diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3c3629e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+node_modules
diff --git a/Gruntfile.js b/Gruntfile.js
index 33a04fe1..ab0c53de 100644
--- a/Gruntfile.js
+++ b/Gruntfile.js
@@ -35,11 +35,16 @@ module.exports = function(grunt) {
 		},
 		imagemin: {
 			dynamic: {
+				options: {
+					optimizationLevel: 3,
+					concurrency: 4
+				},
 				files: [{
 					expand: true,
 					cwd: 'images/',
 					src: ['**/*.{png,jpg,gif}'],
-					dest: 'images/'
+					dest: 'images/',
+					filter: 'isFile'
 				}]
 			}
 		},
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 40895a4e..48a3e319 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1 +1,248 @@
-# MAQ-Website-New
\ No newline at end of file
+# MAQ Software Website
+
+This repository contains the MAQ Software website - a static HTML website built with Grunt for build automation.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed on your system:
+
+### Node.js
+
+This project requires Node.js to run Grunt and manage dependencies. 
+
+**Installation Options:**
+
+1. **Using Homebrew (macOS/Linux):**
+   ```bash
+   brew install node
+   ```
+
+2. **Windows - Using nvm-windows (Node Version Manager for Windows) - Recommended:**
+   
+   nvm-windows allows you to easily switch between Node.js versions on Windows.
+   
+   **Steps:**
+   - Download the latest installer from [nvm-windows releases](https://github.com/coreybutler/nvm-windows/releases)
+   - Download `nvm-setup.exe` (the installer version)
+   - Run the installer and follow the setup wizard
+   - Open a new Command Prompt or PowerShell window
+   - Install and use Node.js LTS version:
+     ```bash
+     nvm install lts
+     nvm use lts
+     ```
+
+3. **Windows - Direct Installer (Alternative):**
+   - Visit [nodejs.org](https://nodejs.org/)
+   - Download the Windows Installer (.msi) for the LTS version
+   - Run the installer and follow the setup wizard
+   - Make sure to check "Add to PATH" during installation
+   - Restart your terminal/command prompt after installation
+
+4. **Using nvm (macOS/Linux) - Recommended:**
+   ```bash
+   # Install nvm
+   curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.0/install.sh | bash
+   
+   # Install and use Node.js (LTS version)
+   nvm install --lts
+   nvm use --lts
+   ```
+
+5. **Download from official website (All Platforms):**
+   Visit [nodejs.org](https://nodejs.org/) and download the LTS version for your operating system.
+
+**Verify Installation:**
+```bash
+node --version
+npm --version
+```
+
+You should see version numbers for both commands. Node.js version 14.x or higher is recommended.
+
+## Setup Instructions
+
+### 1. Clone the Repository
+
+```bash
+git clone <repository-url>
+cd MAQSoftware
+```
+
+### 2. Install Dependencies
+
+Install all required Node.js packages (including Grunt and its plugins):
+
+```bash
+npm install
+```
+
+This will install the following dependencies:
+- `grunt` - Task runner
+- `grunt-contrib-cssmin` - CSS minification
+- `grunt-contrib-imagemin` - Image optimization
+- `grunt-contrib-jshint` - JavaScript linting
+- `grunt-contrib-uglify` - JavaScript minification
+- `grunt-contrib-nodeunit` - Unit testing
+
+## Running Locally
+
+### Option 1: Using Python's Built-in HTTP Server (Recommended)
+
+**macOS/Linux:**
+Python comes pre-installed on macOS and most Linux distributions. This is the simplest way to serve the static files:
+
+```bash
+# Python 3
+python3 -m http.server 8000
+
+# Or Python 2
+python -m SimpleHTTPServer 8000
+```
+
+**Windows:**
+If you have Python installed on Windows:
+
+```bash
+# Python 3
+python -m http.server 8000
+
+# Or if python3 is in your PATH
+python3 -m http.server 8000
+```
+
+**Note:** If Python is not installed on Windows, you can download it from [python.org](https://www.python.org/downloads/) or use one of the other options below.
