diff --git a/SETUP_GUIDE.md b/SETUP_GUIDE.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..34df67f63da4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/SETUP_GUIDE.md
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+# Monkeytype Local Setup Guide
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+- **Node.js 24.11.0** (or 22.21.0) - Install from https://nodejs.org/ or use nvm
+- **PNPM 9.6.0** - Run: `npm install -g pnpm@9.6.0`
+- **Docker Desktop** - Install from https://www.docker.com/get-started/
+- **Git** - Install from https://git-scm.com/
+
+## Setup Steps
+
+### Step 1: Clone the Repository
+
+```bash
+git clone https://github.com/monkeytypegame/monkeytype.git
+cd monkeytype
+```
+
+### Step 2: Install Dependencies
+
+```bash
+pnpm install
+```
+
+_Note: If you get Node version errors, create `.npmrc` files with `engine-strict=false` in root, backend, and frontend directories._
+
+### Step 3: Configure Backend
+
+```bash
+# Copy environment file
+copy backend\example.env backend\.env
+
+# The .env file already has MODE=dev set, which is what you need
+```
+
+### Step 4: Create Firebase Config (Optional)
+
+Create `frontend/src/ts/constants/firebase-config.ts`:
+
+```typescript
+export const firebaseConfig = {
+  apiKey: "",
+  authDomain: "",
+  projectId: "",
+  storageBucket: "",
+  messagingSenderId: "",
+  appId: "",
+};
+```
+
+_Leave empty for development without authentication features._
+
+### Step 5: Start Databases
+
+```bash
+cd backend
+npm run docker-db-only
+```
+
+_This starts MongoDB (port 27017) and Redis (port 6379) in Docker containers._
+
+### Step 6: Start Backend Server
+
+Open a new terminal:
+
+```bash
+cd backend
+npm run dev
+```
+
+_Backend will run on http://localhost:5005_
+
+### Step 7: Start Frontend
+
+Open another new terminal:
+
+```bash
+npm run dev-fe
+```
+
+_Frontend will run on http://localhost:3000_
+
+### Step 8: Open Application
+
+Visit **http://localhost:3000** in your browser!
+
+## Quick Start Commands
+
+After initial setup, you only need:
+
+1. `cd backend && npm run docker-db-only` (start databases)
+2. `cd backend && npm run dev` (start backend)
+3. `npm run dev-fe` (start frontend)
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+**Node version error?**
+
+- Use `nvm use 24.11.0` or create `.npmrc` files with `engine-strict=false`
+
+**Backend won't connect to database?**
+
+- Ensure Docker Desktop is running
+- Check databases are running: `docker ps`
+
+**Firebase error on frontend?**
+
+- This is normal if you haven't set up Firebase
+- You can still use all typing features without authentication
+
+**Port already in use?**
+
+- Stop other processes using ports 3000, 5005, 27017, or 6379
diff --git a/backend/.npmrc b/backend/.npmrc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e69de29bb2d1
diff --git a/frontend/.npmrc b/frontend/.npmrc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e69de29bb2d1
diff --git a/frontend/src/styles/test.scss b/frontend/src/styles/test.scss
index d0064f2c7c24..35d596007a86 100644
--- a/frontend/src/styles/test.scss
+++ b/frontend/src/styles/test.scss
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+@import url("https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Faruma&display=swap");
+
 .highlightContainer {
   position: absolute;
   overflow: hidden;
@@ -324,6 +326,18 @@
       unicode-bidi: bidi-override;
     }
   }
+
+  &.thaanaTest {
+    font-family: "Faruma", "MV Faseyha", sans-serif;
+
+    .word letter {
+      display: inline-block;
+      unicode-bidi: isolate;
+      vertical-align: baseline;
+      line-height: 1;
+    }
+  }
+
   &.withLigatures {
     .word {
       overflow-wrap: anywhere;
diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/constants/languages.ts b/frontend/src/ts/constants/languages.ts
index fd963dfed479..254977e15bb7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/constants/languages.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/constants/languages.ts
@@ -368,6 +368,7 @@ export const LanguageGroups: Record<string, Language[]> = {
     "code_cuda",
   ],
   viossa: ["viossa", "viossa_njutro"],
+  dhivehi: ["dhivehi"],
 };
 
 export type LanguageGroupName = keyof typeof LanguageGroups;
diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/input/helpers/validation.ts b/frontend/src/ts/input/helpers/validation.ts
index 408b5416eba7..0a7514f73be5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/input/helpers/validation.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/input/helpers/validation.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 import Config from "../../config";
-import { isSpace } from "../../utils/strings";
+import {
+  isSpace,
+  splitIntoCharacters,
+  isCharacterMatch,
+} from "../../utils/strings";
 
 /**
  * Check if the input data is correct
@@ -29,17 +33,21 @@ export function isCharCorrect(options: {
     return inputValue === targetWord;
   }
 
-  const targetChar = targetWord[inputValue.length];
+  // Use splitIntoCharacters to properly handle combining characters (like Thaana fili)
+  const inputChars = splitIntoCharacters(inputValue + data);
+  const targetChars = splitIntoCharacters(targetWord);
+
+  // Get the character we just typed (last in inputChars after combining)
+  const typedCharIndex = inputChars.length - 1;
+  const typedChar = inputChars[typedCharIndex];
+  const targetChar = targetChars[typedCharIndex];
 
   if (targetChar === undefined) {
     return false;
   }
 
-  if (data === targetChar) {
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  return false;
+  // Use isCharacterMatch to handle partial matches (e.g., Thaana consonant before vowel mark)
+  return isCharacterMatch(typedChar ?? "", targetChar);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/test/test-ui.ts b/frontend/src/ts/test/test-ui.ts
index efbe30db3784..23ed25add97d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/test/test-ui.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/test/test-ui.ts
@@ -447,6 +447,17 @@ function updateWordWrapperClasses(): void {
     $("#resultReplay .words").removeClass("rightToLeftTest");
   }
 
+  // Add special handling for Thaana (Dhivehi) script
+  if (Config.language.startsWith("dhivehi")) {
+    wordsEl.classList.add("thaanaTest");
+    $("#resultWordsHistory .words").addClass("thaanaTest");
+    $("#resultReplay .words").addClass("thaanaTest");
+  } else {
+    wordsEl.classList.remove("thaanaTest");
+    $("#resultWordsHistory .words").removeClass("thaanaTest");
+    $("#resultReplay .words").removeClass("thaanaTest");
+  }
+
   const existing =
     wordsEl?.className
       .split(/\s+/)
@@ -749,8 +760,14 @@ export async function updateWordLetters({
 
         const inputChars = Strings.splitIntoCharacters(input);
         const currentWordChars = Strings.splitIntoCharacters(currentWord);
+
         for (let i = 0; i < inputChars.length; i++) {
-          const charCorrect = currentWordChars[i] === inputChars[i];
+          const inputChar = inputChars[i] ?? "";
+          const targetChar = currentWordChars[i] ?? "";
+
+          const charCorrect =
+            inputChar === targetChar ||
+            Strings.isCharacterMatchForDisplay(inputChar, targetChar);
 
           let currentLetter = currentWordChars[i] as string;
           let tabChar = "";
diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/test/words-generator.ts b/frontend/src/ts/test/words-generator.ts
index c578bc4dfd08..e51991083a7a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/test/words-generator.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/test/words-generator.ts
@@ -112,7 +112,8 @@ export async function punctuateWord(
           currentLanguage === "arabic" ||
           currentLanguage === "persian" ||
           currentLanguage === "urdu" ||
-          currentLanguage === "kurdish"
+          currentLanguage === "kurdish" ||
+          currentLanguage === "dhivehi"
         ) {
           word += "؟";
         } else if (currentLanguage === "greek") {
@@ -216,7 +217,11 @@ export async function punctuateWord(
       // However, a) it has fallen into disuse in contemporary times and
       // b) there isn't a dedicated key on a keyboard to input it
       word = ".";
-    } else if (currentLanguage === "arabic" || currentLanguage === "kurdish") {
+    } else if (
+      currentLanguage === "arabic" ||
+      currentLanguage === "kurdish" ||
+      currentLanguage === "dhivehi"
+    ) {
       word += "؛";
     } else if (currentLanguage === "chinese") {
       word += "；";
@@ -228,7 +233,8 @@ export async function punctuateWord(
       currentLanguage === "arabic" ||
       currentLanguage === "urdu" ||
       currentLanguage === "persian" ||
-      currentLanguage === "kurdish"
+      currentLanguage === "kurdish" ||
+      currentLanguage === "dhivehi"
     ) {
       word += "،";
     } else if (currentLanguage === "japanese") {
diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/utils/strings.ts b/frontend/src/ts/utils/strings.ts
index 4ec735b670ef..6334537e2a6a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/utils/strings.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/utils/strings.ts
@@ -176,18 +176,82 @@ export function cleanTypographySymbols(textToClean: string): string {
 }
 
