diff --git a/Dockerfile.app b/Dockerfile.app
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1961b34b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dockerfile.app
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+FROM golang:1.23 AS builder
+
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
+    make git gcc util-linux \
+    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
+WORKDIR /app
+
+COPY go.mod go.sum ./
+RUN go mod download
+
+COPY . .
+
+RUN cp scripts/docker-enter /usr/bin/docker-enter && \
+    cp scripts/docker_enter /usr/bin/docker_enter && \
+    chmod u+s /usr/bin/docker_enter && \
+    gcc -o /usr/bin/importenv scripts/importenv.c
+
+RUN make build
+
+FROM ubuntu:22.04
+
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y ca-certificates \
+    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
+COPY --from=builder /go/bin/beast /usr/local/bin/beast
+COPY setup.sh /usr/local/bin/setup.sh
+RUN chmod +x /usr/local/bin/setup.sh
+
+EXPOSE 5005
+
+ENTRYPOINT ["setup.sh"]
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 00c9f9f8..889df3ce 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -81,3 +81,66 @@ installenv:
 	@./scripts/installenv.sh
 
 .PHONY: build format test check_format tools docs installenv
+
+# ── Docker Compose Targets ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+# Usage: make up NAME=myctf
+#
+# NAME (required, no spaces) — used to create a .<NAME> folder on the host which
+# is mounted as /root/.beast inside the beast container. This keeps each
+# deployment isolated and named.
+#
+# Prerequisites:
+#   - config.toml must exist alongside this Makefile.
+#   - In config.toml set psql_config.host = "postgres" (the compose service name).
+#
+# Targets:
+#   make up   NAME=<name>  — set up .<name>/, copy config, start services
+#   make down NAME=<name>  — stop and remove services
+#   make logs NAME=<name>  — tail beast service logs
+
+check-name:
+	@if [ -z "$(NAME)" ]; then \
+		echo "Error: NAME is required. Usage: make up NAME=myctf"; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+	@if echo "$(NAME)" | grep -q "[[:space:]]"; then \
+		echo "Error: NAME must not contain spaces"; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+
+check-config:
+	@if [ ! -f "config.toml" ]; then \
+		echo "Error: config.toml not found in current directory."; \
+		echo "Place your config.toml here (see _examples/example.config.toml)."; \
+		echo "Ensure psql_config.host = \"postgres\" for the compose network."; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+
+BEAST_DIR = $(HOME)/.$(NAME)
+
+setup-beast-dir: check-name check-config
+	@echo "[*] Setting up $(BEAST_DIR)..."
+	@mkdir -p $(BEAST_DIR)/assets/logo
+	@mkdir -p $(BEAST_DIR)/assets/mailTemplates
+	@mkdir -p $(BEAST_DIR)/remote
+	@mkdir -p $(BEAST_DIR)/uploads
+	@mkdir -p $(BEAST_DIR)/secrets
+	@mkdir -p $(BEAST_DIR)/scripts
+	@mkdir -p $(BEAST_DIR)/staging
+	@mkdir -p $(BEAST_DIR)/cache
+	@mkdir -p $(BEAST_DIR)/logs
+	@cp config.toml $(BEAST_DIR)/config.toml
+	@echo "[*] $(BEAST_DIR) ready (mounted as /root/.beast in container)"
+
+up: setup-beast-dir
+	@echo "[*] Starting beast services (project: $(NAME))..."
+	@BEAST_DIR=$(BEAST_DIR) docker compose --project-name $(NAME) up -d --build
+	@echo "[*] Beast API running at http://localhost:5005"
+
+down: check-name
+	@docker compose --project-name $(NAME) down
+
+logs: check-name
+	@docker compose --project-name $(NAME) logs -f beast
+
+.PHONY: check-name check-config setup-beast-dir up down logs
diff --git a/core/constants.go b/core/constants.go
index 0fc10a06..d90d6cb4 100644
--- a/core/constants.go
+++ b/core/constants.go
@@ -11,6 +11,12 @@ var (
 	BEAST_GLOBAL_DIR     = filepath.Join(os.Getenv("HOME"), ".beast")
 	AUTHORIZED_KEYS_FILE = filepath.Join(os.Getenv("HOME"), ".ssh", "authorized_keys")
 	BEAST_TEMP_DIR       = filepath.Join(os.TempDir(), "beast")
+	BEAST_MOUNT_DIR = func() string {
+		if hostDir := os.Getenv("BEAST_HOST_DIR"); hostDir != "" {
+			return hostDir
+		}
+		return BEAST_GLOBAL_DIR
+	}()
 )
 
