diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dc5dac3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# Prerequisites
+*.d
+
+# Compiled Object files
+*.slo
+*.lo
+*.o
+*.obj
+
+# Precompiled Headers
+*.gch
+*.pch
+
+# Compiled Dynamic libraries
+*.so
+*.dylib
+*.dll
+
+# Fortran module files
+*.mod
+*.smod
+
+# Compiled Static libraries
+*.lai
+*.la
+*.a
+*.lib
+
+# Executables
+*.exe
+*.out
+*.app
+test/run_tests
+progs/server
+progs/client
+progs/sendfile
+progs/recvfile
+
+# Temporary things
+temp/
+assets/recvfile
+
+# Tags
+tags
+
+# Git
+.git/
+.gitignore
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..beaa9fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# start with ubuntu
+FROM ubuntu:20.04
+
+# it me!
+LABEL maintainer="coditva@gmail.com"
+
+# install deps and cleanup
+RUN apt-get update && \
+    apt-get -y install --no-install-recommends \
+        gcc build-essential && \
+    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
+# setup environment
+ENV app /root/app/
+ENV BUILD_TYPE release
+
+# copy source to app dir
+ADD . $app
+
+# change to app dir
+WORKDIR $app
+
+# export the library path
+RUN echo 'export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=./src/:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH' >> ~/.bashrc
+
+# compile it
+RUN make
+
+# drop me in a shell
+ENTRYPOINT ["/bin/bash"]
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9d3e624..620aa13 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,11 +1,17 @@
-CC 				= g++
-CC_FLAGS 		= -Wall -pedantic
+CC				= gcc
+CC_FLAGS 		?= -Wall -pedantic
+
+BUILD_TYPE      ?= 'debug'
+
+ifeq ($(BUILD_TYPE), 'debug')
+	CC_FLAGS := $(CC_FLAGS) -g
+endif
 
 .PHONY			: all
 
 all				:
-				$(MAKE) --directory src
-				$(MAKE) --directory progs
+				$(MAKE) --directory src CC_FLAGS="${CC_FLAGS}" CC="${CC}"
+				$(MAKE) --directory progs CC_FLAGS="${CC_FLAGS}" CC="${CC}"
 
 clean			:
 				$(MAKE) --directory src clean
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7207be8..0e13c51 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ The documentation can be found in the header files (see `include/udt.h`).
 ```bash
 make        # compile
 make clean  # cleanup
+make BUILD_TYPE='debug'  # to create dev build with symbols for gdb
 
 export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=./src/:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH  # export the library path
 
@@ -22,6 +23,12 @@ progs/sendfile  # start the sendfile server
 progs/recvfile "file/to/get" "file/to/saveas"  # receive the file
 ```
 
+##### You can also use the dockerfile!
+```bash
+docker build --tag udt .  # build the container
+docker run -it udt
+```
+
 ### Progress
  - [x] Implement architecture.
  - [x] Implement basic API.
diff --git a/progs/Makefile b/progs/Makefile
index 98d1248..a3a857f 100644
--- a/progs/Makefile
+++ b/progs/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-CC 				= gcc
-CC_FLAGS 		= -Wall -pedantic
+CC 				?= gcc
+CC_FLAGS 		?= -Wall -pedantic
 CL_FLAGS		= -L../src -ludt-c -lpthread
 INC				= ../include/udt.h
 TARGETS			= server client sendfile recvfile
diff --git a/src/Makefile b/src/Makefile
index fe4f40a..596c129 100644
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 TARGET			= libudt-c.so
-CC 				= gcc
-CC_FLAGS 		= -Wall -g -pedantic -shared -fPIC
+CC 				?= gcc
+CC_FLAGS		?= -Wall -pedantic
+C_FLAGS         = $(CC_FLAGS) -fPIC
+LD_FLAGS		= -shared
 INC_DIR			= ../include
 INC				= ../include/config.h \
 				  ../include/udt.h \
@@ -20,10 +22,10 @@ OBJS			= api.o \
 				  util.o
 
 $(TARGET): 		$(OBJS)
-				$(CC) $(CC_FLAGS) $(OBJS) -o $@
+				$(CC) $(C_FLAGS) $(LD_FLAGS) $(OBJS) -o $@
 
 clean:
 				rm -f *.o $(OBJS) $(TARGET)
 
 $(OBJS):%.o:	%.c $(INC) Makefile
-				$(CC) $(CC_FLAGS) -I$(INC_DIR) -c $<
+				$(CC) $(C_FLAGS) -I$(INC_DIR) -c $<