Finalize database deployment readiness

README.md

@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ Then open:
 
 ## Environment Values
 
-The app reads these from `.env`:
+The app reads these from `.env`. Use `.env.example` for local development and `.env.production.example` as the production checklist.
 
 - `SECRET_KEY`
 - `APP_ENV`
@@ -94,7 +94,15 @@ The app reads these from `.env`:
 - `MAIL_PASSWORD`
 - `MAIL_DEFAULT_SENDER`
 
-For public deployments, set `APP_ENV=production`. Production mode enables secure cookies and refuses to start with the development `SECRET_KEY` or the local SQLite database. Use PostgreSQL for `DATABASE_URL`, then run `flask --app app db upgrade` during deploy. Set `RATELIMIT_STORAGE_URI` to a shared backend such as Redis so login and signup limits are enforced across processes.
+For local development, omit `DATABASE_URL` to use the default SQLite database at `data/boker-dev.sqlite3`.
+
+For public deployments, set `APP_ENV=production`. Production mode enables secure cookies and refuses to start with the development `SECRET_KEY` or any SQLite database. Use PostgreSQL for `DATABASE_URL`, install dependencies from `requirements.txt`, then run:
+
+```bash
+flask --app app db upgrade
+```
+
+Set `RATELIMIT_STORAGE_URI` to a shared backend such as Redis so login and signup limits are enforced across processes.
 
 ## Site Admin Access