diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index f3b0c9a..9eb9911 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,34 +1,52 @@
-# Stage 1: Build
-FROM python:3.12-slim-bookworm AS build
+# - Stage 1 --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-WORKDIR /app
+    FROM python:3.12-slim-bookworm AS build
 
-COPY requirements.txt .
-RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt
+    WORKDIR /app
 
-COPY . .
+    # Install build tools needed to compile some Python packages
+    RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
+        build-essential gcc && \
+        rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
-# Stage 2: Runtime
-FROM python:3.12-slim-bookworm AS runtime
+    # Copy and build all required packages (with dependencies) into wheels
+    COPY requirements.txt .
+    RUN pip wheel --no-cache -r requirements.txt -w /app/wheelhouse
 
-WORKDIR /app
+    # Copy full app source (not strictly needed in build stage unless building static assets)
+    COPY . .
 
-COPY requirements.txt .
-RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt
+# - Stage 2 --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-COPY models ./models
-COPY routes ./routes
-COPY schemas ./schemas
-COPY services ./services
-COPY data ./data
-COPY main.py .
+    FROM python:3.12-slim-bookworm AS runtime
 
-# Add non-root 'fastapi' user (optional for hardening)
-RUN adduser --disabled-password --gecos '' fastapi \
-    && chown -R fastapi:fastapi /app
-USER fastapi
+    WORKDIR /app
 
-EXPOSE 9000
-ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
+    # Only bring in requirements and prebuilt wheels from build stage
+    COPY requirements.txt .
+    COPY --from=build /app/wheelhouse /app/wheelhouse
 
-CMD ["uvicorn", "main:app", "--host", "0.0.0.0", "--port", "9000"]
+    # Install app dependencies from local wheelhouse
+    RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --no-index --find-links /app/wheelhouse -r requirements.txt
+
+    # Copy only the necessary runtime source files
+    COPY models ./models
+    COPY routes ./routes
+    COPY schemas ./schemas
+    COPY services ./services
+    COPY data ./data
+    COPY main.py .
+
+    # Add non-root user for security hardening
+    RUN adduser --disabled-password --gecos '' fastapi && \
+        chown -R fastapi:fastapi /app
+    USER fastapi
+
+    # Prevent Python from buffering stdout/stderr
+    ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
+
+    # Expose FastAPI port
+    EXPOSE 9000
+
+    # Start the FastAPI app with Uvicorn
+    CMD ["uvicorn", "main:app", "--host", "0.0.0.0", "--port", "9000"]
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index abbbd42..37c613b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ pip install -r requirements-test.txt
 uvicorn main:app --reload --port 9000
 ```
 
-## Documentation
+## Docs
 
 ```console
 http://localhost:9000/docs
@@ -41,6 +41,22 @@ http://localhost:9000/docs
 
 ![API Documentation](assets/images/swagger.png)
 
+## Docker
+
+This project includes a multi-stage `Dockerfile` for local development and production builds.
+
+### Build the image
+
+```bash
+docker build -t fastapi-app .
+```
+
+### Run the container
+
+```bash
+docker run -p 9000:9000 fastapi-app
+```
+
 ## Credits
 
 The solution has been coded using [Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/) with the official [Python](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-python.python) extension.