+
+Then open your browser and navigate to:
+```
+http://localhost:8000
+```
+
+### Option 2: Using Node.js http-server (Works on All Platforms)
+
+Install `http-server` globally:
+```bash
+npm install -g http-server
+```
+
+Then run:
+```bash
+http-server -p 8000
+```
+
+Access the site at `http://localhost:8000`
+
+**Note:** This option works well on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It's a good alternative if Python is not available.
+
+### Option 3: Using PHP's Built-in Server
+
+If you have PHP installed:
+```bash
+php -S localhost:8000
+```
+
+## Grunt Commands
+
+This project uses Grunt for build automation. The following tasks are available:
+
+### Run All Build Tasks (Default)
+
+```bash
+grunt
+```
+
+or
+
+```bash
+grunt default
+```
+
+This runs all tasks in sequence:
+- **uglify** - Minifies JavaScript files
+- **cssmin** - Minifies and combines CSS files
+- **imagemin** - Optimizes images
+- **jshint** - Lints JavaScript files
+
+### Individual Tasks
+
+You can run individual Grunt tasks:
+
+```bash
+# Minify JavaScript files
+grunt uglify
+
+# Minify and combine CSS files
+grunt cssmin
+
+# Optimize images
+grunt imagemin
+
+# Lint JavaScript files
+grunt jshint
+```
+
+### Available Grunt Tasks
+
+- **`uglify`** - Minifies JavaScript files in the `js/` directory:
+  - Creates `.min.js` versions of all JavaScript files
+  - Outputs to the same `js/` directory
+
+- **`cssmin`** - Minifies and combines CSS files:
+  - Combines multiple CSS files into `css/core.min.css`
+  - Includes: timber.css, avalanche.css, summit.css, snowbridge.css, horizon.css, templates.css
+
+- **`imagemin`** - Optimizes images:
+  - Processes all PNG, JPG, and GIF files in the `images/` directory
+  - Optimizes images in place
+
+- **`jshint`** - JavaScript linting:
+  - Validates JavaScript files for code quality and potential errors
+  - Checks files in the `js/` directory
+
+## Project Structure
+
+```
+MAQSoftware/
+├── index.html          # Main homepage
+├── *.html              # Other HTML pages
+├── css/                # Stylesheets
+├── js/                 # JavaScript files
+├── images/             # Image assets
+├── Gruntfile.js        # Grunt configuration
+├── package.json        # Node.js dependencies
+└── README.md           # This file
+```
+
+## Development Workflow
+
+1. **Make changes** to HTML, CSS, or JavaScript files
+2. **Run Grunt** to build/minify assets:
+   ```bash
+   grunt
+   ```
+3. **Start a local server** to preview changes:
+   ```bash
+   python3 -m http.server 8000
+   ```
+4. **Open browser** to `http://localhost:8000` to view the site
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### npm install fails
+- Ensure you have Node.js and npm installed correctly
+- Try clearing npm cache: `npm cache clean --force`
+- Delete `node_modules` folder and `package-lock.json`, then run `npm install` again
+
+### Grunt command not found
+- Ensure dependencies are installed: `npm install`
+- Try running with npx: `npx grunt`
+
+### Port 8000 already in use
+- Use a different port: `python3 -m http.server 8080`
+- Or stop the process using port 8000
+
+## Additional Notes
+
+- The website is a static site - no backend server is required
+- All build artifacts (minified files) are generated in the same directories as source files
+- Make sure to run `grunt` before committing changes if you've modified JavaScript or CSS files
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ea07fce4..970074bf 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@
   "devDependencies": {
     "grunt": ">=1.3.0",
     "grunt-contrib-cssmin": "^1.0.1",
-    "grunt-contrib-imagemin": "^1.0.1",
-    "grunt-contrib-jshint": "~0.12.0",
-    "grunt-contrib-nodeunit": "~0.4.1",
-    "grunt-contrib-uglify": "~0.5.0"
+    "grunt-contrib-imagemin": "^4.0.0",
+    "grunt-contrib-jshint": "^3.2.0",
+    "grunt-contrib-nodeunit": "^5.0.0",
+    "grunt-contrib-uglify": "^5.0.0"
   }
 }