 /**
- * Split a string into characters. This supports multi-byte characters outside of the [Basic Multilinugal Plane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plane_(Unicode).
- * Using  `string.length` and `string[index]` does not work.
- * @param s string to be tokenized into characters
- * @returns array of characters
+ * Check if a character is a Thaana combining vowel mark (fili) - U+07A6 to U+07B0
+ */
+export function isThaanaCombiningMark(char: string): boolean {
+  const code = char.charCodeAt(0);
+  return code >= 0x07a6 && code <= 0x07b0;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check if a character is a Thaana consonant - U+0780 to U+07A5
+ */
+export function isThaanaConsonant(char: string): boolean {
+  const code = char.charCodeAt(0);
+  return code >= 0x0780 && code <= 0x07a5;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Split a string into individual Unicode code points.
  */
 export function splitIntoCharacters(s: string): string[] {
-  const result: string[] = [];
-  for (const t of s) {
-    result.push(t);
+  // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-misused-spread -- Intentional use of spread to split into Unicode code points (used by Thaana and other scripts)
+  return [...s];
+}
+
+const punctuationEquivalents: Record<string, string> = {
+  "،": ",",
+  "؛": ";",
+  "؟": "?",
+};
+
+function arePunctuationEquivalent(char1: string, char2: string): boolean {
+  if (char1 === char2) return true;
+  if (punctuationEquivalents[char1] === char2) return true;
+  if (punctuationEquivalents[char2] === char1) return true;
+  return false;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check if input matches target, including partial Thaana matches and punctuation equivalents.
+ */
+export function isCharacterMatch(
+  inputChar: string,
+  targetChar: string,
+): boolean {
+  if (inputChar === targetChar) return true;
+
+  if (inputChar.length === 1 && targetChar.length === 1) {
+    if (arePunctuationEquivalent(inputChar, targetChar)) return true;
+  }
+
+  if (
+    inputChar.length === 1 &&
+    targetChar.length === 2 &&
+    isThaanaConsonant(inputChar) &&
+    targetChar.startsWith(inputChar) &&
+    isThaanaCombiningMark(targetChar.charAt(1))
+  ) {
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  return false;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check if input matches target for display (no partial Thaana matches).
+ */
+export function isCharacterMatchForDisplay(
+  inputChar: string,
+  targetChar: string,
+): boolean {
+  if (inputChar === targetChar) return true;
+
+  if (inputChar.length === 1 && targetChar.length === 1) {
+    if (arePunctuationEquivalent(inputChar, targetChar)) return true;
   }
 
-  return result;
+  return false;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -219,7 +283,7 @@ function hasRTLCharacters(word: string): [boolean, number] {
     return [false, 0];
   }
 
-  // This covers Arabic, Farsi, Urdu, and other RTL scripts
+  // This covers Arabic, Farsi, Urdu, Hebrew, Thaana (Dhivehi), and other RTL scripts
   const rtlPattern =
     /[\u0590-\u05FF\u0600-\u06FF\u0750-\u077F\u08A0-\u08FF\uFB50-\uFDFF\uFE70-\uFEFF]+/;
 
