diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 881876a..1fbd60c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -48,11 +48,13 @@ The project is designed for deployment on Azure App Service with a MySQL flexibl
     export FLASK_DEBUG=true
     flask run --reload
     ```
+
     **For Windows, use [`setx`](https://learn.microsoft.com/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/setx) command shown below:**
+
    ```powershell
-    setx FLASK_APP=app.py
-    setx FLASK_ENV=development
-    setx FLASK_DEBUG=true
+    setx FLASK_APP app.py
+    setx FLASK_ENV development
+    setx FLASK_DEBUG true
     flask run --reload
     ```
    
@@ -60,6 +62,32 @@ The project is designed for deployment on Azure App Service with a MySQL flexibl
 
 Navigate to project homepage [http://127.0.0.1:5000/](http://127.0.0.1:5000/) or [http://localhost:5000](http://localhost:5000)
 
+### Connect to your Database locally
+
+This application is configured to work without connecting a database for the pages that doesn't interact with it. If you want to enable database operations you'll need to connect to a database.
+
+- **Run the following commands to connect to a database:**
+
+    ```bash
+    export DEPLOYMENT_LOCATION=local
+    export DB_USER=
+    export DB_PASSWORD=
+    export DB_HOST=
+    export DB_NAME=
+    ```
+
+- **For windows, add configuration using:**
+
+    ```powershell
+    setx DEPLOYMENT_LOCATION local
+    setx DB_USER user
+    setx DB_PASSWORD password
+    setx DB_HOST host
+    setx DB_NAME dbname
+    ```
+
+- **Run the development server again.**
+
 ## Deployment
 
 This repository is set up for deployment on Azure App Service (w/MySQL flexible server) using the configuration files in the `infra` folder.
diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index dec46ab..b4987ee 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@
     print("Loading environment.azure_production.")
     app.config.from_object('environment.azure_production')
     setup_db(app)
+elif os.environ.get('DEPLOYMENT_LOCATION') == 'local':
+  print("Loading environment.development.")
+  app.config.from_object('environment.development')
+  setup_db(app)
 else:
     print("No environment detected.")
 
diff --git a/environment/development.py b/environment/development.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..57c4de0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/environment/development.py
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import os
+
+# mysql+mysqlconnector://your-username:your-password@localhost/your-schema'
+DATABASE_URI = 'mysql+mysqlconnector://{dbuser}:{dbpass}@{dbhost}/{dbname}'.format(
+    dbuser=os.environ.get('DB_USER'),
+    dbpass=os.environ.get('DB_PASSWORD'),
+    dbhost=os.environ.get('DB_HOST'),
+    dbname=os.environ.get('DB_NAME')
+)