diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 112343f7..cc24c506 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -6,17 +6,30 @@
 
 This project is an exercise in developing good clean architecture and CI/CD practices. It includes (or will include):
 
-* Infrastructure as Code with [Pulumi](https://www.pulumi.com/), including staging and ephemeral dev environments (with automatic dev environment cleanup).
-* CI including linting, unit, integration and mutation tests, and automated end to end tests with [Playwright](https://playwright.dev/).
-* A clean architecture, including dependency inversion enforced through linting rules with [eslint-plugin-boundaries](https://github.com/javierbrea/eslint-plugin-boundaries).
-* Separate domain, data and application boundaries in the application. Domain logic is completely separated from data access layers using [verified fake implementations](https://github.com/jbrunton/chat-demo/tree/main/services/api/src/data/repositories).
-* Continuous deployment pipelines to staging and production environments.
-* Automatic documentation of code with [TypeDoc](https://typedoc.org/) deployed using GitHub Pages to [jbrunton.github.io/chat-demo](https://jbrunton.github.io/chat-demo/), and Open API docs deployed along with the api ([chat-demo-api.jbrunton-aws.com/docs](https://chat-demo-api.jbrunton-aws.com/docs)).
-* [ ] TODO: Automatic dependency updates (including automerging for minor version changes) with Renovate.
+- Infrastructure as Code with [Pulumi](https://www.pulumi.com/), including staging and ephemeral dev environments (with automatic dev environment cleanup).
+- CI including linting, unit, integration and mutation tests, and automated end to end tests with [Playwright](https://playwright.dev/).
+- A clean architecture, including dependency inversion enforced through linting rules with [eslint-plugin-boundaries](https://github.com/javierbrea/eslint-plugin-boundaries).
+- Separate domain, data and application boundaries in the application. Domain logic is completely separated from data access layers using [verified fake implementations](https://github.com/jbrunton/chat-demo/tree/main/services/api/src/data/repositories).
+- Continuous deployment pipelines to staging and production environments.
+- Automatic documentation of code with [TypeDoc](https://typedoc.org/) deployed using GitHub Pages to [jbrunton.github.io/chat-demo](https://jbrunton.github.io/chat-demo/), and Open API docs deployed along with the api ([chat-demo-api.jbrunton-aws.com/docs](https://chat-demo-api.jbrunton-aws.com/docs)).
+- [ ] TODO: Automatic dependency updates (including automerging for minor version changes) with Renovate.
 
 ## The demo application
 
 The project implements a very basic realtime chat app at [chat-demo.jbrunton-aws.com](https://chat-demo.jbrunton-aws.com).
 
-* From the home screen you can create "rooms". Each room has a unique URL. Anyone connecting to the room can chat using server-sent events.
-* The app responds to commands prefixed with `/`. Type `/help` into the chat window to get assistance.
+- From the home screen you can create "rooms". Each room has a unique URL. Anyone connecting to the room can chat using server-sent events.
+- The app responds to commands prefixed with `/`. Type `/help` into the chat window to get assistance.
+
+## Local dev
+
+Clone the repository, and then:
+
+```console
+docker compose up -d
+pnpm install
+pnpm dev:setup
+pnpm dev
+```
+
+The web client will then be running locally at http://localhost:5173/.
diff --git a/chat-demo.code-workspace b/chat-demo.code-workspace
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6b0ee1f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chat-demo.code-workspace
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+	"folders": [
+		{
+			"path": "services/api"
+		},
+    {
+			"path": "client"
+		}
+	],
+	"settings": {}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/client/package.json b/client/package.json
index 7ca5cda0..991a2e3e 100644
--- a/client/package.json
+++ b/client/package.json
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
     "lint": "eslint --max-warnings 0 'src/**/*.{ts,tsx}'",
     "lint:fix": "eslint --max-warnings 0 --fix 'src/**/*.{ts,tsx}'",
     "format": "prettier --write 'src/**/*.{ts,tsx,css,md}' --config ./.prettierrc",
-    "test": "vitest"
+    "test": "vitest run",
+    "test:watch": "vitest"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@auth0/auth0-react": "1.12.0",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e46ffa10..98be220e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@
     "test:e2e": "pnpm run --filter e2e test:e2e",
     "test:e2e:ui": "pnpm run --filter e2e test:e2e:ui",
     "build": "turbo build",
-    "dev": "turbo dev"
+    "dev": "turbo dev",
+    "dev:setup": "turbo dev:setup",
+    "dev:teardown": "turbo dev:teardown"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "husky": "^8.0.2",
diff --git a/services/api/.eslintrc.js b/services/api/.eslintrc.js
index d74a152f..eca4b7cb 100644
--- a/services/api/.eslintrc.js
+++ b/services/api/.eslintrc.js
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ module.exports = {
       'src/fixtures/**',
       '**/__mocks__/**',
       'test/**',
+      'scripts/**',
     ],
   },
 };
diff --git a/services/api/package.json b/services/api/package.json
index 01ace0d7..9d7ec60c 100644
--- a/services/api/package.json
+++ b/services/api/package.json
@@ -15,9 +15,12 @@
     "format": "prettier --write \"src/**/*.ts\" \"test/**/*.ts\"",
     "start": "node dist/src/main",
     "dev": "NODE_ENV=development nest start --watch",
+    "dev:setup": "pnpm db:reset",
+    "dev:teardown": "pnpm db:drop",
     "start:debug": "NODE_ENV=development nest start --debug --watch",
     "db:init": "NODE_ENV=development ts-node ./scripts/db/init.ts",
     "db:drop": "NODE_ENV=development ts-node ./scripts/db/drop.ts",
+    "db:reset": "NODE_ENV=development ts-node ./scripts/db/reset.ts",
     "db:test:init": "NODE_ENV=test ts-node ./scripts/db/init.ts",
     "db:test:drop": "NODE_ENV=test ts-node ./scripts/db/drop.ts",
     "lint": "eslint \"{src,apps,libs,test}/**/*.ts\" --fix --max-warnings 0",
diff --git a/services/api/scripts/db/reset.ts b/services/api/scripts/db/reset.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5771790b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/api/scripts/db/reset.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import { DynamoDBAdapter } from '@data/adapters/dynamodb/dynamodb.adapter';
+import { RunnableDataModule, runWithContext } from '../runWithContext';
+
+runWithContext({
+  rootModule: RunnableDataModule,
+  run: async (app, logger) => {
+    const db = app.get(DynamoDBAdapter);
+    await db.destroy();
+    await db.create();
+    logger.log(`Reset table ${db.tableName}`);
+  },
+});
diff --git a/services/api/src/data/adapters/dynamodb/dynamodb.adapter.ts b/services/api/src/data/adapters/dynamodb/dynamodb.adapter.ts
index bd675007..b3acc9f1 100644
--- a/services/api/src/data/adapters/dynamodb/dynamodb.adapter.ts
+++ b/services/api/src/data/adapters/dynamodb/dynamodb.adapter.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,13 @@ export class DynamoDBAdapter {
 
   async destroy() {
     this.validateSafeEnv();
+
+    const exists = await this.table.exists();
+    if (!exists) {
+      console.log(`Table ${this.tableName} does not exist, skipping destroy`);
+      return;
+    }
+
     console.log('destroying table:', this.tableName);
     await this.table.deleteTable('DeleteTableForever');
   }
diff --git a/turbo.json b/turbo.json
index bd85dd31..bb8af273 100644
--- a/turbo.json
+++ b/turbo.json
@@ -5,12 +5,21 @@
       "dependsOn": ["^build"],
       "outputs": ["dist/**"]
     },
-    "lint": {},
-    "test": {},
-    "test:int": {},
+    "lint": {
+      "cache": false
+    },
+    "test": {
+      "cache": false
+    },
+    "test:int": {
+      "cache": false
+    },
     "dev": {
       "cache": false,
       "persistent": true
+    },
+    "dev:setup": {
+      "cache": false
     }
   }
 }