diff --git a/register-api/README.md b/register-api/README.md
index 6fb10ea..85fb784 100644
--- a/register-api/README.md
+++ b/register-api/README.md
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 
 
-## Quick Start (local everything via docker compose)
+## Quick Start
+
+These commands bring up everything via Docker compose. It does not allow for local development.
 
 ```
 source env.sample.noauth
@@ -8,10 +10,6 @@ docker-compose build
 docker-compose up
 ```
 
-# Docker
-Pre-built docker containers are available.
-
-
 ## Configuration
 
 Most configuration for the service is setup through environment variables.
@@ -75,23 +73,72 @@ token = s._session.get_auth().get_token()
 
 ## Development Setup
 
-### Create a virtual env and install python
+### Create a Python Enviroment
+
+If using Conda create a new Conda environment:
+
+```
+conda create -f environment.yml
+conda activate register-api
+```
+
+Otherwise create a Python virtual environment. Your system will need to already have rust installed:
 
 ```python -m venv .venv 
 source .venv/bin/activate
 pip install --upgrade pip
+```
+
+Install the package requirements and the register-api software into the Python environment:
+
+```
 pip install -r requirements.txt
+pip install -e .
 ```
-### start up a postgres server
 
-### update inis, env files
+### Start up the Postgres Server
+
+The docker compose file can be used to load a local development Postgres server without running the register-api application:
 
-### Run the server
-.venv/bin/uvicorn main:app --reload
+```
+docker compose up db -d
+```
+
+The database is stored persistently in a named Docker volume.
+
+### Initialize the database
+
+The following script will initialize the Postgres database. You will need to have installed the register-api package into the Python environment for this command to work.
+
+```
+python ap/db/init_db.py
+```
+
+### Environment Variables
+
+The `env.local_dev` file contains the environment variables necessary for directing the locally running instance of register-api to the Docker launched postgres database as well to a locally running Invenio RDM instance.
+
+Source this file into the shell environment before running the server:
+
+```
+source env.local_dev
+```
+
+### Run the Server
+
+With dependencies configured and the database running and initialized you can launch the local development version of the register-api server. The `--reload` causes the server to restart when changes to the software are made.
+
+```
+uvicorn main:app --reload
+```
 
 ## Docker Setup
-`docker-compose up`
 
+Run Docker compuse without specifying a target:
+
+```
+docker-compose up
+```
 
 ## Database Cleanup
 
@@ -104,4 +151,4 @@ docker-compose down -v
 
 # Start fresh
 docker-compose up --build
-```
+```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/register-api/env.local_dev b/register-api/env.local_dev
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..536adbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/register-api/env.local_dev
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# API Configuration
+export API_V1_STR=/api/v1
+export PROJECT_NAME="MDPS Artifact Catalog"
+
+# Database Configuration
+# Must be updated fro non-local usage
+export DATABASE_URL=postgresql://postgres:postgres@127.0.0.1:5433/mdps_catalog
+
+# Storage Configuration
+export STORAGE_PATH=./storage
+
+export DESTINATION_REGISTRY=123.dkr.ecr.us-west-2.amazonaws.com
+
+export JWT_AUTH_TYPE=RDM
+export JWT_VALIDATION_URL=
+export JWT_ISSUER_URL=
+export JWT_CLIENT_ID=
+export JWT_GROUPS_KEY=
+
+#RDM Config
+export RDM_URL=https://127.0.0.1:5000
diff --git a/register-api/environment.yml b/register-api/environment.yml
index 38df6d6..e4d24ba 100644
--- a/register-api/environment.yml
+++ b/register-api/environment.yml
@@ -3,4 +3,5 @@ channels:
 - conda-forge
 dependencies:
 - python<=3.12
-- rust
\ No newline at end of file
+- rust
+- psycopg2-binary==2.9.9 # Install here or else get segfaults in psycopg2 module when installed through pip
\ No newline at end of file