diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f0ae0fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# ==============================================================================
+# OpenProject Docker & MCP Server Environment Configuration
+# ==============================================================================
+
+# OpenProject Docker Image Tag (Targeting OpenProject 17)
+TAG=17-slim
+
+# Local exposed port on the host
+PORT=8080
+
+# Database Configuration
+POSTGRES_VERSION=17
+POSTGRES_PASSWORD=p4ssw0rd
+
+# OpenProject Application Configuration
+OPENPROJECT_HOST__NAME=localhost:8080
+OPENPROJECT_HTTPS=false
+SECRET_KEY_BASE=openproject-secret-key-base-for-local-testing-at-least-64-characters-long
+
+# MCP Server Client Configuration
+# Once the container is running and seeded via scripts/seed.sh,
+# OPENPROJECT_API_KEY will be automatically written to .env.test
+OPENPROJECT_BASE_URL=http://localhost:8080
+OPENPROJECT_API_KEY=
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8e8e733
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+# OpenProject MCP Companion - Local Development & Testing Stack
+# Target: OpenProject 17
+# Usage: docker compose up -d
+
+networks:
+  openproject-net:
+    driver: bridge
+
+volumes:
+  pgdata:
+  opdata:
+
+x-op-restart-policy: &restart_policy
+  restart: unless-stopped
+
+x-op-image: &image
+  image: openproject/openproject:${TAG:-17-slim}
+
+x-op-app: &app
+  <<: [*image, *restart_policy]
+  environment:
+    OPENPROJECT_HTTPS: "${OPENPROJECT_HTTPS:-false}"
+    OPENPROJECT_HOST__NAME: "${OPENPROJECT_HOST__NAME:-localhost:8080}"
+    OPENPROJECT_ADDITIONAL__HOST__NAMES: "${OPENPROJECT_ADDITIONAL__HOST__NAMES:-web}"
+    OPENPROJECT_HSTS: "false"
+    OPENPROJECT_RAILS__CACHE__STORE: "memcache"
+    RAILS_CACHE_STORE: "memcache"
+    OPENPROJECT_CACHE__MEMCACHE__SERVER: "cache:11211"
+    DATABASE_URL: "${DATABASE_URL:-postgres://postgres:p4ssw0rd@db/openproject?pool=20&encoding=unicode&reconnect=true}"
+    RAILS_MIN_THREADS: ${RAILS_MIN_THREADS:-4}
+    RAILS_MAX_THREADS: ${RAILS_MAX_THREADS:-16}
+    SECRET_KEY_BASE: "${SECRET_KEY_BASE:-openproject-secret-key-base-for-local-testing-at-least-64-characters-long}"
+    IMAP_ENABLED: "false"
+    OPENPROJECT_ENABLE__INTERNAL__ASSETS__SERVER: "true"
+  volumes:
+    - opdata:/var/openproject/assets
+    - ./scripts:/scripts:ro
+  networks:
+    - openproject-net
+
+services:
+  db:
+    image: postgres:${POSTGRES_VERSION:-17}
+    <<: *restart_policy
+    stop_grace_period: "3s"
+    volumes:
+      - pgdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data
+    environment:
+      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ${POSTGRES_PASSWORD:-p4ssw0rd}
+      POSTGRES_DB: openproject
+    healthcheck:
+      test: ["CMD-SHELL", "pg_isready -U postgres -d openproject"]
+      interval: 5s
+      timeout: 5s
+      retries: 5
+    networks:
+      - openproject-net
+
+  cache:
+    image: memcached:alpine
+    <<: *restart_policy
+    networks:
+      - openproject-net
+
+  seeder:
+    <<: *app
+    command: "./docker/prod/seeder"
+    restart: on-failure
+    depends_on:
+      db:
+        condition: service_healthy
+      cache:
+        condition: service_started
+
+  web:
+    <<: *app
+    command: "./docker/prod/web"
+    ports:
+      - "${PORT:-8080}:8080"
+    depends_on:
+      db:
+        condition: service_healthy
+      cache:
+        condition: service_started
+      seeder:
+        condition: service_completed_successfully
+    healthcheck:
+      test: ["CMD", "curl", "-f", "http://localhost:8080/health_checks/default"]
+      interval: 10s
+      timeout: 5s
+      retries: 6
+      start_period: 45s
+
+  worker:
+    <<: *app
+    command: "./docker/prod/worker"
+    depends_on:
+      db:
+        condition: service_healthy
+      cache:
+        condition: service_started
+      seeder:
+        condition: service_completed_successfully
diff --git a/scripts/seed-test-data.rb b/scripts/seed-test-data.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..353a0e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/seed-test-data.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+# OpenProject MCP Companion - Test Data & API Key Seeder
+# Run inside Rails environment via: bundle exec rails runner /scripts/seed-test-data.rb
+
+require 'json'
+
+puts "[Seeder] Starting OpenProject MCP test data initialization..."
+
+# 1. Ensure admin user is active and has no password change requirement
+admin = User.find_by(login: 'admin')
+if admin.nil?
+  puts "[Seeder] ERROR: Default admin user not found in database!"
+  exit 1
+end
+
+admin.status = Principal.statuses[:active] if defined?(Principal) && Principal.respond_to?(:statuses)
+admin.password = 'admin12345678'
+admin.password_confirmation = 'admin12345678'
+admin.force_password_change = false if admin.respond_to?(:force_password_change=)
+admin.save(validate: false)
+puts "[Seeder] Admin user configured (login: admin)."
+
+# 2. Generate or refresh personal API token for admin
+Token::API.where(user: admin).destroy_all
+api_token = Token::API.create_and_return_value(admin)
+puts "[Seeder] Generated new API token for admin."
+
+# 3. Create or find dedicated MCP test project
+test_project = Project.find_or_initialize_by(identifier: 'mcp-test-project')
+test_project.name = 'MCP Test Project'
+test_project.description = 'Dedicated test project for openproject-mcp companion server.'
+test_project.public = true
+test_project.workspace_type = 'project' if test_project.respond_to?(:workspace_type=)
+test_project.types = Type.all if Type.any?
+test_project.save!(validate: false)
+puts "[Seeder] Ensured project 'MCP Test Project' (ID: #{test_project.id}, identifier: #{test_project.identifier})."
+
+# 4. Ensure admin has project manager role in the test project
+role = Role.find_by(name: 'Project admin') || Role.find_by(name: 'Manager') || Role.first
+if role
+  membership = Member.find_or_initialize_by(project: test_project, principal: admin)
+  membership.roles = [role] unless membership.roles.include?(role)
+  membership.save!(validate: false)
+  puts "[Seeder] Granted admin '#{role.name}' role in '#{test_project.identifier}'."
+end
+
+# 5. Retrieve taxonomy types, statuses, and priorities
+task_type = Type.find_by(name: 'Task') || Type.first
+bug_type = Type.find_by(name: 'Bug') || Type.second || task_type
+feature_type = Type.find_by(name: 'Feature') || Type.third || task_type
+
+status_new = Status.find_by(name: 'New') || Status.first
+status_in_progress = Status.find_by(name: 'In progress') || Status.second || status_new
+status_closed = Status.find_by(name: 'Closed') || Status.last || status_new
+
+priority_normal = IssuePriority.find_by(name: 'Normal') || IssuePriority.first
+priority_high = IssuePriority.find_by(name: 'High') || IssuePriority.second || priority_normal
+priority_immediate = IssuePriority.find_by(name: 'Immediate') || IssuePriority.last || priority_normal
+
+# 6. Seed sample work packages
+sample_packages = [
+  {
+    subject: 'Implement MCP Server Core Protocol',
+    type: task_type,
+    status: status_in_progress,
+    priority: priority_high,
+    description: 'Build stdio transport and wire up tool handlers using @modelcontextprotocol/sdk.'
+  },
+  {
+    subject: 'Fix HAL+JSON query filter URL encoding',
+    type: bug_type,
+    status: status_new,
+    priority: priority_immediate,
+    description: 'Ensure complex filter arrays are properly stringified and encoded when fetching work packages.'
+  },
+  {
+    subject: 'Add saved query execution tools',
+    type: feature_type,
+    status: status_new,
+    priority: priority_normal,
+    description: 'Allow LLMs to execute preconfigured OpenProject queries and inspect results.'
+  },
+  {
+    subject: 'Initial repository bootstrap and documentation',
+    type: task_type,
+    status: status_closed,
+    priority: priority_normal,
+    description: 'Set up AGENTS.md, ARCHITECTURE.md, and initial decision records.'
+  }
+]
+
+created_wps = []
+sample_packages.each do |data|
+  wp = WorkPackage.find_or_initialize_by(project: test_project, subject: data[:subject])
+  wp.author = admin
+  wp.assigned_to = admin
+  wp.type = data[:type]
+  wp.status = data[:status]
+  wp.priority = data[:priority]
+  wp.description = data[:description]
+  wp.save!(validate: false)
+  created_wps << { id: wp.id, subject: wp.subject, status: wp.status&.name, type: wp.type&.name }
+end
+puts "[Seeder] Seeded #{created_wps.size} work packages in '#{test_project.identifier}'."
+
+# 7. Create saved query
+query = Query.find_or_initialize_by(name: 'MCP Active Tasks', project: test_project)
+query.user = admin
+query.public = true if query.respond_to?(:public=)
+query.include_subprojects = true if query.respond_to?(:include_subprojects=)
+query.timestamps = [] if query.respond_to?(:timestamps=)
+query.column_names = [:id, :subject, :status, :assigned_to] if query.respond_to?(:column_names=)
+query.save!(validate: false)
+puts "[Seeder] Seeded saved query 'MCP Active Tasks' (ID: #{query.id})."
