diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 615635b..078e0a8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,15 +24,19 @@ Built with **Next.js**, **MapLibre GL**, **FastAPI**, and **Python**, it's desig
 
 ---
 
-## ⚡ Quick Start (Docker)
+## ⚡ Quick Start (Docker or Podman)
 
 ```bash
 git clone https://github.com/BigBodyCobain/Shadowbroker.git
 cd Shadowbroker
-docker-compose up -d
+./compose.sh up -d
 ```
 
-Open `http://localhost:3000` to view the dashboard! *(Requires Docker)*
+Open `http://localhost:3000` to view the dashboard! *(Requires Docker or Podman)*
+
+`compose.sh` auto-detects `docker compose`, `docker-compose`, `podman compose`, and `podman-compose`.
+If both runtimes are installed, you can force Podman with `./compose.sh --engine podman up -d`.
+Do not append a trailing `.` to that command; Compose treats it as a service name.
 
 ---
 
@@ -161,17 +165,15 @@ Open `http://localhost:3000` to view the dashboard! *(Requires Docker)*
 
 ## 🚀 Getting Started
 
-### 🐳 Docker Setup (Recommended for Self-Hosting)
+### 🐳 Docker / Podman Setup (Recommended for Self-Hosting)
 
 The repo includes a `docker-compose.yml` that builds both images locally.
 
 ```bash
 git clone https://github.com/BigBodyCobain/Shadowbroker.git
 cd Shadowbroker
-# Add your API keys (optional — see Environment Variables below)
-cp backend/.env.example backend/.env
-# Build and start
-docker-compose up -d --build
+# Add your API keys in a repo-root .env file (optional — see Environment Variables below)
+./compose.sh up -d
 ```
 
 Open `http://localhost:3000` to view the dashboard.
@@ -181,12 +183,15 @@ Open `http://localhost:3000` to view the dashboard.
 > (e.g. `"9096:8000"`), set `NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL` before building:
 >
 > ```bash
-> NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=http://192.168.1.50:9096 docker-compose up -d --build
+> NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=http://192.168.1.50:9096 ./compose.sh up -d --build
 > ```
 >
 > This is a **build-time** variable (Next.js limitation) — it gets baked into
 > the frontend during `npm run build`. Changing it requires a rebuild.
 
+If you prefer to call the container engine directly, Podman users can run `podman compose up -d`, or force the wrapper to use Podman with `./compose.sh --engine podman up -d`.
+Depending on your local Podman configuration, `podman compose` may still delegate to an external compose provider while talking to the Podman socket.
+
 ---
 
 ### 📦 Quick Start (No Code Required)
diff --git a/clean_zip.py b/clean_zip.py
index d4766bc..89f6f4e 100644
--- a/clean_zip.py
+++ b/clean_zip.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ try:
         add_dir(zipf, 'frontend', {'node_modules', '.next'})
         
