diff --git a/.docker/dev-start.sh b/.docker/dev-start.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3bb6ae8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.docker/dev-start.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+set -eu
+
+pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
+
+exec pnpm dev --host "${HOST:-0.0.0.0}" --port "${PORT:-20013}"
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index c48468f..18cdfba 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -12,6 +12,13 @@ FROM deps AS build
 COPY . .
 RUN pnpm build
 
+FROM deps AS dev
+ENV NODE_ENV=development
+COPY .docker/dev-start.sh /usr/local/bin/docker-dev-start
+RUN chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-dev-start
+EXPOSE 20013
+CMD ["docker-dev-start"]
+
 FROM base AS prod-deps
 COPY package.json pnpm-lock.yaml pnpm-workspace.yaml ./
 RUN pnpm install --frozen-lockfile --prod
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 98159c9..7e39373 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ The repo now includes a production-ready container stack:
 
 - [Dockerfile](/mnt/d/SourceCode/tootaio/dinner-ticket-system/Dockerfile)
 - [docker-compose.yml](/mnt/d/SourceCode/tootaio/dinner-ticket-system/docker-compose.yml)
+- [docker-compose.dev.yml](/mnt/d/SourceCode/tootaio/dinner-ticket-system/docker-compose.dev.yml)
 - [.dockerignore](/mnt/d/SourceCode/tootaio/dinner-ticket-system/.dockerignore)
 
 Bring up the full environment:
@@ -97,6 +98,29 @@ docker compose down -v
 
 For passkey testing in Docker, set `NUXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL` to the exact origin you open in the browser. In production, this should be your final HTTPS URL.
 
+### Docker Development With Hot Reload
+
+Use the dev override when you want live reload instead of rebuilding the image after every code change:
+
+```bash
+docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.dev.yml up --build
+```
+
+This keeps PostgreSQL and Redis in Docker, but runs the app container in Nuxt dev mode with:
+
+- the project directory bind-mounted into `/app`
+- a persistent `/app/node_modules` volume so dependencies stay inside Docker
+- an automatic `pnpm install --frozen-lockfile` during app container startup
+- polling-based file watching for reliable reloads on mounted filesystems
+
+After the first start, code changes on the host should reload automatically without rebuilding the image.
+
+When you change dependencies, restart the app container so it reruns `pnpm install` against the current lockfile:
+
+```bash
+docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.dev.yml restart app
+```
+
 ## Protected Areas
 
 - `/login`
diff --git a/docker-compose.dev.yml b/docker-compose.dev.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8a57509
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.dev.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+services:
+  app:
+    build:
+      context: .
+      dockerfile: Dockerfile
+      target: dev
+    environment:
+      NODE_ENV: development
+      HOST: 0.0.0.0
+      NITRO_HOST: 0.0.0.0
+      PORT: 20013
+      CHOKIDAR_USEPOLLING: "true"
+      CHOKIDAR_INTERVAL: ${CHOKIDAR_INTERVAL:-1000}
+      WATCHPACK_POLLING: "true"
+      NUXT_DATABASE_URL: ${NUXT_DATABASE_URL:-postgresql://postgres:postgres@postgres:5432/dinner_ticket_system}
+      NUXT_REDIS_URL: ${NUXT_REDIS_URL:-redis://redis:6379}
+      NUXT_SESSION_COOKIE_NAME: ${NUXT_SESSION_COOKIE_NAME:-dinner_ticket_session}
+      NUXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL: ${NUXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL:-http://localhost:20013}
+      NUXT_PUBLIC_RP_NAME: ${NUXT_PUBLIC_RP_NAME:-Dinner Ticket System}
+    volumes:
+      - .:/app
+      - app_node_modules:/app/node_modules
+      - app_nuxt:/app/.nuxt
+    healthcheck:
+      start_period: 60s
+    tty: true
+    stdin_open: true
+
+volumes:
+  app_node_modules:
+  app_nuxt: