
+```bash
+mern-boilerplate/
+│
+├── client/               # React frontend
+│   └── ...
+│
+├── server/               # Node.js backend
+│   └── src/
+│       ├── models/
+│       ├── routes/
+│       ├── controllers/
+│       └── ...
+│
+├── screenshots/          # UI previews
+├── .env.example          # Sample config
+└── docker-compose.yml
 
-## Features
 
-- Server
+## Deployment with Docker (2023. update)
 
-  - User and Message models with `1:N` relation
-  - Full CRUD REST API operations for both Message and User models
-  - Passport authentication with local `email/password`, Facebook and Google OAuth strategies and JWT protected APIs
-  - `User` and `Admin` roles
-  - NodeJS server with Babel for new JS syntax unified with React client
-  - `async/await` syntax across whole app
-  - Joi server side validation of user's input
-  - Single `.env` file configuration
-  - Image upload with Multer
-  - Database seed
+Since Heroku is no longer free I made Docker production deployment that you can use on any Linux VPS.
+
+- original [mern-docker-prod](https://github.com/nemanjam/mern-docker-prod) repository with Docker code and instructions that you can reuse to deploy your own Mern apps
+- Traefik part of the deployment [traefik-proxy](https://github.com/nemanjam/traefik-proxy) and [traefik-proxy/apps/mern-boilerplate](https://github.com/nemanjam/traefik-proxy/tree/main/apps/mern-boilerplate)
 
-- Client
 
-  - React client with functional components and Hooks
-  - Redux state management with Thunk for async actions
-  - CSS agnostic, so you don't waste your time replacing my CSS framework with yours
-  - Home, Users, Profile, Admin, Notfound, Login and Register pages
-  - Protected routes with Higher order components
-  - Different views for unauthenticated, authenticated and admin user
-  - Edit/Delete forms for Message and User with Formik and Yup validation
-  - Admin has privileges to edit and delete other users and their messages
-  - Layout component, so you can have pages without Navbar
-  - Loading states with Loader component
-  - Single config file within `/constants` folder
 