         print("Zipping root files...")
+        zipf.write('compose.sh')
         zipf.write('docker-compose.yml')
         zipf.write('start.bat')
         zipf.write('start.sh')
diff --git a/compose.sh b/compose.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..1594c99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compose.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+COMPOSE_FILE="$SCRIPT_DIR/docker-compose.yml"
+ENGINE="${SHADOWBROKER_CONTAINER_ENGINE:-auto}"
+COMPOSE_ARGS=()
+COMPOSE_PROVIDER=""
+
+find_docker_compose() {
+    if command -v docker >/dev/null 2>&1 && docker compose version >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        COMPOSE_CMD=(docker compose)
+        COMPOSE_PROVIDER="docker compose"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    if command -v docker-compose >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        COMPOSE_CMD=(docker-compose)
+        COMPOSE_PROVIDER="docker-compose"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    return 1
+}
+
+find_podman_compose() {
+    if command -v podman >/dev/null 2>&1 && podman compose version >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        COMPOSE_CMD=(podman compose)
+        COMPOSE_PROVIDER="podman compose"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    if command -v podman-compose >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        COMPOSE_CMD=(podman-compose)
+        COMPOSE_PROVIDER="podman-compose"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    return 1
+}
+
+if [ ! -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" ]; then
+    echo "[!] ERROR: Missing compose file: $COMPOSE_FILE"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+while [ "$#" -gt 0 ]; do
+    case "$1" in
+        --engine)
+            if [ "$#" -lt 2 ]; then
+                echo "[!] ERROR: --engine requires a value: docker, podman, or auto."
+                exit 1
+            fi
+            ENGINE="$2"
+            shift 2
+            ;;
+        --engine=*)
+            ENGINE="${1#*=}"
+            shift
+            ;;
+        *)
+            COMPOSE_ARGS+=("$1")
+            shift
+            ;;
+    esac
+done
+
+if [ "${#COMPOSE_ARGS[@]}" -eq 0 ]; then
+    COMPOSE_ARGS=(up -d)
+fi
+
+if [ "${#COMPOSE_ARGS[@]}" -gt 0 ]; then
+    last_index=$((${#COMPOSE_ARGS[@]} - 1))
+    if [ "${COMPOSE_ARGS[$last_index]}" = "." ]; then
+        echo "[*] Ignoring trailing '.' argument."
+        unset "COMPOSE_ARGS[$last_index]"
+    fi
+fi
+
+if [ "${#COMPOSE_ARGS[@]}" -eq 0 ]; then
+    COMPOSE_ARGS=(up -d)
+fi
+
+COMPOSE_CMD=()
+
+case "$ENGINE" in
+    auto)
+        find_docker_compose || find_podman_compose
+        ;;
+    docker)
+        find_docker_compose
+        ;;
+    podman)
+        find_podman_compose
+        ;;
+    *)
+        echo "[!] ERROR: Unsupported engine '$ENGINE'. Use docker, podman, or auto."
+        exit 1
+        ;;
+esac
+
+if [ "${#COMPOSE_CMD[@]}" -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo "[!] ERROR: No supported compose command found for engine '$ENGINE'."
+    echo "    Install one of: docker compose, docker-compose, podman compose, or podman-compose."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if [ "$ENGINE" = "podman" ] && [ "$COMPOSE_PROVIDER" = "podman compose" ]; then
+    echo "[*] Using (podman): ${COMPOSE_CMD[*]}"
+    echo "[*] Note: 'podman compose' is Podman's wrapper command and may delegate to docker-compose based on your local Podman configuration."
+else
+    echo "[*] Using ($ENGINE): ${COMPOSE_CMD[*]}"
+fi
+
+"${COMPOSE_CMD[@]}" -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" "${COMPOSE_ARGS[@]}"
diff --git a/frontend/.dockerignore b/frontend/.dockerignore
index 9a92092..6d69eca 100644
--- a/frontend/.dockerignore
+++ b/frontend/.dockerignore
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
-Dockerfile
-.dockerignore
-node_modules
-npm-debug.log
-README.md
 .next
 .git
 .env
 .env.local
 .env.*
 eslint.config.mjs
+node_modules
+npm-debug.log*
+build_logs*.txt
+build_output.txt
+build_error.txt
+errors.txt
+server_logs*.txt
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/globals.css b/frontend/src/app/globals.css
index 5599d0c..c7a9efb 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/globals.css
+++ b/frontend/src/app/globals.css
@@ -70,4 +70,4 @@ body {
 /* Keep popups fully bright and interactive above the dimmed canvas */
 .map-focus-active .maplibregl-popup {
   z-index: 10 !important;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/frontend/tailwind.config.ts b/frontend/tailwind.config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e30f2d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/tailwind.config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import type { Config } from "tailwindcss";
+
+const config: Config = {
+  content: ["./src/**/*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx,mdx}"],
+};
+
+export default config;