diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index f6d1b64..ad7b745 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ jobs:
       - setup_remote_docker:
           docker_layer_caching: true
       - run: ls -l $(ls)
-      - run: bash ./build_github.sh
+      - run: bash ./bin/build_github.sh
       - run: docker ps --format "table {{.Names}}\t{{.Ports}}" && docker compose ps
       - run: docker-compose up --build --no-deps -d test
       - run: docker compose exec test npx cypress run
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 002c6bd..af5891d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ jobs:
           submodules: false
 
       - name: Build and start Docker Compose services
-        run: bash ./build_github.sh
+        run: bash ./bin/build_github.sh
 
       - name: check dns is working
         run: cat /etc/hosts; netstat -tulpn # Use -tulpn to show TCP/UDP listeners
diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index ed938dd..eb020fa 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 [submodule "repo_refs/react1-app"]
   path = repo_refs/react1-app
-  url = ${FRONTEND_BUILD_CONTEXT}
+  url = https://github.com/perfetti/react1-app.git
 [submodule "repo_refs/react2-app"]
   path = repo_refs/react2-app
-  url = ${BACKEND_BUILD_CONTEXT}
+  url = https://github.com/perfetti/react2-app.git
 [submodule "repo_refs/rails-app"]
   path = repo_refs/rails-app
-  url = ${API_BUILD_CONTEXT}
+  url = https://github.com/perfetti/rails-app.git
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 784a8d9..5cd4136 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,7 +2,24 @@
 
 Example for a blog post about nginx docker compose
 
+## Prerequisites
+- Github token with these repos in scope. `GH_TOKEN`
+- `docker`
+- `docker compose`
+- `git`
+
 ## Setup
+Set your environment variables & initialize submodules
+```bash
+cp .env.sample .env
+source .env
+
+git submodule sync
+git submodule update --init --recursive
+```
+
+
+## Build the Environments
 
 To run this you will execute one of the following commands depending on your build source:
 
@@ -11,7 +28,7 @@ To run this you will execute one of the following commands depending on your bui
 To build from local directories, run:
 
 ```bash
-./build_local.sh
+./bin/build_local.sh
 ```
 
 This setup allows for hot-swapping of code. Any changes made in the `repo_refs` directories will be immediately reflected in the running containers, allowing developers to see their changes in real-time via the nginx server.
@@ -21,7 +38,7 @@ This setup allows for hot-swapping of code. Any changes made in the `repo_refs`
 To build from GitHub repositories, run:
 
 ```bash
-./build_github.sh
+./bin/build_github.sh
 ```
 
 The GitHub build process is isolated from the local development environment, ensuring a clean and isolated build environment. This prevents any potential conflicts with local volumes.
diff --git a/build_github.sh b/bin/build_github.sh
similarity index 78%
rename from build_github.sh
rename to bin/build_github.sh
index 05b2684..23a1813 100755
--- a/build_github.sh
+++ b/bin/build_github.sh
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ fi
 
 source .env
 
+export FRONTEND_BUILD_CONTEXT="https://${GH_TOKEN}@${FRONTEND_REPO_URL}#${FRONTEND_REF}"
+export API_BUILD_CONTEXT="https://${GH_TOKEN}@${API_REPO_URL}#${API_REF}"
+export BACKEND_BUILD_CONTEXT="https://${GH_TOKEN}@${BACKEND_REPO_URL}#${BACKEND_REF}"
 
 # Create temporary container to copy nginx config
 docker volume create project_nginx_conf
diff --git a/build_local.sh b/bin/build_local.sh
similarity index 81%
rename from build_local.sh
rename to bin/build_local.sh
index d4a8694..0daa17e 100755
--- a/build_local.sh
+++ b/bin/build_local.sh
@@ -11,4 +11,4 @@ echo $API_BUILD_CONTEXT
 echo $BACKEND_BUILD_CONTEXT
 
 # Run Docker Compose
-docker-compose --profile core -f docker-compose.local.yaml up --build -d
+./bin/up_local.sh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/setup_local.sh b/bin/setup_local.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from setup_local.sh
rename to bin/setup_local.sh
diff --git a/bin/up_local.sh b/bin/up_local.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..dd735e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/up_local.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+docker-compose --profile core -f docker-compose.local.yaml up --build -d
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker-compose.local.yaml b/docker-compose.local.yaml
index 276d8e5..5184c61 100644
--- a/docker-compose.local.yaml
+++ b/docker-compose.local.yaml
@@ -5,12 +5,14 @@ services:
       service: frontend
     volumes:
       - ./repo_refs/react1-app:/app
+      - /app/node_modules
   backend:
     extends:
       file: docker-compose.yaml
       service: backend
     volumes:
       - ./repo_refs/react2-app:/app
+      - /app/node_modules
   api:
     extends:
       file: docker-compose.yaml
diff --git a/repo_refs/rails-app b/repo_refs/rails-app
index 6479f9e..d5226ec 160000
--- a/repo_refs/rails-app
+++ b/repo_refs/rails-app
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 6479f9e9a4a8041809a3b3f1ef1ac8359c8f665b
+Subproject commit d5226ec9efa41f2b0447f40be4609f41281d2b0d
diff --git a/repo_refs/react1-app b/repo_refs/react1-app
index 5b47480..b8bbbc2 160000
--- a/repo_refs/react1-app
+++ b/repo_refs/react1-app
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 5b47480398e8c10f05e5d5220733b6d743cd9bc3
+Subproject commit b8bbbc2b9e501d359b3e0f1238883703987c02b0