diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..62ab8f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+__pycache__/
+*.pyc
+*.pyo
+*.pyd
+.Python
+pip-log.txt
+pip-delete-this-directory.txt
+.tox/
+.coverage
+.coverage.*
+.cache
+nosetests.xml
+coverage.xml
+*.cover
+*.log
+.git
+.mypy_cache
+.pytest_cache
+.hypothesis
+
+# Local environment
+.env
+.venv
+env/
+venv/
+ENV/
+env.bak/
+venv.bak/
+dist/
+
+# IDEs
+.vscode/
+.idea/
+*.swp
+*.swo
+*~
+
+# OS
+.DS_Store
+.DS_Store?
+._*
+.Spotlight-V100
+.Trashes
+ehthumbs.db
+Thumbs.db
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f777af1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Copy this to .env and fill in your credentials
+CHECKWATT_USERNAME=your_eib_username
+CHECKWATT_PASSWORD=your_eib_password
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 8cb124e..a9a55ff 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 dist/
 __pycache__/
 pipx_shared.pth
-cw_test.py
\ No newline at end of file
+cw_test.py
+.env
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Dockerfile.dev b/Dockerfile.dev
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b9c3e2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dockerfile.dev
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+FROM python:3.11-slim
+
+WORKDIR /app
+# Dependencies
+RUN pip install --no-cache-dir poetry
+COPY pyproject.toml poetry.lock ./
+
+RUN poetry config virtualenvs.create false \
+    && poetry install --only main --no-root --no-interaction --no-ansi
+
+# Dev dependencies
+RUN pip install black flake8
+
+ENV PYTHONPATH="${PYTHONPATH}:/app"
+
+CMD ["python"]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 028cf4c..b1e91ec 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -207,6 +207,39 @@ Export: 668.539 kWh
 
 ```
 
+## Docker Development
+
+For developers who prefer not to install Python locally, a Docker-based development environment is available.
+
+### Prerequisites
+
+- Docker and Docker Compose installed
+- CheckWatt EnergyInBalance credentials
+
+### Quick Start
+
+1. **Set up credentials**
+   ```bash
+   cp .env.example .env
+   # Edit .env with your CheckWatt credentials
+   ```
+
+2. **Build, run & cleanup**
+   ```bash
+   # Build the development container
+   docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yml build
+   
+   # Run the example
+   docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yml run --rm pycheckwatt-dev python examples/example.py
+   
+   # Clean up containers
+   docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yml down
+   ```
+
+Inside the container local code changes are automatically synced and you can run standard Python development commands.
+
+
+
 # Acknowledgements
 This module was developed as a team effort by the following contributors.
 
diff --git a/docker-compose.dev.yml b/docker-compose.dev.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..efebec4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.dev.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+services:
+  pycheckwatt-dev:
+    build:
+      context: .
+      dockerfile: Dockerfile.dev
+    volumes:
+      - .:/app
+      - pip-cache:/root/.cache/pip
+    environment:
+      - CHECKWATT_USERNAME=${CHECKWATT_USERNAME:-}
+      - CHECKWATT_PASSWORD=${CHECKWATT_PASSWORD:-}
+      - PYTHONPATH=/app
+    stdin_open: true
+    tty: true
+    working_dir: /app
+
+volumes:
+  pip-cache:
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/example.py b/examples/example.py
index b85b955..d78bac5 100644
--- a/examples/example.py
+++ b/examples/example.py
@@ -2,14 +2,14 @@
 
 import argparse
 import json
+import os
 
 from pycheckwatt import CheckwattManager
 
 
 async def main(show_details=False):
-    """Fetch username and password from environment variables."""
-    username = "EIB username"
-    password = "EiB password"
+    username = os.getenv("CHECKWATT_USERNAME")
+    password = os.getenv("CHECKWATT_PASSWORD")
 
     # Create the async class
     async with CheckwattManager(username, password) as check_watt_instance: