diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3b85b2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# To get started with Dependabot version updates, you'll need to specify which
+# package ecosystems to update and where the package manifests are located.
+# Please see the documentation for all configuration options:
+# https://docs.github.com/code-security/dependabot/dependabot-version-updates/configuration-options-for-the-dependabot.yml-file
+
+version: 2
+updates:
+  # https://docs.github.com/en/code-security/dependabot/dependabot-version-updates/configuration-options-for-the-dependabot.yml-file#package-ecosystem
+  - package-ecosystem: "maven" # See documentation for possible values
+    directory: "/" # Location of package manifests
+    schedule:
+      interval: "daily"
+    ignore:
+      # Ignore Maven APIs/SPIs.
+      - dependency-name: org.apache.maven:*
+  - package-ecosystem: "github-actions"
+    directory: "/"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "daily"
diff --git a/justfile b/justfile
index b78a8f2..1c2ba13 100644
--- a/justfile
+++ b/justfile
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ dependencies:
 [group("docker")]
 docker-image-create:
     @echo "Creating a docker image ..."
-    @./create_image.sh
+    @./tools/create_image.sh
 
 # size of the docker image (requires Docker)
 [group("docker")]
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ docker-image-size:
 [group("docker")]
 docker-image-run:
     @echo "Running container from docker image ..."
-    @./start_container.sh
+    @./tools/start_container.sh
 
 # generate Java documentation
 [group("development")]
diff --git a/create_image.sh b/tools/create_image.sh
similarity index 75%
rename from create_image.sh
rename to tools/create_image.sh
index be09f40..be11d48 100755
--- a/create_image.sh
+++ b/tools/create_image.sh
@@ -1,15 +1,19 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
+# shellcheck disable=SC2155
 
 # https://vaneyckt.io/posts/safer_bash_scripts_with_set_euxo_pipefail/
 # `-u`: Errors if a variable is referenced before being set
 # `-o pipefail`: Prevent errors in a pipeline (`|`) from being masked
 set -uo pipefail
 
+declare -r SCRIPT_DIR=$(cd -- "$(dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" &>/dev/null && pwd)
+declare -r PROJECT_DIR=$(readlink -f "$SCRIPT_DIR/..")
+
 # Import environment variables from .env
-set -o allexport && source .env && set +o allexport
+set -o allexport && source "$PROJECT_DIR/.env" && set +o allexport
 
 # Check requirements
-if ! command -v docker &> /dev/null; then
+if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
     echo "ERROR: 'docker' command not available. Is Docker installed?"
     exit 1
 fi
@@ -23,4 +27,6 @@ echo "Building image '$DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME:$DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG'..."
 declare -r DOCKER_OPTIONS="--platform linux/amd64"
 # Use BuildKit, i.e. `buildx build` instead of just `build`
 # https://docs.docker.com/build/
+#
+# shellcheck disable=SC2086
 docker buildx build $DOCKER_OPTIONS -t "$DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME":"$DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG" .
diff --git a/start_container.sh b/tools/start_container.sh
similarity index 82%
rename from start_container.sh
rename to tools/start_container.sh
index 4454eea..75f4065 100755
--- a/start_container.sh
+++ b/tools/start_container.sh
@@ -1,18 +1,16 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
+# shellcheck disable=SC2155
 
 # https://vaneyckt.io/posts/safer_bash_scripts_with_set_euxo_pipefail/
 # `-u`: Errors if a variable is referenced before being set
 # `-o pipefail`: Prevent errors in a pipeline (`|`) from being masked
 set -uo pipefail
 
-# Import environment variables from .env
-set -o allexport && source .env && set +o allexport
+declare -r SCRIPT_DIR=$(cd -- "$(dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" &>/dev/null && pwd)
+declare -r PROJECT_DIR=$(readlink -f "$SCRIPT_DIR/..")
 
-# shellcheck disable=SC2155
-declare -r OS="$(uname -s)"
-# "arm64" for Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/etc.)
-# shellcheck disable=SC2155
-declare -r ARCH="$(uname -m)"
+# Import environment variables from .env
+set -o allexport && source "$PROJECT_DIR/.env" && set +o allexport
 
 # Check requirements
 if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
@@ -20,6 +18,12 @@ if ! command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
+# shellcheck disable=SC2155
+declare -r OS="$(uname -s)"
+# "arm64" for Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/etc.)
+# shellcheck disable=SC2155
+declare -r ARCH="$(uname -m)"
+
 DOCKER_OPTIONS=""
 if [[ "$OS" = "Darwin" && "$ARCH" = "arm64" ]]; then
     # Force amd64 as the platform.  This workaround is needed on Apple Silicon
@@ -30,4 +34,5 @@ fi
 echo "Starting container for image '$DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME:$DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG', exposing port ${APP_PORT}/tcp"
 echo "- Run 'curl http://localhost:${APP_PORT}/welcome' to send a test request to the containerized app."
 echo "- Enter Ctrl-C to stop the container."
+# shellcheck disable=SC2086
 docker run $DOCKER_OPTIONS -p "$APP_PORT:$APP_PORT" "$DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME":"$DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG"