diff --git a/scripts/dev.sh b/scripts/dev.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..41910ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/dev.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Lifecycle commands for the local dev stack (mysql + api-server + web-view).
+# Bots (telegram-bot, transfer-bot) are gated behind a compose 'bots' profile
+# and do not start with 'up'. Status is used by scripts/bot_cli.sh.
+set -euo pipefail
+
+usage() {
+  cat <<'EOF'
+Lifecycle for the dev stack.
+
+Usage:
+  scripts/dev.sh up         Start mysql + api-server + web-view in the background.
+  scripts/dev.sh down       Stop the stack. mysql volume kept (DB persists).
+  scripts/dev.sh reset-db   Stop the stack AND drop the mysql volume; then start.
+  scripts/dev.sh logs       Tail logs from the running stack.
+  scripts/dev.sh status     Print 'OK' if mysql is running, else exit 1.
+
+Environment:
+  NO_SUDO=1   Skip the 'sudo' prefix (use if your user is in the docker group).
+EOF
+}
+
+ROOT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
+cd "${ROOT_DIR}"
+
+SUDO="sudo"
+[[ "${NO_SUDO:-0}" == "1" ]] && SUDO=""
+# shellcheck disable=SC2206
+COMPOSE=(${SUDO} docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.override.yml)
+
+if [[ ! -f .env ]]; then
+  echo "ERROR: .env not found at repo root. Run: cp envs/dev/.env.example .env (then edit)." >&2
+  exit 2
+fi
+
+case "${1:-}" in
+  up)
+    "${COMPOSE[@]}" up -d --build mysql api-server web-view
+    "${COMPOSE[@]}" ps
+    ;;
+  down)
+    "${COMPOSE[@]}" down
+    ;;
+  reset-db)
+    "${COMPOSE[@]}" down --volumes
+    "${COMPOSE[@]}" up -d --build mysql api-server web-view
+    ;;
+  logs)
+    "${COMPOSE[@]}" logs -f mysql api-server web-view
+    ;;
+  status)
+    if "${COMPOSE[@]}" ps --status running --services 2>/dev/null | grep -q '^mysql$'; then
+      echo OK
+    else
+      echo "ERROR: dev stack not running. Run 'scripts/dev.sh up' first." >&2
+      exit 1
+    fi
+    ;;
+  -h|--help|help)
+    usage
+    exit 0
+    ;;
+  "")
+    usage >&2
+    exit 1
+    ;;
+  *)
+    echo "unknown command: $1" >&2
+    usage >&2
+    exit 1
+    ;;
+esac