diff --git a/.github/workflows/.gitignore b/.github/workflows/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..723ef36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+.idea
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a9950f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+name: CI - Build and Push Docker Images to ECR (Test & Prod)
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+  workflow_dispatch: # allows manual trigger for prod deploy
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Configure AWS credentials
+        uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v4
+        with:
+          aws-access-key-id: ${{ secrets.AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID }}
+          aws-secret-access-key: ${{ secrets.AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY }}
+          aws-region: ${{ secrets.AWS_REGION }}
+
+      - name: Log in to Amazon ECR
+        uses: aws-actions/amazon-ecr-login@v2
+
+      # -----------------------------
+      # TEST ENVIRONMENT
+      # -----------------------------
+
+      - name: Build Docker image for TEST (SHA)
+        run: |
+          IMAGE_TAG=${GITHUB_SHA}
+          ECR_REGISTRY=${{ secrets.AWS_ACCOUNT_ID }}.dkr.ecr.${{ secrets.AWS_REGION }}.amazonaws.com
+          ECR_REPOSITORY_TEST=${{ secrets.ECR_REPOSITORY_TEST }}
+          docker build -t $ECR_REGISTRY/$ECR_REPOSITORY_TEST:$IMAGE_TAG .
+
+      - name: Tag Docker image for TEST as latest
+        run: |
+          IMAGE_TAG=${GITHUB_SHA}
+          ECR_REGISTRY=${{ secrets.AWS_ACCOUNT_ID }}.dkr.ecr.${{ secrets.AWS_REGION }}.amazonaws.com
+          ECR_REPOSITORY_TEST=${{ secrets.ECR_REPOSITORY_TEST }}
+          docker tag $ECR_REGISTRY/$ECR_REPOSITORY_TEST:$IMAGE_TAG $ECR_REGISTRY/$ECR_REPOSITORY_TEST:latest
+          docker images | grep $ECR_REPOSITORY_TEST
+
+      - name: Push Docker image to TEST ECR (SHA and latest)
+        run: |
+          IMAGE_TAG=${GITHUB_SHA}
+          ECR_REGISTRY=${{ secrets.AWS_ACCOUNT_ID }}.dkr.ecr.${{ secrets.AWS_REGION }}.amazonaws.com
+          ECR_REPOSITORY_TEST=${{ secrets.ECR_REPOSITORY_TEST }}
+          docker push $ECR_REGISTRY/$ECR_REPOSITORY_TEST:$IMAGE_TAG
+          docker push $ECR_REGISTRY/$ECR_REPOSITORY_TEST:latest
+
+      # -----------------------------
+      # PROD ENVIRONMENT (manual trigger)
+      # -----------------------------
+
+      - name: Build Docker image for PROD (SHA)
+        if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
+        run: |
+          IMAGE_TAG=${GITHUB_SHA}
+          ECR_REGISTRY=${{ secrets.AWS_ACCOUNT_ID }}.dkr.ecr.${{ secrets.AWS_REGION }}.amazonaws.com
+          ECR_REPOSITORY_PROD=${{ secrets.ECR_REPOSITORY_PROD }}
+          docker build -t $ECR_REGISTRY/$ECR_REPOSITORY_PROD:$IMAGE_TAG .
+
+      - name: Tag Docker image for PROD as latest
+        if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
+        run: |
+          IMAGE_TAG=${GITHUB_SHA}
+          ECR_REGISTRY=${{ secrets.AWS_ACCOUNT_ID }}.dkr.ecr.${{ secrets.AWS_REGION }}.amazonaws.com
+          ECR_REPOSITORY_PROD=${{ secrets.ECR_REPOSITORY_PROD }}
+          docker tag $ECR_REGISTRY/$ECR_REPOSITORY_PROD:$IMAGE_TAG $ECR_REGISTRY/$ECR_REPOSITORY_PROD:latest
+          docker images | grep $ECR_REPOSITORY_PROD
+
+      - name: Push Docker image to PROD ECR (SHA and latest)
+        if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
+        run: |
+          IMAGE_TAG=${GITHUB_SHA}
+          ECR_REGISTRY=${{ secrets.AWS_ACCOUNT_ID }}.dkr.ecr.${{ secrets.AWS_REGION }}.amazonaws.com
+          ECR_REPOSITORY_PROD=${{ secrets.ECR_REPOSITORY_PROD }}
+          docker push $ECR_REGISTRY/$ECR_REPOSITORY_PROD:$IMAGE_TAG
+          docker push $ECR_REGISTRY/$ECR_REPOSITORY_PROD:latest
diff --git a/.idea/.gitignore b/.idea/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..13566b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.idea/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# Default ignored files
+/shelf/
+/workspace.xml
+# Editor-based HTTP Client requests
+/httpRequests/
+# Datasource local storage ignored files
+/dataSources/
+/dataSources.local.xml
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..51e7874
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# Stage 1: Base image with dependencies
+FROM python:3.11-slim AS base
+
+WORKDIR /app
+
+# Install system deps (if you ever need psycopg2, mysqlclient, etc.)
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
+    build-essential \
+    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
+# Install Python dependencies
+COPY requirements.txt .
+RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt gunicorn
+
+# Stage 2: Final runtime image
+FROM python:3.11-slim AS final
+
+WORKDIR /app
+
+# Copy installed dependencies from base
+COPY --from=base /usr/local /usr/local
+
+# Copy application code
+COPY . .
+
+# Expose container port
+EXPOSE 8080
+
+# Run with Gunicorn (production-ready WSGI server)
+CMD ["gunicorn", "--bind", "0.0.0.0:8080", "app:app"]
diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index 997d548..3ba92ac 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -1,137 +1,68 @@
 from flask import Flask, jsonify, request
 from flask_restful import Api, Resource
 from flasgger import Swagger
-
 import book_review
+import logging
+import signal, sys
 
