diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cd34a12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+version: "3.9"
+services:
+  web:
+    build:
+      args:
+        - APP_ENV=Development
+      context: .
+    environment:
+      - ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT=Development
+    depends_on:
+      - db
+    ports:      
+      - 8080:8080
+  db:
+    image: "mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server:2019-CU17-ubuntu-20.04@sha256:f54a84b8a802afdfa91a954e8ddfcec9973447ce8efec519adf593b54d49bedf"
+    environment:
+      - ACCEPT_EULA=Y
+      - MSSQL_PID=Express
+      - SA_PASSWORD=yourStrong(!)Password
diff --git a/dockerfile b/dockerfile
index 06aa730..76632cc 100644
--- a/dockerfile
+++ b/dockerfile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # docker build -f ./dockerfile . --build-arg APP_ENV=dev
 
 # build backend
-FROM mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/core/sdk:3.1 AS serviceBuild
+FROM mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/sdk:6.0@sha256:dd19f6aa2774de9fde18c78970bc4fdebc695bd824c73371b6faec306a18b230 AS service-build
 
 # copy backend files into 'service' folder in prep for dotnet commands
 COPY service /service
@@ -16,14 +16,14 @@ RUN dotnet build
 RUN dotnet test --no-build
 
 # setup frontend
-FROM node:12 AS clientBuild
+FROM node:16@sha256:bf1609ac718dda03940e2be4deae1704fb77cd6de2bed8bf91d4bbbc9e88b497 AS client-build
 ARG APP_ENV
 RUN echo APP_ENV = ${APP_ENV}
 RUN npm config set unsafe-perm true
 COPY client /client
 
 # copy auto-generated TS files from API bulid
-COPY --from=serviceBuild /client/src/app/generated/. client/src/app/generated/
+COPY --from=service-build /client/src/app/generated/. client/src/app/generated/
 
 # build frontend
 WORKDIR /client
@@ -32,16 +32,23 @@ ENV REACT_APP_ENV=${APP_ENV}
 RUN npm run build
 
 # copy our frontend into published app's wwwroot folder
-FROM serviceBuild AS publisher
-COPY --from=clientBuild /client/build /app/wwwroot/
+FROM service-build AS publisher
+COPY --from=client-build /client/build /app/wwwroot/
 
 # build & publish our API
-ARG ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT
 RUN dotnet publish /service/Microsoft.DSX.ProjectTemplate.API/Microsoft.DSX.ProjectTemplate.API.csproj -c Release -o /app
 
 # build runtime image (contains full stack)
-FROM mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/core/aspnet:3.1
+FROM mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/aspnet:6.0@sha256:6ca5c440d36869d4b83059cf16f111bb4dec371c08b6e935186cc696e89cc0ba
 WORKDIR /app
-EXPOSE 80
 COPY --from=publisher /app ./
+# run as non-privileged user
+RUN groupadd -g 1000 appuser && \
+    useradd -r -u 1000 -g appuser appuser && \
+    chown -R appuser:appuser /app && \
+    chmod -R 755 /app    
+USER appuser
+# use non-privileged port
+ENV ASPNETCORE_URLS="http://+:8080"
+EXPOSE 8080
 ENTRYPOINT ["dotnet", "Microsoft.DSX.ProjectTemplate.API.dll"]
diff --git a/service/Microsoft.DSX.ProjectTemplate.API/Properties/launchSettings.json b/service/Microsoft.DSX.ProjectTemplate.API/Properties/launchSettings.json
index 57b5d2e..e8c9114 100644
--- a/service/Microsoft.DSX.ProjectTemplate.API/Properties/launchSettings.json
+++ b/service/Microsoft.DSX.ProjectTemplate.API/Properties/launchSettings.json
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
       "launchBrowser": true,
       "launchUrl": "swagger",
       "environmentVariables": {
-        "ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT": "Development"
+        "ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT": "Local"
       }
     },
     "Console": {
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
       "launchBrowser": true,
       "launchUrl": "swagger",
       "environmentVariables": {
-        "ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT": "Development"
+        "ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT": "Local"
       },
       "applicationUrl": "https://localhost:44345/"
     }
diff --git a/service/Microsoft.DSX.ProjectTemplate.API/appsettings.Development.json b/service/Microsoft.DSX.ProjectTemplate.API/appsettings.Development.json
index e203e94..a4e141a 100644
--- a/service/Microsoft.DSX.ProjectTemplate.API/appsettings.Development.json
+++ b/service/Microsoft.DSX.ProjectTemplate.API/appsettings.Development.json
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 {
+  "ConnectionStrings": {
+    "Database": "Server=db;Database=master;User=sa;Password=yourStrong(!)Password;"
+  },
   "Logging": {
     "LogLevel": {
       "Default": "Debug",