diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 3b735ec4a..61aa57eac 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -19,3 +19,6 @@
 
 # Go workspace file
 go.work
+
+# build
+build
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2a3e66c3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+FROM golang:alpine AS build-env
+
+# Install dependencies
+RUN apk add --update git build-base linux-headers
+
+# Set working directory for the build
+WORKDIR /go/src/git.vdb.to/cerc-io/laconic2d
+
+# Cache Go modules
+COPY go.mod go.sum ./
+RUN go mod download
+
+# Add source files
+COPY . .
+
+# Make the binary
+RUN make build
+
+# Final image
+FROM alpine:3.17.0
+
+# Install ca-certificates
+RUN apk add --update ca-certificates jq curl
+
+# Copy over binaries from the build-env
+COPY --from=build-env /go/src/git.vdb.to/cerc-io/laconic2d/build/laconic2d /usr/bin/laconic2d
+
+WORKDIR /
+
+# Run laconic2d by default
+CMD ["laconic2d"]
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6617ec113..a89331a31 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -24,26 +24,38 @@ ldflags = -X github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/version.Name=laconic \
 
 BUILD_FLAGS := -ldflags '$(ldflags)'
 
+BUILDDIR ?= $(CURDIR)/build
+
 ###########
 # Install #
 ###########
 
+go.sum: go.mod
+	echo "Ensure dependencies have not been modified ..." >&2
+	go mod verify
+	go mod tidy
+
+BUILD_TARGETS := build install
+
+build: BUILD_ARGS=-o $(BUILDDIR)/
+build-linux:
+	GOOS=linux GOARCH=amd64 LEDGER_ENABLED=false $(MAKE) build
+
+$(BUILD_TARGETS): go.sum $(BUILDDIR)/
+	@echo "--> installing laconic2d"
+	go $@ $(BUILD_FLAGS) $(BUILD_ARGS) ./...
+
+$(BUILDDIR)/:
+	mkdir -p $(BUILDDIR)/
+
 all: install
 
-install:
-	@echo "--> ensure dependencies have not been modified"
-	@go mod verify
-	@echo "--> installing laconic2d"
-	@go install $(BUILD_FLAGS) -mod=readonly ./cmd/laconic2d
-
-init:
-	./scripts/init.sh
+.PHONY: build build-linux install
 
 ##################
 ###  Protobuf  ###
 ##################
 
-
 protoVer=0.14.0
 protoImageName=ghcr.io/cosmos/proto-builder:$(protoVer)
 protoImage=$(DOCKER) run --rm -v $(CURDIR):/workspace --workdir /workspace $(protoImageName)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6648efc8f..73266c199 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,16 +1,20 @@
 # laconic2d
 
-Install and run `laconic2d`:
+Install `laconic2d`:
 
   ```bash
   # install the laconic2d binary
   make install
+  ```
 
-  # initialize the chain
-  make init
+Run with a single node fixture:
 
+  ```bash
   # start the chain
-  laconic2d start --gql-playground --gql-server
+  ./scripts/init.sh
+
+  # start the chain with data dir reset
+  ./scripts/init.sh clean
   ```
 
