diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dc2e344..d0f8673 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@ cp .env.example .env
 docker compose up --build
 ```
 
+This starts the development-oriented topology (source bind mounts enabled).
+
 3. If `AUTO_APPLY_MIGRATIONS=0`, run migrations manually:
 
 ```bash
@@ -91,6 +93,32 @@ docker compose exec web python manage.py createsuperuser
 - Health: http://localhost/health/
 - API root endpoints: `/api/players/`, `/api/competitions/`, `/api/teams/`, `/api/seasons/`
 
+## Development vs Release Compose
+
+Development startup (mutable source, HTMX/Tailwind workflow):
+
+```bash
+docker compose up --build
+```
+
+Release-style startup (immutable runtime containers, no source bind mount in web/celery runtime):
+
+```bash
+docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.release.yml up -d --build
+```
+
+Optional release-style stop:
+
+```bash
+docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.release.yml down
+```
+
+Notes:
+
+- In release-style mode, `web`, `celery_worker`, and `celery_beat` run from the built image filesystem.
+- `tailwind` is marked as `dev` profile in release override and is not started unless `--profile dev` is used.
+- `nginx`, `postgres`, and `redis` service naming remains unchanged.
+
 ## Setup and Run Notes
 
 - `web` service starts through `entrypoint.sh` and waits for PostgreSQL readiness.
@@ -120,6 +148,14 @@ docker compose exec web python manage.py createsuperuser
 
 This keeps persistent state outside container lifecycles.
 
+In release-style mode, these volumes remain the persistence layer:
+
+- `postgres_data` for database state
+- `static_data` for collected static assets served by nginx
+- `media_data` for uploaded/provider media
+- `runtime_data` for Celery beat schedule/runtime files
+- `redis_data` for Redis persistence
+
 ## Migrations
 
 Create migration files:
diff --git a/docker-compose.release.yml b/docker-compose.release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1223faa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+services:
+  web:
+    volumes:
+      - static_data:/app/staticfiles
+      - media_data:/app/media
+      - runtime_data:/app/runtime
+    environment:
+      DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE: config.settings.production
+      DJANGO_DEBUG: "0"
+
+  celery_worker:
+    volumes:
+      - runtime_data:/app/runtime
+    environment:
+      DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE: config.settings.production
+      DJANGO_DEBUG: "0"
+
+  celery_beat:
+    volumes:
+      - runtime_data:/app/runtime
+    environment:
+      DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE: config.settings.production
+      DJANGO_DEBUG: "0"
+
+  tailwind:
+    profiles:
+      - dev
+