diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..869e6be0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+.git*
+bin
+vendor
+.phpunit.result.cache
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
index 899e65fe..281921e9 100644
--- a/.gitattributes
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 /.github                export-ignore
+/local                  export-ignore
 /tests                  export-ignore
+.dockerignore           export-ignore
 .gitattributes          export-ignore
 .gitignore              export-ignore
 .php-cs-fixer.php       export-ignore
 composer.lock           export-ignore -merge
 infection.json.dist     export-ignore
+Makefile                export-ignore
 phpstan.neon            export-ignore
 phpstan-rector.neon     export-ignore
 phpunit.xml.dist        export-ignore
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index fc8c8425..f82c644a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@
 /vendor
 phpunit.xml
 /.phpunit.result.cache
+/local/.env
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..70ec5761
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+DIR := $(shell dirname $(realpath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))
+PROJECT_NAME = lendable_json_serializer_dev
+CONTAINER = runner
+PUID ?= 1000
+PGID ?= 1000
+EXEC_SHELL = /bin/sh
+EXEC_USER = app
+
+DOCKER_COMPOSE = docker compose \
+  -f ${DIR}/local/docker-compose.yaml \
+  --project-directory $(DIR)/local \
+  -p ${PROJECT_NAME}
+
+init:
+	@mkdir -p $(HOME)/.composer && (chown $(PUID):$(PGID) $(HOME)/.composer || echo "No need to chown $(HOME)/.composer");
+
+build:
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) build
+
+up:
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) up -d
+
+down:
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) down -v
+
+start:
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) start
+
+stop:
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) stop
+
+restart:
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) restart
+
+ps:
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) ps
+
+logs:
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) logs -f
+
+shell:
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) exec -u $(EXEC_USER) $(CONTAINER) $(EXEC_SHELL)
+
+clean:
+	@$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) down -v --rmi local
+
+.PHONY: init build up down start stop restart ps logs shell clean
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 97da0c8a..0f0db49e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -41,3 +41,45 @@ Deserializes a JSON string into an `array`.
 
 Throws `DeserializationFailed` on failure to deserialize.
 Throws `InvalidDeserializedData` if the data type of the resulting deserialized data is not an `array`.
+
+## Local development
+
+Everything runs inside Docker - no PHP or Composer is needed on the host. The
+environment is defined in `local/` (`Dockerfile`, `docker-compose.yaml`,
+`.env.dist`) and driven from the `Makefile`.
+
+### Prerequisites
+
+- Docker with Compose v2
+
+### Getting started
+
+```shell
+make up      # builds the image (on first run) and starts the container
+make shell   # opens a shell inside the container, in /app
+make down    # stops and removes the container
+```
+
+From the shell:
+
+```shell
+composer install
+composer ci
+```
+
+### Common targets
+
+| Target | Description |
+| --- | --- |
+| `make build` | Build the container image |
+| `make up` / `make down` | Start / tear down the environment |
+| `make start` / `make stop` / `make restart` | Control the running container |
+| `make ps` / `make logs` | Inspect the environment |
+| `make shell` | Shell into the container as the `app` user |
+| `make clean` | Tear down and remove the locally built image |
+
+### Xdebug
+
+Xdebug is installed but disabled by default. Copy `local/.env.dist` to
+`local/.env`, set `XDEBUG_ENABLED=1` (optionally with `XDEBUG_HOST`,
+`XDEBUG_PORT` and `XDEBUG_IDE_KEY`), then run `make restart`.
diff --git a/local/.env.dist b/local/.env.dist
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5eef0b14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/local/.env.dist
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+XDEBUG_ENABLED=0
+PHP_IDE_CONFIG=serverName=json-serializer
diff --git a/local/Dockerfile b/local/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8b7de1a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/local/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+FROM public.ecr.aws/docker/library/php:8.4-cli-alpine AS base
+
+ARG USER_ID=1000
+ARG GROUP_ID=1000
+
+RUN addgroup --gid "${GROUP_ID}" "app" && \
+    adduser \
+    --disabled-password \
+    --gecos "" \
+    --home "/app-home" \
+    --ingroup "app" \
+    --uid "${USER_ID}" \
+    -s "/bin/sh" \
+    "app"
+
+COPY --from=composer/composer:2.10.2-bin /composer /usr/bin/composer
+
+RUN apk add --no-cache git
+
+WORKDIR /app
+
+FROM base AS dev
+
+ARG XDEBUG_VERSION="3.5.1"
+RUN apk add --no-cache autoconf file g++ gcc libc-dev make pkgconf re2c linux-headers \
+  && apk add --no-cache bash git \
+  && pecl install "xdebug-${XDEBUG_VERSION}" pcov \
+  && docker-php-ext-enable pcov \
+  && apk del autoconf file g++ gcc libc-dev make pkgconf re2c linux-headers
+
+COPY xdebug-entrypoint.sh /usr/local/bin/docker-php-xdebug-entrypoint
+
+RUN touch /usr/local/etc/php/conf.d/docker-php-ext-xdebug.ini /usr/local/bin/noxdebug \
+    && chown app:app /usr/local/etc/php/conf.d/docker-php-ext-xdebug.ini /usr/local/bin/noxdebug
+
+USER app
diff --git a/local/docker-compose.yaml b/local/docker-compose.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5b2a97db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/local/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+services:
+  runner:
+    entrypoint: "/usr/local/bin/docker-php-xdebug-entrypoint"
+    tty: true
+    build:
+      context: .
+      target: dev
+    environment:
+      XDEBUG_ENABLED: "${XDEBUG_ENABLED:-}"
+      XDEBUG_HOST: "${XDEBUG_HOST:-}"
+      XDEBUG_PORT: "${XDEBUG_PORT:-}"
+      XDEBUG_IDE_KEY: "${XDEBUG_IDE_KEY:-}"
+      PHP_IDE_CONFIG: "${PHP_IDE_CONFIG:-}"
+    volumes:
+      - "..:/app:rw"
diff --git a/local/xdebug-entrypoint.sh b/local/xdebug-entrypoint.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..8d37eb33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/local/xdebug-entrypoint.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+set -e
+
+if [ "${XDEBUG_ENABLED:-0}" = "1" ]; then
+	XDEBUG_HOST=${XDEBUG_HOST:-$(route -n | egrep "^0.0.0.0" | awk '{print $2}')}
+
+	if [ "${XDEBUG_HOST}" = "" ]; then
+		echo "XDebug remote host could not be configured";
+		exit 1;
+	fi
+
+	XDEBUG_PORT="${XDEBUG_PORT:-9003}"
+
+	echo "Configuring PHP for remote XDebug server ${XDEBUG_PORT}"
+	echo "zend_extension=xdebug.so
+xdebug.mode = debug
+xdebug.start_with_request = 1
+xdebug.client_host = ${XDEBUG_HOST}
+xdebug.client_port = ${XDEBUG_PORT}
+xdebug.idekey = ${XDEBUG_IDE_KEY:-PHPSTORM}
+xdebug.max_nesting_level = 999999" > /usr/local/etc/php/conf.d/docker-php-ext-xdebug.ini
+
+	echo '#!/bin/sh
+php -dxdebug.mode\=off "$@"' > /usr/local/bin/noxdebug
+
+	chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/noxdebug
+
+else
+	echo "Disabling XDebug per configuration"
+fi
+
+/bin/sh