diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 046c7dffe..12abb5e21 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,20 +1,25 @@
+# Use official Python base image
 FROM python:3.9
 
+# Set working directory
 WORKDIR /app/backend
 
+# Copy requirements and install system dependencies
 COPY requirements.txt /app/backend
 RUN apt-get update \
     && apt-get upgrade -y \
-    && apt-get install -y gcc default-libmysqlclient-dev pkg-config \
+    && apt-get install -y gcc default-libmysqlclient-dev pkg-config net-tools iproute2 \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
-
-# Install app dependencies
+# Install Python dependencies
 RUN pip install mysqlclient
 RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt
 
+# Copy the rest of the application code
 COPY . /app/backend
 
+# Expose Django default port
 EXPOSE 8000
-#RUN python manage.py migrate
-#RUN python manage.py makemigrations
+
+# Run Django development server bound to 0.0.0.0 so it's accessible externally
+CMD ["python", "manage.py", "runserver", "0.0.0.0:8000"]
diff --git a/notesapp/settings.py b/notesapp/settings.py
index deae53e73..a194ee6aa 100644
--- a/notesapp/settings.py
+++ b/notesapp/settings.py
@@ -1,36 +1,18 @@
 """
 Django settings for notesapp project.
-
-Generated by 'django-admin startproject' using Django 4.1.5.
-
-For more information on this file, see
-https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.1/topics/settings/
-
-For the full list of settings and their values, see
-https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.1/ref/settings/
 """
 
 import os
 from pathlib import Path
 
-# Build paths inside the project like this: BASE_DIR / 'subdir'.
 BASE_DIR = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
 
-
-# Quick-start development settings - unsuitable for production
-# See https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.1/howto/deployment/checklist/
-
-# SECURITY WARNING: keep the secret key used in production secret!
 SECRET_KEY = 'django-insecure-&dzi#zsb(hz6p(s#anunt&#-a%ohr2hld71*i72*^exvw-yq$y'
 
-# SECURITY WARNING: don't run with debug turned on in production!
 DEBUG = True
 
 ALLOWED_HOSTS = ['*']
 
-
-# Application definition
-
 INSTALLED_APPS = [
     'django.contrib.admin',
     'django.contrib.auth',
@@ -40,16 +22,16 @@
     'django.contrib.staticfiles',
     'api.apps.ApiConfig',
     'rest_framework',
-    'corsheaders'
+    'corsheaders',
 ]
 
 MIDDLEWARE = [
     'django.middleware.security.SecurityMiddleware',
     'corsheaders.middleware.CorsMiddleware',
-    "whitenoise.middleware.WhiteNoiseMiddleware",
+    'whitenoise.middleware.WhiteNoiseMiddleware',
     'django.contrib.sessions.middleware.SessionMiddleware',
     'django.middleware.common.CommonMiddleware',
-    #'django.middleware.csrf.CsrfViewMiddleware',
+    # 'django.middleware.csrf.CsrfViewMiddleware',
     'django.contrib.auth.middleware.AuthenticationMiddleware',
     'django.contrib.messages.middleware.MessageMiddleware',
     'django.middleware.clickjacking.XFrameOptionsMiddleware',
@@ -83,26 +65,14 @@
 
 WSGI_APPLICATION = 'notesapp.wsgi.application'
 
-
-# Database
-# https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.1/ref/settings/#databases
-
+# ✅ Use SQLite for local/Docker testing
 DATABASES = {
-
     'default': {
-        'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.mysql',
-        'NAME': os.getenv("DB_NAME"),
-        'USER': os.getenv("DB_USER"),
-        'PASSWORD': os.getenv("DB_PASSWORD"),
-        'HOST': os.getenv("DB_HOST"),
-        'PORT': os.getenv("DB_PORT"),
+        'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.sqlite3',
+        'NAME': BASE_DIR / 'db.sqlite3',
     }
 }
 
-
-# Password validation
-# https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.1/ref/settings/#auth-password-validators
-
 AUTH_PASSWORD_VALIDATORS = [
     {
         'NAME': 'django.contrib.auth.password_validation.UserAttributeSimilarityValidator',
@@ -118,35 +88,17 @@
     },
 ]
 
-
-# Internationalization
-# https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.1/topics/i18n/
-
 LANGUAGE_CODE = 'en-us'
-
 TIME_ZONE = 'UTC'
-
 USE_I18N = True
-
 USE_TZ = True
 
-
-# Static files (CSS, JavaScript, Images)
-# https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.1/howto/static-files/
-
 STATIC_URL = 'static/'
 
-# STATICFILES_DIRS = [
-#     BASE_DIR / 'mynotes/build/static'
-# ]
-
 STATICFILES_DIRS = [os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'mynotes/build/static')]
 
 STATIC_ROOT = os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'staticfiles')
 
-# Default primary key field type
-# https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.1/ref/settings/#default-auto-field
-
 DEFAULT_AUTO_FIELD = 'django.db.models.BigAutoField'
 
 CORS_ORIGIN_ALLOW_ALL = True