diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 0f5d43b..d0435b0 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ db/bk
 db/bson/user.bson
 db/bson/user.metadata.json
 db/init-prod.js
+db/db
 db/bson-for-azure
 sample-app/node_modules
 docker-compose.yml
@@ -11,3 +12,5 @@ dump
 bk
 backend/dist
 docker/db
+docker/backend
+docker/frontend
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 2edb66d..a36da49 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -53,10 +53,10 @@ With Version 2, this Open Source project is now open for contribution! You can h
     test> use lotr
     lotr>
     ```
-- the database files are stored in `./docker/db/` - to restore from the original, stop the running containers, delete that directory, and bring the environment back up:
+- the database files are stored in `./db/db/` - to restore from the original, stop the running containers, delete that directory, and bring the environment back up:
     ```
     make down
-    sudo rm -rf ./docker/db
+    sudo rm -rf ./db/db
     make up
     ```
 
diff --git a/backend/.dockerignore b/backend/.dockerignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b512c09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/.dockerignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+node_modules
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/Dockerfile b/backend/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..464e21c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+FROM node:21.2
+
+WORKDIR /app
+
+COPY package.json .
+
+RUN npm install
+
+# Copy the rest of the application code
+COPY . .
+
+EXPOSE 3001
+
+CMD ["npm", "run", "dev"]
diff --git a/db/dockerfile b/db/dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..560954d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+FROM mongo:7.0-jammy as lotr_mongo
+
+COPY ./bson/* /db/data/init/
+
+EXPOSE 27017
+
+RUN echo "mongorestore -d lotr db/data/init" > /docker-entrypoint-initdb.d/init.sh
diff --git a/docker/compose.yml b/docker/compose.yml
index 537bd98..dd0f494 100644
--- a/docker/compose.yml
+++ b/docker/compose.yml
@@ -2,38 +2,31 @@ name: lotr
 services:
     mongo:
         build:
-            context: ..
-            dockerfile: docker/dockerfile
-            target: lotr_mongo
+            context: ../db
         environment:
             MONGO_INITDB_DATABASE: lotr
         ports:
             - 27017:27017
         restart: on-failure
         volumes:
-            - ./db:/data/db
+            - ${PWD}/../db:/data
 
     backend:
-        # Using the debian version rather than alpine to support binary execution e.g. bcrypt
-        image: node:21.2
-        command: [ "npm", "run", "dev" ]
+        build: ../backend
         depends_on:
             - mongo
         environment:
             DATABASE_URL: "mongodb://mongo:27017/lotr"
-        ports:
-            - 3001:3001
         volumes:
-            - ../backend:/app
-        working_dir: /app
+            - ${PWD}/../backend:/backend
+        ports:
+            - "3001:3001"
 
     frontend:
-        image: node:21.2-alpine
-        command: [ "npm", "run", "start" ]
+        build: ../frontend
         depends_on:
-            - backend
-        ports:
-            - 3000:3000
+            - mongo
         volumes:
-            - ../frontend:/app
-        working_dir: /app
+            - ${PWD}/../frontend:/frontend
+        ports:
+            - "3000:3000"
diff --git a/docker/dockerfile b/docker/dockerfile
index b6cd496..6117907 100644
--- a/docker/dockerfile
+++ b/docker/dockerfile
@@ -25,16 +25,4 @@ RUN getent passwd $USER_ID || adduser --disabled-password --gecos '' --uid $USER
 # Set the active user and open the interactive terminal
 USER user
 
-ENTRYPOINT [ "bash" ]
-
-
-
-################
-### DATABASE ###
-################
-
-FROM mongo:7.0-jammy as lotr_mongo
-
-COPY ./db/bson /data/init
-
-RUN echo "mongorestore --archive='/data/init'" > /docker-entrypoint-initdb.d/init.sh
+ENTRYPOINT [ "bash" ]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/frontend/.dockerignore b/frontend/.dockerignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b512c09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/.dockerignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+node_modules
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/frontend/Dockerfile b/frontend/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..703428c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+FROM node:21.2-alpine
+
+WORKDIR /app
+
+COPY package.json .
+
+RUN npm install
+
+# Copy the rest of the application code
+COPY . .
+
+EXPOSE 3000
+
+CMD [ "npm", "run", "start" ]
diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index 930bae1..9bee421 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # build the command line interface and install node packages
 build:
 	docker build --build-arg "USER_ID=$$(id -u)" --build-arg "GROUP_ID=$$(id -g)" -f ./docker/dockerfile --target lotr_cli -t lotr-cli:latest .
-	docker run -v ./backend:/app/backend -v ./frontend:/app/frontend --entrypoint /app/npm-build.sh -it --rm --name lotr-cli lotr-cli
+	docker run -v ${PWD}/backend:/app/backend -v ${PWD}/frontend:/app/frontend --entrypoint /app/npm-build.sh -it --rm --name lotr-cli lotr-cli
 
 # start and stop the local environment
 up:
@@ -11,4 +11,4 @@ down:
 
 # run the command line interface to manage application dependencies and run tests
 cli:
-	docker run -v ./backend:/app/backend -v ./frontend:/app/frontend -it --rm --name lotr-cli lotr-cli
+	docker run -v ${PWD}/backend:/app/backend -v ${PWD}/frontend:/app/frontend -it --rm --name lotr-cli lotr-cli