 const ( //names
diff --git a/core/manager/pipeline.go b/core/manager/pipeline.go
index f13eb40d..7a5a6880 100644
--- a/core/manager/pipeline.go
+++ b/core/manager/pipeline.go
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ func deployChallenge(challenge *database.Challenge, config cfg.BeastChallengeCon
 	staticMount := make(map[string]string)
 	var staticMountDir string
 	if challenge.ServerDeployed == core.LOCALHOST || challenge.ServerDeployed == "" {
-		staticMountDir = filepath.Join(core.BEAST_GLOBAL_DIR, core.BEAST_STAGING_DIR, config.Challenge.Metadata.Name, core.BEAST_STATIC_FOLDER)
+		staticMountDir = filepath.Join(core.BEAST_MOUNT_DIR, core.BEAST_STAGING_DIR, config.Challenge.Metadata.Name, core.BEAST_STATIC_FOLDER)
 	} else {
 		staticMountDir = filepath.Join("$HOME/.beast", core.BEAST_STAGING_DIR, config.Challenge.Metadata.Name, core.BEAST_STATIC_FOLDER)
 	}
diff --git a/core/manager/static.go b/core/manager/static.go
index a45c3ef8..c94f9cee 100644
--- a/core/manager/static.go
+++ b/core/manager/static.go
@@ -50,14 +50,14 @@ func DeployStaticContentContainer() error {
 
 	// Remove the prefix sha256:
 	imageId := images[0].ID[7:]
-	stagingDirPath := filepath.Join(core.BEAST_GLOBAL_DIR, core.BEAST_STAGING_DIR)
+	stagingDirPath := filepath.Join(core.BEAST_MOUNT_DIR, core.BEAST_STAGING_DIR)
 	err = utils.CreateIfNotExistDir(stagingDirPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Errorf("Error in validating staging mount point : %s", err)
 		return errors.New("INVALID_STAGING_AREA")
 	}
 
-	beastStaticAuthFile := filepath.Join(core.BEAST_GLOBAL_DIR, core.BEAST_STATIC_AUTH_FILE)
+	beastStaticAuthFile := filepath.Join(core.BEAST_MOUNT_DIR, core.BEAST_STATIC_AUTH_FILE)
 	err = utils.ValidateFileExists(beastStaticAuthFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		p := fmt.Errorf("BEAST STATIC: Authentication file does not exist for beast static container, cannot proceed deployment")
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c2c88216
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+services:
+  beast:
+    build:
+      context: .
+      dockerfile: Dockerfile.app
+    network_mode: host
+    volumes:
+      - ${BEAST_DIR}:/root/.beast
+      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
+    environment:
+      - HOME=/root
+      - BEAST_FLAGS=${BEAST_FLAGS:--v}
+      - BEAST_HOST_DIR=${BEAST_DIR}
+    restart: unless-stopped
diff --git a/setup.sh b/setup.sh
index ae8d4bab..76648c90 100755
--- a/setup.sh
+++ b/setup.sh
@@ -1,35 +1,77 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+# Detect if running inside a Docker container
+IN_CONTAINER=false
+[ -f /.dockerenv ] && IN_CONTAINER=true
+
 echo -e "Setting up sample environment for beast..."
 
