diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..680a490
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# Stacks Docs Dockerfile
+# Container for linting markdown files
+
+FROM node:20-alpine
+
+WORKDIR /app
+
+RUN npm install -g markdownlint-cli@0.42.0 \
+  && npm install -g cspell@8.18.0 \
+  && npm install -g markdown-link-check@3.12.2 \
+  && npm install -g prettier@3.3.3
+
+COPY . ./
+
+CMD ["markdownlint", "**/*.md", "--ignore", "node_modules"]
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diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4dda492
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+# Stacks Docs Development Makefile
+# Helpful commands for working with the Stacks documentation repository
+
+.PHONY: help lint lint-md spellcheck links format serve docker-build docker-run docker-stop setup env-setup info
+
+help: ## Show this help message
+	@echo "Stacks Docs Commands:"
+	@echo ""
+	@grep -E '^[a-zA-Z_-]+:.*?## .*$$' $(MAKEFILE_LIST) | sort | awk 'BEGIN {FS = ":.*?## "}; {printf "  \033[36m%-20s\033[0m %s\n", $$1, $$2}'
+
+setup: ## Setup local tooling (optional)
+	@echo "No local dependencies required. Use make lint or make serve."
+
+lint: lint-md ## Run all lint checks
+
+lint-md: ## Lint markdown files using markdownlint-cli
+	@command -v npx >/dev/null 2>&1 || (echo "npx not found. Install Node.js." && exit 1)
+	npx --yes markdownlint-cli '**/*.md' --ignore node_modules
+
+spellcheck: ## Spellcheck markdown files (optional)
+	@command -v npx >/dev/null 2>&1 || (echo "npx not found. Install Node.js." && exit 1)
+	npx --yes cspell '**/*.md' --no-progress
+
+links: ## Check markdown links (optional)
+	@command -v npx >/dev/null 2>&1 || (echo "npx not found. Install Node.js." && exit 1)
+	npx --yes markdown-link-check **/*.md -q
+
+format: ## Format markdown files (optional)
+	@command -v npx >/dev/null 2>&1 || (echo "npx not found. Install Node.js." && exit 1)
+	npx --yes prettier --write "**/*.md"
+
+serve: ## Serve the repository over a local static server
+	@command -v python3 >/dev/null 2>&1 || (echo "python3 not found." && exit 1)
+	python3 -m http.server 8000
+
+docker-build: ## Build Docker image for linting
+	docker build -t stacks-docs .
+
+docker-run: ## Run markdown lint in Docker
+	docker run --rm -v $$PWD:/app -w /app stacks-docs
+
+docker-stop: ## No-op for local dev (placeholder)
+	@echo "Nothing to stop."
+
+env-setup: ## Create .env template
+	@echo "Creating .env file..."
+	@echo "# Stacks docs env" > .env
+	@echo "DOCS_BASE_URL=http://localhost:8000" >> .env
+
+info: ## Show project information
+	@echo "Stacks Docs Repository"
+	@echo "Content: Markdown documentation"
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diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8007a18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+version: "3.8"
+
+services:
+  lint:
+    build:
+      context: .
+      dockerfile: Dockerfile
+    volumes:
+      - .:/app
+    working_dir: /app
+    command: ["markdownlint", "**/*.md", "--ignore", "node_modules"]
+
+  serve:
+    image: python:3.12-alpine
+    working_dir: /app
+    volumes:
+      - .:/app
+    ports:
+      - "8000:8000"
+    command: ["python", "-m", "http.server", "8000"]
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diff --git a/init-db.sql b/init-db.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b3f26a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/init-db.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+-- Stacks Docs Database Initialization
+-- Placeholder for any database-backed tooling.
+
+-- Example (PostgreSQL):
+-- CREATE EXTENSION IF NOT EXISTS "uuid-ossp";
+-- CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS doc_events (
+--   id UUID PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT uuid_generate_v4(),
+--   file_path TEXT NOT NULL,
+--   action TEXT NOT NULL,
+--   payload JSONB,
+--   created_at TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
+-- );
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diff --git a/setup.sh b/setup.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..d06e3a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/setup.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# Stacks Docs Setup Script
+# This script prepares a local environment for working with the docs repo
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+RED='\033[0;31m'
+GREEN='\033[0;32m'
+YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
+BLUE='\033[0;34m'
+NC='\033[0m'
+
+print_info() {
+  echo -e "${BLUE}[INFO]${NC} $1"
+}
+
+print_success() {
+  echo -e "${GREEN}[SUCCESS]${NC} $1"
+}
+
+print_warning() {
+  echo -e "${YELLOW}[WARNING]${NC} $1"
+}
+
+command_exists() {
+  command -v "$1" >/dev/null 2>&1
+}
+
+print_info "Setting up stacks docs tooling..."
+
+if ! command_exists npx; then
+  print_warning "npx not found. Install Node.js to run lint/format tools."
+else
+  print_success "npx found. You can run: make lint"
+fi
+
+if ! command_exists python3; then
+  print_warning "python3 not found. Install Python to serve docs locally."
+else
+  print_success "python3 found. You can run: make serve"
+fi
+
+if [[ ! -f ".env" ]]; then
+  cat > .env << EOF
+# Stacks docs env
+DOCS_BASE_URL=http://localhost:8000
+EOF
+  print_success ".env created."
+else
+  print_info ".env already exists."
+fi
+
+print_success "Setup complete."
+echo ""
+print_info "Next steps:"
+echo "  1. Lint markdown: make lint"
+echo "  2. Serve docs: make serve"
+echo "  3. Use Docker: docker-compose up --build"
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