diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index f428ca2..6d00b52 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -28,3 +28,23 @@ ADMIN_EMAILS=
 
 # Optional: origin of a separately-served frontend dev server (enables CORS). Leave empty in production.
 FRONTEND_ORIGIN=
+
+# Optional YouTube Data API key (Google Cloud Console -> Credentials -> Create API key).
+# When set, all public reads (channels/videos/playlist backfill + enrichment) use the key
+# instead of a user's OAuth token, so 24/7 backfill never depends on a refresh token that
+# would otherwise expire (Google expires refresh tokens after 7 days while the OAuth consent
+# screen is in "Testing"). Strongly recommended for the always-on server instance.
+YOUTUBE_API_KEY=
+
+# --- Deployment role ---
+# DATABASE_URL is set automatically by docker-compose.yml / docker-compose.server.yml to the
+# bundled `db` service. Override it only for local dev against the central server DB, e.g.:
+#   DATABASE_URL=postgresql+psycopg://subfeed:<password>@your-db-host:5432/subfeed
+# Exactly one instance may run the background scheduler. The central server keeps it on; every
+# other instance (local dev, etc.) must set SCHEDULER_ENABLED=false. The compose files set this
+# for you (server=true via docker-compose.server.yml, local=false via docker-compose.localdev.yml).
+SCHEDULER_ENABLED=true
+
+# On the central server, set this so backup.sh / restore.sh and plain `docker compose` commands
+# target the server stack automatically:
+#   COMPOSE_FILE=docker-compose.server.yml
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 95af6e8..7812ba0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ once and stored locally, so filtering/searching/sorting are instant and don't bu
 
 ## Backup & moving to another machine
 
-All data lives in the `pgdata` Postgres volume — moving to another host (e.g. a Proxmox Linux
+All data lives in the Postgres database — moving to another host (e.g. a Proxmox Linux
 server) does **not** require re-fetching from YouTube. Copy your `.env` (keep the same
 `TOKEN_ENCRYPTION_KEY` and Google client so stored tokens stay valid), then:
 
@@ -70,6 +70,33 @@ server) does **not** require re-fetching from YouTube. Copy your `.env` (keep th
 ./scripts/restore.sh backups/<file> # on the new host after `docker compose up`
 ```
 
+## Central server + local dev (single shared database)
+
+For always-on operation the recommended topology is a single **central Postgres** running on a
+24/7 host (e.g. a Proxmox LXC) that also runs the background scheduler, with every other instance
+(your local dev machine, a future VPS) pointing at that same database. One source of truth, no
+sync.
+
+- **Server** (`docker-compose.server.yml`): full stack, Postgres published on the LAN, scheduler
+  on, DB files in a host-visible `./pgdata` bind mount. In the LXC, from the project root:
+
+  ```sh
+  echo 'COMPOSE_FILE=docker-compose.server.yml' >> .env   # so backup/restore target this stack
+  docker compose up -d --build
+  ./scripts/restore.sh backups/<file>                     # migrate existing data in
+  ```
+
+  Set `YOUTUBE_API_KEY` in `.env` so unattended backfill/enrichment use the API key and don't
+  depend on a refresh token (which expires after 7 days while the OAuth screen is in *Testing*).
+
+- **Local dev** (`docker-compose.localdev.yml`): webapp only, no local DB, no scheduler. In `.env`
+  set `DATABASE_URL` to the central DB (e.g. `…@your-db-host:5432/subfeed`), then
+  `docker compose -f docker-compose.localdev.yml up --build` and browse http://localhost:8080.
+
+**Exactly one instance may run the scheduler.** The server keeps `SCHEDULER_ENABLED=true`; every
+other instance must be `false` (the compose files enforce this) to avoid double quota burn and
+write races on the shared DB.
+
 ## Tech
 
 FastAPI + PostgreSQL backend, React + Vite frontend (added in a later milestone), packaged with
diff --git a/docker-compose.localdev.yml b/docker-compose.localdev.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..69b3dd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.localdev.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# Local development against the central (Proxmox) Postgres.
+#
+# Runs only the webapp/API — no local database, no scheduler — pointed at the shared
+# DB on the server. You see the same live data the 24/7 backfill is filling, and you
+# never run a second scheduler against it.
+#
+# Setup: in .env set
+#   DATABASE_URL=postgresql+psycopg://subfeed:<password>@your-db-host:5432/subfeed
+# (use the central DB's host/port and the real POSTGRES_PASSWORD), then:
+#   docker compose -f docker-compose.localdev.yml up --build
+#
+# Browse at http://localhost:8080 — Google login works here because the OAuth redirect
+# is http://localhost:8080/auth/callback.
+#
+# Note: the API runs `alembic upgrade head` on startup, so launching this with newer
+# local migrations will apply them to the shared DB. For risky schema work, point
+# DATABASE_URL at a throwaway local Postgres instead.
+
+services:
+  api:
+    build:
+      context: .
+      dockerfile: Dockerfile
+    env_file: .env
+    environment:
+      # Exactly one scheduler may write to the shared DB; the server owns it.
+      SCHEDULER_ENABLED: "false"
+    # Harmless on Docker Desktop; needed if ever run under Docker-in-LXC.
+    security_opt:
+      - apparmor:unconfined
+    ports:
+      - "${APP_PORT:-8080}:8000"
+    restart: unless-stopped