 app = Flask(__name__)
 api = Api(app)
 swagger = Swagger(app)
 
+# Logging setup
+logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
+
+# Graceful shutdown for ECS
+def handle_sigterm(*args):
+    app.logger.info("Received SIGTERM, shutting down gracefully...")
+    sys.exit(0)
+
+signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, handle_sigterm)
+
+
 class UppercaseText(Resource):
     def get(self):
-        """
-        This method responds to the GET request for this endpoint and returns the data in uppercase.
-        ---
-        tags:
-        - Text Processing
-        parameters:
-            - name: text
-              in: query
-              type: string
-              required: true
-              description: The text to be converted to uppercase
-        responses:
-            200:
-                description: A successful GET request
-                content:
-                    application/json:
-                      schema:
-                        type: object
-                        properties:
-                            text:
-                                type: string
-                                description: The text in uppercase
-        """
         text = request.args.get('text')
-
+        if not text:
+            return {"message": "Missing 'text' parameter"}, 400
         return jsonify({"text": text.upper()})
-    
+
+
 class Records(Resource):
     def get(self):
-        """
-        This method responds to the GET request for returning a number of books.
-        ---
-        tags:
-        - Records
-        parameters:
-            - name: count
-              in: query
-              type: integer
-              required: false
-              description: The number of books to return
-            - name: sort
-              in: query
-              type: string
-              enum: ['ASC', 'DESC']
-              required: false
-              description: Sort order for the books
-        responses:
-            200:
-                description: A successful GET request
-                schema:
-                    type: object
-                    properties:
-                        books:
-                            type: array
-                            items:
-                                type: object
-                                properties:
-                                    title:
-                                        type: string
-                                        description: The title of the book
-                                    author:
-                                        type: string
-                                        description: The author of the book
-        """
-
-        count = request.args.get('count')  # Default to returning 10 books if count is not provided
+        count = request.args.get('count')
         sort = request.args.get('sort')
+        try:
+            books = book_review.get_all_records(count=count, sort=sort)
+        except Exception as e:
+            app.logger.error(f"Error fetching records: {e}")
+            return {"error": "Internal Server Error"}, 500
+        return {"books": books}, 200
 
-        # Get all the books
-        books = book_review.get_all_records(count=count, sort=sort)
 
-        return {"books": books}, 200
-    
 class AddRecord(Resource):
     def post(self):
-        """
-        This method responds to the POST request for adding a new record to the DB table.
-        ---
-        tags:
-        - Records
-        parameters:
-            - in: body
-              name: body
-              required: true
-              schema:
-                id: BookReview
-                required:
-                  - Book
-                  - Rating
-                properties:
-                  Book:
-                    type: string
-                    description: the name of the book
-                  Rating:
-                    type: integer
-                    description: the rating of the book (1-10)
-        responses:
-            200:
-                description: A successful POST request
-            400: 
-                description: Bad request, missing 'Book' or 'Rating' in the request body
-        """
-
-        data = request.json
-        print(data)
-
-        # Check if 'Book' and 'Rating' are present in the request body
+        data = request.json or {}
         if 'Book' not in data or 'Rating' not in data:
-            return {"message": "Bad request, missing 'Book' or 'Rating' in the request body"}, 400
-        # Call the add_record function to add the record to the DB table
-        success = book_review.add_record(data)
-
-        if success:
-            return {"message": "Record added successfully"}, 200
-        else:
+            return {"message": "Bad request, missing 'Book' or 'Rating'"}, 400
+        try:
+            success = book_review.add_record(data)
+        except Exception as e:
+            app.logger.error(f"Error adding record: {e}")
             return {"message": "Failed to add record"}, 500
-        
+        return {"message": "Record added successfully"} if success else {"message": "Failed to add record"}, 200
 
 
 api.add_resource(AddRecord, "/add-record")
 api.add_resource(Records, "/records")
 api.add_resource(UppercaseText, "/uppercase")
 
+
+@app.route("/health")
+def health():
+    return jsonify(status="healthy"), 200
+
+
+# Only for local dev (Gunicorn runs in ECS)
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    app.run(debug=True)
\ No newline at end of file
+    app.run(host="0.0.0.0", port=8080, debug=False)