diff --git a/docker-compose.base.yml b/docker-compose.base.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..12604e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.base.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+services:
+  tools:
+    build:
+      context: .
+      dockerfile: docker/tools.Dockerfile
+    image: cm-whatsapp-tools:dev
+    container_name: cmbot-tools
+    user: "${HOST_UID:-1000}:${HOST_GID:-1000}"
+    working_dir: /workspace
+    command: ["tail", "-f", "/dev/null"]
+    volumes:
+      - .:/workspace
+    environment:
+      HOME: /tmp
+      PNPM_HOME: /workspace/.pnpm-store
+      DATABASE_URL: ${DATABASE_URL}
+      TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN: ${TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN:-unset}
+      TELEGRAM_OPERATOR_WHITELIST: ${TELEGRAM_OPERATOR_WHITELIST:-0}
+      TELEGRAM_QR_CHAT_ID: ${TELEGRAM_QR_CHAT_ID:-0}
+      DATA_DIR: ${DATA_DIR:-/data}
+      SESSIONS_DIR: ${SESSIONS_DIR:-/data/sessions}
+      MEDIA_DIR: ${MEDIA_DIR:-/data/media}
+      BOT_HEALTH_PORT: ${BOT_HEALTH_PORT:-8081}
+      BOT_LOG_LEVEL: ${BOT_LOG_LEVEL:-info}
+      SEED_OPERATOR_TELEGRAM_ID: ${SEED_OPERATOR_TELEGRAM_ID:-0}
+      SEED_OPERATOR_NAME: ${SEED_OPERATOR_NAME:-Operator}
+    networks:
+      - cmbot
+
+networks:
+  cmbot:
+    driver: bridge
diff --git a/docker-compose.dev.yml b/docker-compose.dev.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98fc6ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.dev.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+services:
+  tools:
+    image: cm-whatsapp-tools:dev
+    build:
+      context: .
+      dockerfile: docker/tools.Dockerfile
diff --git a/docker/tools.Dockerfile b/docker/tools.Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6987de5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/tools.Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+FROM node:22-alpine
+
+# Lightweight build deps for any future native modules (qrcode is pure JS;
+# baileys uses precompiled libsignal). git is needed by some pnpm workflows.
+RUN apk add --no-cache git python3 make g++ \
+    && corepack enable \
+    && corepack prepare pnpm@9.12.0 --activate
+
+WORKDIR /workspace
+ENV PNPM_HOME=/workspace/.pnpm-store
+CMD ["tail", "-f", "/dev/null"]