 ## Installation
 
@@ -120,6 +150,12 @@ $ cd client
 $ npm install
 $ npm start
 ```
+## 🔧 Docker Build (ARM-compatible)
+
+### Client (React App)
+```bash
+docker build -t your-client-name -f ./client/Dockerfile .
+
 
 That's it as far for development setup. For production check the `Deployment on Heroku` section.
 
@@ -245,3 +281,5 @@ export const GOOGLE_AUTH_LINK = "https://my-own-app.herokuapp.com/auth/google";
 ## Licence
 
 ### MIT
+
+
diff --git a/client/package.json b/client/package.json
index 0b2e68058..cc2582022 100644
--- a/client/package.json
+++ b/client/package.json
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
     "start": "set HTTPS=true&&react-scripts start",
     "build": "react-scripts build",
     "test": "react-scripts test",
-    "eject": "react-scripts eject"
+    "eject": "react-scripts eject",
+    "docker:build-arm": "docker buildx build --platform linux/arm64 -t mern-client-arm . --load"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@testing-library/jest-dom": "^4.2.4",
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 7fd154f83..e91513690 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -1,41 +1,19 @@
 version: '3.8'
 
-# alternative 1 - inject separate env files into containers
-# env_file:
-#   - ./client/.env
-# env_file:
-#   - ./server/.env
-# 
-# alternative 2 - put all vars into single .env and forward vars through docker-compose.yml
-# environment: ...
-
 services:
   mdp-client:
     container_name: mdp-client
     restart: unless-stopped
     image: nemanjamitic/mern-boilerplate-client:latest
     build:
-      # src must be in context
       context: ./client
       dockerfile: docker/Dockerfile
     depends_on:
       - mdp-server
     networks:
       - internal-client
-    environment:
-      - NODE_ENV=production
-      # forwarded
-      - REACT_APP_BASE_URL
-    # env_file:
-    #   - ./client/.env
-    
-    # nginx ports
-    # either open port or route through traefik
-    # ports:
-    # - '3080:80'
-    # - '3443:443' # must edit nginx.conf
-
-    # handles everything except /api and /public/images
+    env_file:
+      - ./client/.env
     labels:
       - 'traefik.enable=true'
       - 'traefik.docker.network=proxy'
@@ -53,33 +31,13 @@ services:
       dockerfile: docker/Dockerfile
     depends_on:
       - mdp-mongo
-    environment:
-      - NODE_ENV=production
-      # forwarded
-      - MONGO_URI_PROD
-      - GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID
-      - GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET
-      - GOOGLE_CALLBACK_URL
-      - FACEBOOK_APP_ID
-      - FACEBOOK_SECRET
-      - FACEBOOK_CALLBACK_URL
-      - JWT_SECRET_PROD
-      - CLIENT_URL_PROD
-      - SERVER_URL_PROD
-    # env_file:
-    #   - ./server/.env
+    env_file:
+      - ./server/.env
     volumes:
       - ./server/public/images:/home/node/app/server/public/images
     networks:
       - default
       - internal-client
-
-    # either open port or route through traefik
-    # ports:
-    #   - '5000'
-      
-    # must be exposed through traefik too
-    # handles /api and /public/images
     labels:
       - 'traefik.enable=true'
       - 'traefik.docker.network=proxy'
@@ -93,14 +51,9 @@ services:
     container_name: mdp-mongo
     restart: unless-stopped
     ports:
-      - '27017'
-    environment:
-      # forwarded
-    - MONGO_INITDB_DATABASE
-    - MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_USERNAME
-    - MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_PASSWORD
-    # env_file:
-    #   - ./server/.env
+      - '27017:27017'
+    env_file:
+      - ./server/.env
     volumes:
       - ./server/docker/mongo-data:/data/db
     networks:
diff --git a/docs/git-foundations-notes-by-tayyiba-kiran.md b/docs/git-foundations-notes-by-tayyiba-kiran.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f4b02a2ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/git-foundations-notes-by-tayyiba-kiran.md
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+
+## 🚀 Project Setup Notes
+
+### 📁 Folder Structure
+
+```
+/
+├── client/               # Frontend (React)
+│   └── Dockerfile
+├── server/               # Backend (Node.js + PM2)
+│   └── Dockerfile
+├── docker-compose.yml
+├── .env.example
+├── .gitignore
+├── .dockerignore
+├── README.md
+└── package.json
+```
+
+---
+
+### ✅ What I Updated
+
+#### 1. **Dockerfile (Client)**
+
+* Used Node to build the React app.
+* Used Nginx to serve the static files.
+* Final image is very small and fast.
+
+#### 2. **Dockerfile (Server)**
+
+* Used Node 16 Alpine image.
+* Installed PM2 globally to run the server.
+* Used `pm2-runtime` in the `CMD`.
+
+#### 3. **.gitignore**
+
+* Ignored:
+
+  * node\_modules
+  * build/
+  * env files (except example)
+  * log files
+  * editor and OS-specific files
+
+#### 4. **.env.example**
+
+* Added placeholder values for both client and server environments.
+
+#### 5. **docker-compose.yml**
+
+* Added setup for `client` and `server` services.
+* Linked everything to work together.
+
+#### 6. **package.json**
+
+* Added scripts to build Docker images for ARM (Apple Silicon, Raspberry Pi etc):
+
+```json
+"scripts": {
+  "docker:build:client:arm": "docker buildx build --platform linux/arm64 -t mdp-client-arm ./client",
+  "docker:build:server:arm": "docker buildx build --platform linux/arm64 -t mdp-server-arm ./server"
+}
+```
+
+---
+
+### 💻 Git Commands Used
+
+```bash
+git add .
+git commit -m "Updated Dockerfiles, envs, ignore files and added ARM build script"
+git push
+```
+
+---
+
+by Tayyiba Kiran
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+																																																																																																x
+
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e85d571e2..8f18d25e2 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
     "docker:prod:arm:client:build": "COMPOSE_DOCKER_CLI_BUILD=1 DOCKER_BUILDKIT=1 DOCKER_DEFAULT_PLATFORM=linux/arm64 docker compose build mdp-client",
     "docker:prod:arm:server:build": "COMPOSE_DOCKER_CLI_BUILD=1 DOCKER_BUILDKIT=1 DOCKER_DEFAULT_PLATFORM=linux/arm64 docker compose build mdp-server",
     "docker:prod:client:push": "docker push nemanjamitic/mern-boilerplate-client:latest",
-    "docker:prod:server:push": "docker push nemanjamitic/mern-boilerplate-server:latest"
+    "docker:prod:server:push": "docker push nemanjamitic/mern-boilerplate-server:latest",
+    "docker:build:arm": "docker buildx build --platform linux/arm64 -t your-image-name:arm ."
   },
   "author": "Nemanja Mitic (https://github.com/nemanjam)",
   "license": "MIT",
diff --git a/screenshots/Screenshot-tayyiba-kiran.jpg b/screenshots/Screenshot-tayyiba-kiran.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f586707ea
Binary files /dev/null and b/screenshots/Screenshot-tayyiba-kiran.jpg differ
diff --git a/server/docker/Dockerfile b/server/docker/Dockerfile
index b7fffebae..ca4ed3e54 100644
--- a/server/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/server/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -1,30 +1,40 @@
 FROM node:16.19.0-alpine
 
+# Set non-root user
 ENV USER=node
 
-# home folder node user
-RUN mkdir -p /home/node/app
+# Create app directory and set permissions
+RUN mkdir -p /home/node/app && \
+    mkdir /home/node/.npm-global && \
+    chown -R node:node /home/node
+
 WORKDIR /home/node/app
 
-# relative to build context
-COPY . ./
+# Copy package files first for better Docker caching
 COPY package*.json ./
 
-RUN chown -R node:node /home/node/app
-
-RUN mkdir /home/node/.npm-global
-RUN chown -R node:node /home/node/.npm-global
-
+# Set up global npm path
 ENV PATH=/home/node/.npm-global/bin:$PATH
 ENV NPM_CONFIG_PREFIX=/home/node/.npm-global
 
+# Switch to non-root user
+USER node
+
+# Set npm global user config
 RUN npm --global config set user "${USER}"
 
-USER node
-RUN npm i --location=global pm2
+# Install global PM2
+RUN npm install --location=global pm2
 
-ENV NODE_ENV=production
+# Install project dependencies
 RUN npm install
+
+# Copy rest of the app
+COPY --chown=node:node . .
+
+# Build the app
+ENV NODE_ENV=production
 RUN npm run build
 
-CMD [ "pm2-runtime", "--no-auto-exit", "npm", "--", "run", "docker:start:prod" ]
+# Run using PM2
+CMD ["pm2-runtime", "--no-auto-exit", "npm", "--", "run", "docker:start:prod"]