diff --git a/frontend/static/languages/dhivehi.json b/frontend/static/languages/dhivehi.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c51d1a508d61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/static/languages/dhivehi.json
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+{
+  "name": "dhivehi",
+  "rightToLeft": true,
+  "ligatures": false,
+  "orderedByFrequency": true,
+  "bcp47": "dv",
+  "words": [
+    "އެ",
+    "މި",
+    "ގެ",
+    "ވާ",
+    "ކަން",
+    "ދެން",
+    "ހެން",
+    "ކުރި",
+    "ހުރި",
+    "ތިބި",
+    "ނެތް",
+    "ވެސް",
+    "އިން",
+    "އަށް",
+    "ނޫން",
+    "އެއް",
+    "މީހުން",
+    "ބޭނުން",
+    "ދިވެހި",
+    "މާލެ",
+    "ރާއްޖެ",
+    "ގޮތް",
+    "ކަމެއް",
+    "އެހެން",
+    "ކޮށް",
+    "ފައިސާ",
+    "މަސް",
+    "އަހަރު",
+    "ދުވަސް",
+    "ވަގުތު",
+    "ގަޑި",
+    "ފެން",
+    "ކާނާ",
+    "ބަތް",
+    "ރިހަ",
+    "ރޮށި",
+    "ސައި",
+    "ކިރު",
+    "ރަށް",
+    "މޫދު",
+    "ކަނޑު",
+    "އިރު",
+    "ހަނދު",
+    "ތަރި",
+    "އުޑު",
+    "ބިން",
+    "ރުއް",
+    "ގަސް",
+    "މާ",
+    "ފަތް",
+    "މޭވާ",
+    "ކާށި",
+    "އަނބު",
+    "ކެޔޮ",
+    "ލޮނު",
+    "ހަކުރު",
+    "ތެޔޮ",
+    "ރަހަ",
+    "ފޮނި",
+    "ހުތް",
+    "ކުޅި",
+    "ހިތި",
+    "ކުލަ",
+    "ރަތް",
+    "ނޫ",
+    "ފެހި",
+    "ކަޅު",
+    "ހުދު",
+    "މުށި",
+    "ދޭއް",
+    "ބޮޑު",
+    "ކުޑަ",
+    "ދިގު",
+    "ކުރު",
+    "ފުޅާ",
+    "ހަނި",
+    "ބަރު",
+    "ލުއި",
+    "ފޯނު",
+    "ޓީވީ",
+    "ލަވަ",
+    "ވޮލީ",
+    "ވައި",
+    "ވާރޭ",
+    "އަވި",
+    "ހޫނު",
+    "ފިނި",
+    "ކެރި",
+    "ގަދަ",
+    "މަޑު",
+    "ނިދި",
+    "ބަލި",
+    "ބޭސް",
+    "މަގު",
+    "ބުރު",
+    "ކާރު",
+    "ބަސް",
+    "ދީން",
+    "ހާސް"
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/frontend/static/layouts/dhivehi.json b/frontend/static/layouts/dhivehi.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a3322847c0ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/static/layouts/dhivehi.json
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+{
+  "keymapShowTopRow": false,
+  "type": "ansi",
+  "keys": {
+    "row1": [
+      ["`", "~"],
+      ["1", "!"],
+      ["2", "@"],
+      ["3", "#"],
+      ["4", "$"],
+      ["5", "%"],
+      ["6", "^"],
+      ["7", "&"],
+      ["8", "*"],
+      ["9", ")"],
+      ["0", "("],
+      ["-", "_"],
+      ["=", "+"]
+    ],
+    "row2": [
+      ["ޮ", "ޯ"],
+      ["އ", "ޢ"],
+      ["ެ", "ޭ"],
+      ["ރ", "ޜ"],
+      ["ތ", "ޓ"],
+      ["ޔ", "ޠ"],
+      ["ު", "ޫ"],
+      ["ި", "ީ"],
+      ["ޮ", "ޯ"],
+      ["ޕ", "÷"],
+      ["[", "{"],
+      ["]", "}"],
+      ["\\", "|"]
+    ],
+    "row3": [
+      ["ަ", "ާ"],
+      ["ސ", "ށ"],
+      ["ދ", "ޑ"],
+      ["ފ", "ﷲ"],
+      ["ގ", "ޣ"],
+      ["ހ", "ޙ"],
+      ["ޖ", "ޛ"],
+      ["ކ", "ޚ"],
+      ["ލ", "ޅ"],
+      ["؛", ":"],
+      ["'", "\""]
+    ],
+    "row4": [
+      ["ޒ", "ޡ"],
+      ["×", "ޘ"],
+      ["ޗ", "ޝ"],
+      ["ވ", "ޥ"],
+      ["ބ", "ޞ"],
+      ["ނ", "ޏ"],
+      ["މ", "ޟ"],
+      ["،", "ޤ"],
+      [".", ">"],
+      ["/", "؟"]
+    ],
+    "row5": [[" "]]
+  }
+}
diff --git a/frontend/vite.config.ts b/frontend/vite.config.ts
index 68a5f3108371..53a19e315ebd 100644
--- a/frontend/vite.config.ts
+++ b/frontend/vite.config.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ export default defineConfig(({ mode }): UserConfig => {
       open: env["SERVER_OPEN"] !== "false",
       port: 3000,
       host: env["BACKEND_URL"] !== undefined,
+      // Disable host header validation only when explicitly requested for special dev setups
+      allowedHosts: env["DISABLE_HOST_VALIDATION"] === "true" ? true : undefined,
       watch: {
         //we rebuild the whole contracts package when a file changes
         //so we only want to watch one file
diff --git a/packages/schemas/src/languages.ts b/packages/schemas/src/languages.ts
index 7e26911a3c91..d076f17dcf8d 100644
--- a/packages/schemas/src/languages.ts
+++ b/packages/schemas/src/languages.ts
@@ -430,6 +430,7 @@ export const LanguageSchema = z.enum(
     "code_abap_1k",
     "code_yoptascript",
     "code_cuda",
+    "dhivehi",
   ],
   {
     errorMap: customEnumErrorHandler("Must be a supported language"),
diff --git a/packages/schemas/src/layouts.ts b/packages/schemas/src/layouts.ts
index 94de81ef32df..8793f1b91fb3 100644
--- a/packages/schemas/src/layouts.ts
+++ b/packages/schemas/src/layouts.ts
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ export const LayoutNameSchema = z.enum(
     "arabic_101",
     "arabic_102",
     "arabic_mac",
+    "dhivehi",
     "hebrew",
     "urdu_phonetic",
     "brasileiro_nativo",