 Run tests:
diff --git a/scripts/init.sh b/scripts/init.sh
index 0f9a788ad..ff948d9d3 100755
--- a/scripts/init.sh
+++ b/scripts/init.sh
@@ -1,16 +1,90 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-rm -r ~/.laconic2d || true
-LACONIC2D_BIN=$(which laconic2d)
-# configure laconic2d
-$LACONIC2D_BIN config set client chain-id demo
-$LACONIC2D_BIN config set client keyring-backend test
-$LACONIC2D_BIN keys add alice
-$LACONIC2D_BIN keys add bob
-$LACONIC2D_BIN init test --chain-id demo --default-denom photon
-# update genesis
-$LACONIC2D_BIN genesis add-genesis-account alice 10000000photon --keyring-backend test
-$LACONIC2D_BIN genesis add-genesis-account bob 1000photon --keyring-backend test
-# create default validator
-$LACONIC2D_BIN genesis gentx alice 1000000photon --chain-id demo
-$LACONIC2D_BIN genesis collect-gentxs
+KEY="alice"
+CHAINID="laconic_9000-1"
+MONIKER="localtestnet"
+KEYRING="test"
+LOGLEVEL="${LOGLEVEL:-info}"
+
+if [ "$1" == "clean" ] || [ ! -d "$HOME/.laconic2d/data/blockstore.db" ]; then
+  # validate dependencies are installed
+  command -v jq > /dev/null 2>&1 || {
+    echo >&2 "jq not installed. More info: https://stedolan.github.io/jq/download/"
+    exit 1
+  }
+
+  # remove existing daemon and client
+  rm -rf $HOME/.laconic2d/*
+  rm -rf $HOME/.laconic/*
+
+  if [ -n "`which make`" ]; then
+    make install
+  fi
+
+  laconic2d config set client keyring-backend $KEYRING
+  laconic2d config set client chain-id $CHAINID
+
+  # if $KEY exists it should be deleted
+  laconic2d keys add $KEY --keyring-backend $KEYRING
+
+  # Set moniker and chain-id for Ethermint (Moniker can be anything, chain-id must be an integer)
+  laconic2d init $MONIKER --chain-id $CHAINID --default-denom photon
+
+  update_genesis() {
+    jq "$1" $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json &&
+      mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
+  }
+
+  if [[ "$TEST_REGISTRY_EXPIRY" == "true" ]]; then
+    echo "Setting timers for expiry tests."
+
+    update_genesis '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["record_rent_duration"]="60s"'
+    update_genesis '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_grace_period"]="60s"'
+    update_genesis '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_rent_duration"]="60s"'
+  fi
+
+  if [[ "$TEST_AUCTION_ENABLED" == "true" ]]; then
+    echo "Enabling auction and setting timers."
+
+    update_genesis '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_auction_enabled"]=true'
+    update_genesis '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_rent_duration"]="60s"'
+    update_genesis '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_grace_period"]="300s"'
+    update_genesis '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_auction_commits_duration"]="60s"'
+    update_genesis '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_auction_reveals_duration"]="60s"'
+  fi
+
+  # increase block time (?)
+  update_genesis '.consensus["params"]["block"]["time_iota_ms"]="1000"'
+
+  # Set gas limit in genesis
+  update_genesis '.consensus["params"]["block"]["max_gas"]="10000000"'
+
+  # disable produce empty block
+  if [[ "$OSTYPE" == "darwin"* ]]; then
+      sed -i '' 's/create_empty_blocks = true/create_empty_blocks = false/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
+    else
+      sed -i 's/create_empty_blocks = true/create_empty_blocks = false/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
+  fi
+
+  # Allocate genesis accounts (cosmos formatted addresses)
+  laconic2d genesis add-genesis-account $KEY 100000000000000000000000000photon --keyring-backend $KEYRING
+
+  # Sign genesis transaction
+  laconic2d genesis gentx $KEY 1000000000000000000000photon --keyring-backend $KEYRING --chain-id $CHAINID
+
+  # Collect genesis tx
+  laconic2d genesis collect-gentxs
+
+  # Run this to ensure everything worked and that the genesis file is setup correctly
+  laconic2d genesis validate
+else
+  echo "Using existing database at $HOME/.laconic2d.  To replace, run '`basename $0` clean'"
+fi
+
+# Start the node (remove the --pruning=nothing flag if historical queries are not needed)
+laconic2d start \
+  --pruning=nothing \
+  --log_level $LOGLEVEL \
+  --minimum-gas-prices=0.0001photon \
+  --api.enable \
+  --gql-server --gql-playground
diff --git a/tests/sdk_tests/build-laconicd-container.sh b/tests/sdk_tests/build-laconicd-container.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..c2cb4ec4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/sdk_tests/build-laconicd-container.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+docker build -t cerc/laconic2d:local ../.. --progress=plain --no-cache