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+# Deployment and Issue Management Instructions
+
+## Making Changes and Committing
+
+### 1. Make Code Changes
+Edit the necessary files to implement your feature or fix.
+
+### 2. Commit Your Changes
+Always use descriptive commit messages with the Claude Code format:
+
+```bash
+git add <files>
+git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
+Brief title of the change
+
+Detailed description of what was changed and why.
+- Bullet points for key features
+- More details as needed
+- Reference issue numbers (e.g., Issue #1)
+
+🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)
+
+Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
+EOF
+)"
+```
+
+### 3. Push to Remote
+```bash
+git push origin main
+```
+
+## Commenting on Issues
+
+After implementing a fix or feature that addresses a GitHub/Gitea issue, comment on the issue to document the work:
+
+### Comment on Issue #1 Example
+```bash
+curl -X POST -u "the_bot:4152aOP!" \
+  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+  -d "{\"body\":\"Implemented [feature description] in commit [commit-hash].\\n\\nFeatures include:\\n- Feature 1\\n- Feature 2\\n- Feature 3\"}" \
+  https://git.scorpi.us/api/v1/repos/chelsea/balanceboard/issues/1/comments
+```
+
+### General Template
+```bash
+curl -X POST -u "the_bot:4152aOP!" \
+  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+  -d "{\"body\":\"Your comment here with \\n for newlines\"}" \
+  https://git.scorpi.us/api/v1/repos/chelsea/balanceboard/issues/ISSUE_NUMBER/comments
+```
+
+**Important Notes:**
+- Use `the_bot` as the username with password `4152aOP!`
+- Escape quotes in JSON with `\"`
+- Use `\\n` for newlines in the body
+- Remove apostrophes or escape them carefully to avoid shell parsing issues
+- Replace `ISSUE_NUMBER` with the actual issue number
+
+## Database Migrations
+
+When you add new database fields:
+
+1. **Update the Model** (in `models.py`)
+2. **Create a Migration Script** (e.g., `migrate_password_reset.py`)
+3. **Run the Migration** before deploying:
+   ```bash
+   python3 migrate_password_reset.py
+   ```
+4. **Test Locally** to ensure the migration works
+5. **Deploy** to production and run the migration there too
+
+## Docker Deployment
+
+### Build and Push
+```bash
+# Build the image
+docker build -t git.scorpi.us/chelsea/balanceboard:latest .
+
+# Push to registry
+docker push git.scorpi.us/chelsea/balanceboard:latest
+```
+
+### Deploy on Server
+```bash
+# SSH to server
+ssh user@reddit.scorpi.us
+
+# Pull latest image
+cd /path/to/balanceboard
+docker-compose pull
+
+# Restart services
+docker-compose down
+docker-compose up -d
+
+# Check logs
+docker-compose logs -f balanceboard
+```
+
+## Common Issues
+
+### Container Won't Start
+- Check logs: `docker-compose logs balanceboard`
+- Verify file permissions in `data/` directory
+- Ensure all required files are in git (filtersets.json, themes/, static/, etc.)
+
+### Database Migration Errors
+- Back up database first
+- Run migration manually: `python3 migrate_*.py`
+- Check if columns already exist before re-running
+
+### 404 Errors for Static Files
+- Ensure files are committed to git
+- Rebuild Docker image after adding files
+- Check volume mounts in docker-compose.yml
+
+## Checklist for Each Commit
+
+- [ ] Make code changes
+- [ ] Test locally
+- [ ] Run database migrations if needed
+- [ ] Commit with descriptive message
+- [ ] Push to git remote
+- [ ] Comment on related issues
+- [ ] Build and push Docker image (if needed)
+- [ ] Deploy to server (if needed)
+- [ ] Verify deployment works
+- [ ] Update this README if process changes