+# In container, HOME=/root; locally, use /home/$USER
+if [ "$IN_CONTAINER" = true ]; then
+    BEAST_HOME="$HOME"
+else
+    BEAST_HOME="/home/$USER"
+fi
+
 # Creating required directories
-mkdir -p "/home/$USER/.beast" "/home/$USER/.beast/assets/logo" "/home/$USER/.beast/assets/mailTemplates" "/home/$USER/.beast/remote" "/home/$USER/.beast/uploads" "/home/$USER/.beast/secrets" "/home/$USER/.beast/scripts" "/home/$USER/.beast/staging"
+mkdir -p \
+    "${BEAST_HOME}/.beast" \
+    "${BEAST_HOME}/.beast/assets/logo" \
+    "${BEAST_HOME}/.beast/assets/mailTemplates" \
+    "${BEAST_HOME}/.beast/remote" \
+    "${BEAST_HOME}/.beast/uploads" \
+    "${BEAST_HOME}/.beast/secrets" \
+    "${BEAST_HOME}/.beast/scripts" \
+    "${BEAST_HOME}/.beast/staging" \
+    "${BEAST_HOME}/.beast/cache" \
+    "${BEAST_HOME}/.beast/logs"
 
-# Creating random authorized_keys and secret.key files
-echo -e "auth_keys" >/home/$USER/.beast/authorized_keys
-echo -e "auth_keys" >/home/$USER/.beast/secret.key
+# Creating placeholder authorized_keys and secret.key files if absent
+[ ! -f "${BEAST_HOME}/.beast/beast_authorized_keys" ] && touch "${BEAST_HOME}/.beast/beast_authorized_keys"
+[ ! -f "${BEAST_HOME}/.beast/secret.key" ]            && touch "${BEAST_HOME}/.beast/secret.key"
 
-BEAST_GLOBAL_CONFIG=~/.beast/config.toml
-EXAMPLE_CONFIG_FILE=./_examples/example.config.toml
+BEAST_GLOBAL_CONFIG="${BEAST_HOME}/.beast/config.toml"
+EXAMPLE_CONFIG_FILE="./_examples/example.config.toml"
 
 if [ -f "$BEAST_GLOBAL_CONFIG" ]; then
     echo -e "Found $BEAST_GLOBAL_CONFIG"
 else
+    if [ "$IN_CONTAINER" = true ]; then
+        echo -e "\e[31mconfig.toml not found at ${BEAST_GLOBAL_CONFIG}"
+        echo -e "\e[31mMount your config.toml to ${BEAST_GLOBAL_CONFIG} and retry."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
     if [ -f "$EXAMPLE_CONFIG_FILE" ]; then
         echo -e "Copying example config file"
-        cp ./_examples/example.config.toml $BEAST_GLOBAL_CONFIG
+        cp ./_examples/example.config.toml "$BEAST_GLOBAL_CONFIG"
     else
         echo -e '\e[93mCould not find example.config.toml'
         echo -e 'Downloading example.config.toml'
         wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sdslabs/beast/master/_examples/example.config.toml
-        cp ./example.config.toml $BEAST_GLOBAL_CONFIG
+        cp ./example.config.toml "$BEAST_GLOBAL_CONFIG"
         exit
     fi
-    sed -i "s/vsts/$USER/g" $BEAST_GLOBAL_CONFIG
+    sed -i "s/vsts/$USER/g" "$BEAST_GLOBAL_CONFIG"
 fi
 
 echo -e "Created .beast folder..."
 
+# ── Container path: binary already built, just start beast ───────────────────
+if [ "$IN_CONTAINER" = true ]; then
+    echo -e "Checking Docker socket..."
+    if [ ! -S /var/run/docker.sock ]; then
+        echo -e "\e[31mDocker socket not found at /var/run/docker.sock"
+        echo -e "\e[31mMount the host Docker socket and retry."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    echo -e "Docker socket available. Starting beast..."
+    BEAST_FLAGS="${BEAST_FLAGS:--v}"
+    echo -e "Running: beast run ${BEAST_FLAGS}"
+    exec beast run ${BEAST_FLAGS}
+fi
+
+# ── Local path: build then advise the user to run beast ──────────────────────
 echo -e "Building beast..."
 
 export GO111MODULES=on
@@ -42,7 +84,7 @@ if [ -z "$GOPATH" ]; then
 fi
 
 echo -e 'checking if docker is running...'
-# Checking if docker deamon is running or not by checking its PID
+# Checking if docker daemon is running or not by checking its PID
 DOCKER_PID_FILE=/var/run/docker.pid
 if [ -f "$DOCKER_PID_FILE" ]; then
     echo -e "Docker is running."