+
+# 8. Output summary payload for test automation
+summary = {
+  status: 'ok',
+  baseUrl: 'http://localhost:8080',
+  apiKey: api_token,
+  adminUser: admin.login,
+  projectId: test_project.id,
+  projectIdentifier: test_project.identifier,
+  queryId: query.id,
+  workPackages: created_wps,
+  totalProjects: Project.count,
+  totalWorkPackages: WorkPackage.count
+}
+
+puts "---SEED_RESULT_START---"
+puts summary.to_json
+puts "---SEED_RESULT_END---"
+puts "[Seeder] Completed successfully."
diff --git a/scripts/seed.sh b/scripts/seed.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..acc1d4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/seed.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# ==============================================================================
+# OpenProject MCP Companion - Seed Script
+# Waits for OpenProject to be healthy, runs test data seeder, and saves API key.
+# ==============================================================================
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+ROOT_DIR="$(cd "${SCRIPT_DIR}/.." && pwd)"
+
+BASE_URL="${OPENPROJECT_BASE_URL:-http://localhost:8080}"
+MAX_WAIT_SECONDS=180
+INTERVAL=5
+
+echo "[seed.sh] Waiting for OpenProject to be healthy at ${BASE_URL}..."
+
+elapsed=0
+until curl -s -f "${BASE_URL}/health_checks/default" >/dev/null 2>&1; do
+  if [ "$elapsed" -ge "$MAX_WAIT_SECONDS" ]; then
+    echo "[seed.sh] ERROR: Timed out waiting for OpenProject after ${MAX_WAIT_SECONDS} seconds."
+    echo "[seed.sh] Check container logs with: docker compose logs web"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  echo "[seed.sh] OpenProject not ready yet. Retrying in ${INTERVAL}s (${elapsed}s / ${MAX_WAIT_SECONDS}s)..."
+  sleep "$INTERVAL"
+  elapsed=$((elapsed + INTERVAL))
+done
+
+echo "[seed.sh] OpenProject is up and healthy!"
+echo "[seed.sh] Running seed script inside container..."
+
+SEED_OUTPUT=$(docker compose -f "${ROOT_DIR}/docker-compose.yml" exec -T web bundle exec rails runner /scripts/seed-test-data.rb)
+
+echo "${SEED_OUTPUT}"
+
+JSON_PAYLOAD=$(echo "${SEED_OUTPUT}" | sed -n '/---SEED_RESULT_START---/,/---SEED_RESULT_END---/p' | grep -v -- '---SEED_RESULT_')
+
+if [ -z "${JSON_PAYLOAD}" ]; then
+  echo "[seed.sh] ERROR: Could not extract seed payload from output."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+API_KEY=$(python3 -c "import json, sys; print(json.loads(sys.stdin.read())['apiKey'])" <<< "${JSON_PAYLOAD}")
+PROJECT_IDENTIFIER=$(python3 -c "import json, sys; print(json.loads(sys.stdin.read())['projectIdentifier'])" <<< "${JSON_PAYLOAD}")
+
+# Update .env.test
+cat <<EOF > "${ROOT_DIR}/.env.test"
+# Auto-generated by scripts/seed.sh on $(date -u +"%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ")
+OPENPROJECT_BASE_URL=${BASE_URL}
+OPENPROJECT_API_KEY=${API_KEY}
+OPENPROJECT_TEST_PROJECT=${PROJECT_IDENTIFIER}
+EOF
+
+# Also update .env.local if not present or populate key
+if [ ! -f "${ROOT_DIR}/.env.local" ]; then
+  cp "${ROOT_DIR}/.env.test" "${ROOT_DIR}/.env.local"
+fi
+
+echo ""
+echo "[seed.sh] Success! Test environment configured."
+echo "[seed.sh] API credentials written to .env.test and .env.local"
+echo "[seed.sh] Base URL: ${BASE_URL}"
+echo "[seed.sh] API Key:  ${API_KEY}"
+echo "[seed.sh] Test Project: ${PROJECT_IDENTIFIER}"
diff --git a/scripts/start.sh b/scripts/start.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..db589c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/start.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# ==============================================================================
+# OpenProject MCP Companion - Start & Seed Stack
+# ==============================================================================
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+ROOT_DIR="$(cd "${SCRIPT_DIR}/.." && pwd)"
+
+cd "${ROOT_DIR}"
+
+if [ ! -f .env ]; then
+  echo "[start.sh] Creating .env from .env.example..."
+  cp .env.example .env
+fi
+
+echo "[start.sh] Starting OpenProject docker compose stack..."
+docker compose up -d
+
+echo "[start.sh] Running seed script to prepare test data and API token..."
+"${SCRIPT_DIR}/seed.sh"
+
+echo "[start.sh] OpenProject MCP test stack is ready!"
diff --git a/scripts/stop.sh b/scripts/stop.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..b34d6f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/stop.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# ==============================================================================
+# OpenProject MCP Companion - Stop Stack
+# ==============================================================================
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+ROOT_DIR="$(cd "${SCRIPT_DIR}/.." && pwd)"
+
+echo "[stop.sh] Stopping OpenProject docker compose stack..."
+docker compose -f "${ROOT_DIR}/docker-compose.yml" down
+echo "[stop.sh] Stack stopped."