diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f106e40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+LOGISTICS_SERVICE_PORT=8002
+DJANGO_PORT=8000
+KAFKA_BROKER_URL=kafka:9092
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index dee0d57..503825d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -45,12 +45,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Install dependencies
       run: |
         python -m pip install --upgrade pip
-        pip install -r requirements.txt
-
-    - name: Wait for Kafka to be ready
-      run: |
-        echo "Waiting for Kafka..."
-        sleep 20  # adjust based on startup time
+        pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt
 
     - name: Run Django tests (including Kafka)
       run: |
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..16414e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# Use official Python slim image
+FROM python:3.12-slim
+
+LABEL maintainer="kevin"
+
+# Set environment variables
+ENV PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE=1
+ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
+ENV DJANGO_PORT=8000
+
+# Set working directory
+WORKDIR /app
+
+# Install system dependencies
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
+    build-essential \
+    libpq-dev \
+    curl \
+    && apt-get clean && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
+# Install Python dependencies
+COPY requirements.txt .
+RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt
+
+# Copy project files
+COPY . .
+
+# Copy entrypoint script
+COPY entrypoint.sh /entrypoint.sh
+RUN chmod +x /entrypoint.sh
+
+# Expose port (match DJANGO_PORT env)
+EXPOSE ${DJANGO_PORT}
+
+# Run entrypoint script
+ENTRYPOINT ["/entrypoint.sh"]
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index ead4566..db963f6 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 version: '3.8'
+
 services:
   zookeeper:
     image: confluentinc/cp-zookeeper:7.4.0
@@ -14,5 +15,19 @@ services:
       KAFKA_BROKER_ID: 1
       KAFKA_ZOOKEEPER_CONNECT: zookeeper:2181
       KAFKA_LISTENER_SECURITY_PROTOCOL_MAP: PLAINTEXT:PLAINTEXT
-      KAFKA_ADVERTISED_LISTENERS: PLAINTEXT://localhost:9092
+      KAFKA_ADVERTISED_LISTENERS: PLAINTEXT://kafka:9092
       KAFKA_OFFSETS_TOPIC_REPLICATION_FACTOR: 1
+    depends_on:
+      - zookeeper
+
+  logistics-service:
+    build: .
+    container_name: logistics-service
+    ports:
+      - "${LOGISTICS_SERVICE_PORT:-8002}:8000"
+    environment:
+      - DJANGO_PORT=8000
+      - KAFKA_BROKER_URL=kafka:9092
+    env_file: .env
+    depends_on:
+      - kafka
diff --git a/entrypoint.sh b/entrypoint.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e30b760
--- /dev/null
+++ b/entrypoint.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+echo "Running makemigrations..."
+python manage.py makemigrations --noinput
+
+echo "Running migrate..."
+python manage.py migrate --noinput
+
+echo "Starting Django server on port ${DJANGO_PORT}..."
+python manage.py runserver 0.0.0.0:${DJANGO_PORT}
diff --git a/logistics_core/settings.py b/logistics_core/settings.py
index ac55724..f6c2c33 100644
--- a/logistics_core/settings.py
+++ b/logistics_core/settings.py
@@ -135,7 +135,10 @@
 ENABLE_FLEET_EXTENDED_MODELS = False
 
 # kafka settings
-KAFKA_BROKER_URL = "localhost:9092"
+import os
+
+KAFKA_BROKER_URL = os.getenv("KAFKA_BROKER_URL", "localhost:9092")
+
 
 CORS_ALLOWED_ORIGINS = [
     "http://localhost:4200",
diff --git a/order_simulator.py b/order_simulator.py
index d362f6b..8e6c1a3 100644
--- a/order_simulator.py
+++ b/order_simulator.py
@@ -1,14 +1,27 @@
-from confluent_kafka import Producer
+import os
+import django
 import json
+from confluent_kafka import Producer
+
+# Setup Django (assuming this file is at the project root level)
+os.environ.setdefault('DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE', 'logistics_core.settings')
+django.setup()
 
-producer = Producer({'bootstrap.servers': 'localhost:9092'})
+from django.conf import settings
+
+# Fallback if env not set
+bootstrap_servers = getattr(settings, 'KAFKA_BROKER_URL', 'localhost:9092')
+
+producer = Producer({'bootstrap.servers': bootstrap_servers})
 
 event = {
-    "order_id": "ORD9999",
-    "origin_warehouse_id": "WH001",
-    "destination_warehouse_id": "WH002"
+    "order_id": "ORD001",
+    "origin": {"lat": 6.9271, "lng": 79.8612},
+    "destination": {"lat": 7.2906, "lng": 80.6337},
+    "demand": 25
 }
 
 producer.produce('orders.created', json.dumps(event).encode('utf-8'))
 producer.flush()
-print("Published mock order event.")
+
+print("✅ Published mock order event to 'orders.created'")
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 9d32fb0..91625e4 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 absl-py==2.2.2
 asgiref==3.8.1
+confluent-kafka==2.10.0
 Django==5.2
+django-cors-headers==4.7.0
 django-filter==25.1
 djangorestframework==3.16.0
 drf-yasg==1.21.10
@@ -15,11 +17,10 @@ pluggy==1.5.0
 protobuf==5.29.4
 pytest==8.3.5
 python-dateutil==2.9.0.post0
+python-dotenv==1.1.0
 pytz==2025.2
 PyYAML==6.0.2
 six==1.17.0
 sqlparse==0.5.3
 tzdata==2025.2
 uritemplate==4.1.1
-confluent-kafka~=2.10.0
-django-cors-headers
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/shipments/tests/test_integration_kafka.py b/shipments/tests/test_integration_kafka.py
index 4cbd047..84583fc 100644
--- a/shipments/tests/test_integration_kafka.py
+++ b/shipments/tests/test_integration_kafka.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 from shipments.models import Shipment
 from confluent_kafka import Producer
 from shipments.consumers.order_events import run_consumer_once
+from django.conf import settings
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ class KafkaE2ETest(TestCase):
     @classmethod
     def setUpClass(cls):
         super().setUpClass()
-        cls.producer = Producer({'bootstrap.servers': 'localhost:9092'})
+        cls.producer = Producer({'bootstrap.servers': settings.KAFKA_BROKER_URL})
 
     def test_order_event_creates_shipment(self):
         order_id = "KAFKA_E2E_01"