diff --git a/.env b/.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b3825a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# Trusted hostname
+HOSTNAME=localhost
+
+# --- Container ports and hostnames ---
+
+BACKEND_HOST=personal-site-backend
+FRONTEND_HOST=personal-site-frontend
+DB_HOST=personal-site-db
+
+# --- Database settings ---
+
+DB_USER=postgres
+DB_PASSWORD=postgres
+DB_DB=data
+
+# --- JWT token settings ---
+
+JWT_SECRET=ThisValueIsObviouslyVerySecret
+JWT_EXPIRATION_ACCESS=2m # Expiration time for access tokens
+JWT_EXPIRATION_REFRESH=7d # Expiration time for refresh tokens
+JWT_ISSUER=personal-site
+JWT_AUDIENCE=users
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index e53935d..5ddd6e8 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -4,28 +4,53 @@ services:
     build:
       context: ./frontend
       dockerfile: Dockerfile
-    depends_on:
-      - backend
+    hostname: ${FRONTEND_HOST}
+    healthcheck:
+      test: ["CMD", "curl", "-f", "http://${FRONTEND_HOST}:3000/health"]
+      interval: 10s
+      timeout: 5s
+      retries: 5
 
   backend:
     build:
       context: ./backend
       dockerfile: Dockerfile
     environment:
-      - DATABASE_URL=postgresql://user:password@database:5432/db  # Adjust as needed
+      - DATABASE_URL=postgresql://${DB_USER}:${DB_PASSWORD}@${DB_HOST}:5432/${DB_DB}
+      - JWT_SECRET=${JWT_SECRET}
+      - JWT_EXPIRATION_ACCESS=${JWT_EXPIRATION_ACCESS}
+      - JWT_EXPIRATION_REFRESH=${JWT_EXPIRATION_REFRESH}
+      - JWT_ISSUER=${JWT_ISSUER}
+      - JWT_AUDIENCE=${JWT_AUDIENCE}
     networks:
       - internal_network
+    depends_on:
+      db:
+        condition: service_healthy
+    hostname: ${BACKEND_HOST}
     links:
       - db:database
+    healthcheck:
+      test: ["CMD", "curl", "-f", "http://${BACKEND_HOST}:3000/health"]
+      interval: 10s
+      timeout: 5s
+      retries: 5
+
   db:
     image: postgres:latest
     restart: always
     environment:
-      POSTGRES_USER: user  # Change to your desired username
-      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: password  # Change to your desired password
-      POSTGRES_DB: db  # Change to your desired database name
+      POSTGRES_USER: ${DB_USER}
+      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ${DB_PASSWORD}
+      POSTGRES_DB: ${DB_DB}
     volumes:
       - postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
+    hostname: ${DB_HOST}
+    healthcheck:
+      test: ["CMD", "pg_isready", "-U", "user"]
+      interval: 1s
+      timeout: 5s
+      retries: 20
 
 volumes:
   postgres_data: