diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b23129660..82bea88a1 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -26,3 +26,10 @@ doc
 
 # Ignore coverage report
 coverage
+
+# Ignore local ruby version manager config files
+.ruby-version
+.ruby-gemset
+
+# Ignore redis database saves (if launched in the application root directory)
+dump.rdb
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 17f9cc8db..477db3428 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,3 +24,23 @@ Things you may want to cover:
 * Deployment instructions
 
 * ...
+
+## Developer Setup
+
+1) Change to your development working directory root   
+    `cd .`
+1) Use your ruby verstion manager to set your ruby version to **2.3.4** and the gemset of your choice  
+    eg. `rvm use --create 2.3.4@laevigata`
+1) Clone this repo to your local development environment  
+    `git clone https://github.com/curationexperts/laevigata.git`
+1) Change to the application directory  
+    `cd laevigata`
+1) Run the first time setup script  
+    `bin/setup`
+1) Start redis  
+    `redis-server &`  
+    use ` &` to start in the background, or run redis in a new terminal session  
+1) Run the test suite  
+    `bin/rails ci`
+1) If the tests run without error, start the demo server  
+    `bin/rails hydra:server`