diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 382379e..06d1a14 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,3 +1,57 @@
 # snowballtools-base-api-stack
 
-Stack definition for the snowball api service.
\ No newline at end of file
+Stack definition for the snowball api service.
+
+## Running this stack locally
+
+(Assumes stack-orchestrator and docker are already installed)
+
+### Fetch the stack repo
+
+```
+$ laconic-so fetch-stack git.vdb.to/cerc-io/snowballtools-base-api-stack
+```
+
+### Clone project repositories
+
+```
+$ laconic-so --stack ~/cerc/snowballtools-base-api-stack/stack-orchestrator/stacks/snowballtools-base-backend setup-repositories --git-ssh --pull
+```
+
+### Build service container
+
+(Might take 10 minutes)
+
+```
+$ laconic-so --stack ~/cerc/snowballtools-base-api-stack/stack-orchestrator/stacks/snowballtools-base-backend build-containers
+```
+
+### Create a deployment
+
+A deployment is a collection of all the stuff needed to run a single instance of a stack, in this case the snowball api service.
+
+Initialize:
+
+```
+$ laconic-so --stack ~/cerc/snowballtools-base-api-stack/stack-orchestrator/stacks/snowballtools-base-backend deploy init --output local-deployment-spec.yml --config SNOWBALL_BACKEND_CONFIG_FILE_PATH=/config/local.toml
+```
+Then create:
+```
+$ laconic-so --stack ~/cerc/snowballtools-base-api-stack/stack-orchestrator/stacks/snowballtools-base-backend deploy create --deployment-dir local-deployment --spec-file local-deployment-spec.yml
+```
+Next create a file at `local-deployment/data/config/local.toml` with this content:
+```
+<redacted>
+```
+Finally start the service:
+```
+$ laconic-so deployment --dir local-deployment start
+```
+To check logs:
+```
+$ laconic-so deployment --dir local-deployment logs
+```
+To stop the service:
+```
+$ laconic-so deployment --dir local-deployment stop
+```