diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f0354aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+version: 2
+updates:
+  - package-ecosystem: "gomod"
+    directory: "/"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "weekly"
+    commit-message:
+      prefix: "deps"
+    labels:
+      - "dependencies"
+      - "go"
+
+  - package-ecosystem: "github-actions"
+    directory: "/"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "monthly"
+    commit-message:
+      prefix: "ci"
+    labels:
+      - "dependencies"
+      - "ci"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/docs.yml b/.github/workflows/docs.yml
index 2cce0dc..0d56653 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docs.yml
@@ -1,12 +1,7 @@
-name: Documentation
-
 on:
   push:
     branches:
       - main
-  pull_request:
-    branches:
-      - main
 
 permissions:
   contents: write
@@ -47,7 +42,6 @@ jobs:
         run: mkdocs build
 
       - name: Deploy to GitHub Pages
-        if: github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main'
         uses: JamesIves/github-pages-deploy-action@v4
         with:
           folder: site
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1bf3dbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+# Environment variables
+include .env
+export
+
+# Helpers
+GO_CMD=go
+GO_RUN=$(GO_CMD) run
+GO_TEST=$(GO_CMD) test
+GO_BUILD=$(GO_CMD) build
+MIGRATE_CMD=$(GO_RUN) ./cmd/migrate/main.go
+
+# Database Connection (for psql)
+DB_DSN=$(DATABASE_URL)
+
+.PHONY: all build run test clean lint migrate-up migrate-down migrate-status docker-up docker-down help
+
+help: ## Show this help message
+	@echo 'Usage:'
+	@echo '  make [target]'
+	@echo ''
+	@echo 'Targets:'
+	@awk 'BEGIN {FS = ":.*?## "} /^[a-zA-Z_-]+:.*?## / {printf "  \033[36m%-20s\033[0m %s\n", $$1, $$2}' $(MAKEFILE_LIST)
+
+all: lint test build ## Run linter, tests, and build
+
+build: ## Build the API binary
+	@echo "Building API..."
+	$(GO_BUILD) -o bin/api ./cmd/api
+
+run: ## Run the API locally
+	@echo "Starting API..."
+	$(GO_RUN) ./cmd/api
+
+test: ## Run unit tests with coverage
+	@echo "Running tests..."
+	$(GO_TEST) -v -coverprofile=coverage.out ./...
+	$(GO_CMD) tool cover -func=coverage.out
+
+lint: ## Run golangci-lint
+	@echo "Running linter..."
+	golangci-lint run
+
+# database
+migrate-up: ## Apply all pending migrations
+	$(MIGRATE_CMD) -cmd=up
+
+migrate-down: ## Rollback the last migration
+	$(MIGRATE_CMD) -cmd=down
+
+migrate-status: ## Show migration status
+	$(MIGRATE_CMD) -cmd=status
+
+migrate-reset: ## Reset database (DOWN all then UP all)
+	$(MIGRATE_CMD) -cmd=reset
+
+# docker
+docker-up: ## Start PostgreSQL container
+	docker compose up postgres -d
+
+docker-down: ## Stop containers
+	docker compose down
+
+docker-logs: ## View container logs
+	docker compose logs -f
+
+# docs
+docs-serve: ## Serve documentation locally (pkgsite)
+	@echo "Opening http://localhost:6060/github.com/off-by-2/sal"
+	pkgsite -http=:6060
+
+docs-generate: ## Generate API Reference markdown (requires gomarkdoc)
+	gomarkdoc --output docs/reference.md ./...
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f8a07bb..d36f6dd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -30,35 +30,36 @@ docker compose up postgres -d
 
 ### 3. Initialize Schema (Migrations)
 
-Run the migration tool to create tables:
-
 ```bash
-go run ./cmd/migrate -cmd=up
+make migrate-up
 ```
 
-This applies the schema from `migrations/`.
-
-Verify it's working:
+### 4. Run the API
 
 ```bash
-docker exec sal-postgres-1 psql -U salvia -d salvia -c '\dt'
+make run
 ```
 
-You should see 19 tables listed.
-
-### 4. Run the API
+### 5. Verify
 
 ```bash
-go run ./cmd/api
+make test
 ```
 
-The API will be available at `http://localhost:8000`.
+## Development Commands
 
-### 5. Verify
+We use `make` for common tasks:
 
-```bash
-curl http://localhost:8000/health
-```
+| Command | Description |
+|---------|-------------|
+| `make all` | Run linter, tests, and build |
+| `make run` | Run API locally |
+| `make test` | Run tests with coverage |
+| `make lint` | Run code quality checks |
+| `make migrate-up` | Apply database migrations |
+| `make migrate-down` | Rollback last migration |
+| `make docker-up` | Start local Postgres |
+| `make docs-serve` | View local documentation |
 
 ## Environment Variables
 
@@ -80,30 +81,6 @@ docker compose up postgres -d
 go run ./cmd/migrate -cmd=up
 ```
 
-### Tables
-
-| Table | Purpose |
-|-------|---------|
-| `users` | User accounts and authentication |
-| `organizations` | Multi-tenant organizations |
-| `staff` | Staff membership with role-based permissions (JSONB) |
-| `staff_invitations` | Token-based staff invite flow |
-| `groups` | Departments/wards within an org |
-| `staff_group_assignments` | Staff ↔ group membership |
-| `beneficiaries` | Patients/clients |
-| `beneficiary_group_assignments` | Patient admission tracking |
-| `form_templates` | Versioned clinical form templates |
-| `template_group_visibility` | Template access control per group |
-| `document_flows` | Multi-step form workflows |
-| `document_flow_steps` | Individual steps in a flow |
-| `audio_notes` | Voice recordings with offline sync support |
-| `audio_note_attachments` | Images/documents attached to recordings |
-| `generated_notes` | AI-generated clinical notes (draft → verified → submitted) |
-| `note_edit_history` | Audit trail for note edits |
-| `timeline_entries` | Patient activity feed |
-| `activity_log` | System-wide audit log |
-| `deleted_notes_archive` | Soft-delete archive for compliance |
-
 ## Docker
 
 Run the full stack (API + database):