diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fe72159
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Recommended to have an example env file for other users know what environment variables need to be set.
+
+# Get your keys from the Clerk dashboard at https://dashboard.clerk.com
+CLERK_SECRET_KEY=sk_
+NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY=pk_
+NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_SIGN_IN_URL=/sign-in
+NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_SIGN_UP_URL=/sign-up
+
+# If using a local docker container (local-database.yml)
+DATABASE_URL=postgresql://postgres:postgres@localhost:5432/lockscript?schema=public
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 00bba9b..f79bac3 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -35,3 +35,6 @@ yarn-error.log*
 # typescript
 *.tsbuildinfo
 next-env.d.ts
+
+#Intellij Editors
+.idea
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dd76392..7370d3e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -10,6 +10,47 @@ LockScript Vault is an open-source secure vault for passwords, cards, notes, and
 - Prisma
 - Zod
 
+## Getting Started
+
+Clone the repository
+```bash
+git clone git@github.com:Lockscript/Lockscript-Vault
+```
+```bash
+cd Lockscript-Vault
+```
+
+Repo is using yarn as a package manager. 
+
+[How To Install Yarn](https://classic.yarnpkg.com/lang/en/docs/install)
+
+Install dependencies
+```bash
+yarn install
+```
+
+### Setup local database (if required)
+
+Start Docker container (requires [Docker](https://docs.docker.com/engine/install/))
+
+```bash
+docker compose -f ./local-database.yml up -d
+```
+Generate database client
+
+```bash
+yarn run generate
+```
+```bash
+yarn run push
+```
+
+### Start the dev server
+```bash
+yarn run dev
+```
+
+
 ## How to contribute
 
 We accept contributions from the community, but you must follow some rules:
diff --git a/local-database.yml b/local-database.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4f92a0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/local-database.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# Use postgres/example user/password credentials
+version: '3.1'
+services:
+  db:
+    container_name: lockscript-postgres
+    image: postgres
+    restart: always
+    ports:
+      - "5432:5432"
+    environment:
+      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: postgres
+    volumes:
+      - postgres:/var/lib/postgres/data
+volumes:
+    postgres:
+      external: false
+
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f7f7c92..980b092 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@
     "find:unused": "next-unused"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@clerk/backend": "^1.23.11",
-    "@clerk/clerk-sdk-node": "^5.1.6",
     "@clerk/nextjs": "^6.11.0",
     "@emotion/react": "^11.14.0",
     "@emotion/styled": "^11.14.0",
diff --git a/src/app/(main)/page.tsx b/src/app/(main)/page.tsx
index ce338a8..54c9ad4 100644
--- a/src/app/(main)/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(main)/page.tsx
@@ -1,32 +1,19 @@
 import {VaultPage} from "@/components/vault/vault-page";
-import prismadb from "@/lib/prismadb";
-import {auth} from "@clerk/nextjs/server";
-import {instantiateVault} from "../actions";
+import {auth, currentUser} from "@clerk/nextjs/server";
+import {getPasswords, instantiateVault} from "../actions";
 
-export const dynamic = "force-dynamic";
-
-const Page = async () => {
+export default async function Page(){
   const { userId, redirectToSignIn } = await auth();
 
   if (!userId) return redirectToSignIn();
 
-  const user = await prismadb.user.findUnique({
-    where: {
-      id: userId,
-    },
-    include: {
-      passwordItems: true,
-      cardItems: true,
-      pinItems: true,
-      noteItems: true,
-    },
-  });
+  const user = await getPasswords(userId)
 
   if (!user) {
-    instantiateVault();
+    const clerkUser = await currentUser()
+    if(!clerkUser) return redirectToSignIn()
+   await instantiateVault(clerkUser.id, clerkUser.username as string);
   }
 
   return <VaultPage user={user} />;
 };
-
-export default Page;
diff --git a/src/app/actions.ts b/src/app/actions.ts
index 62335f5..5079619 100644
--- a/src/app/actions.ts
+++ b/src/app/actions.ts
@@ -94,19 +94,6 @@ export async function createPasswordItem(
     throw new Error("Not authenticated");
   }
 
-  const user = await prismadb.user.findUnique({
-    where: {
-      id: userId,
-    },
-    include: {
-      passwordItems: true,
-    },
-  });
-
-  if (!user) {
-    throw new Error("User not found");
-  }
-
   const newPasswordItem = await prismadb.passwordItem.create({
     data: {
       username,
@@ -114,26 +101,22 @@ export async function createPasswordItem(
       password,
       updatedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
       createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
-      userId: user.id,
+      user: {
+        connect: {
+          id: userId
+        }
+      }
     },
   });
 
   return newPasswordItem;
 }
 
-export async function instantiateVault() {
-  const { userId } = await auth()
-
-  if (!userId) {
-    throw new Error("Not authenticated");
-  }
-
-  const user = await currentUser()
-
+export async function instantiateVault(userId: string, username: string) {
   const vault = await prismadb.user.create({
     data: {
       id: userId,
-      username: user?.username!,
+      username: username,
     },
     include: {
       passwordItems: true,
@@ -145,3 +128,17 @@ export async function instantiateVault() {
 
   return vault;
 }
+
+export async function getPasswords(userId: string) {
+  return prismadb.user.findUnique({
+    where: {
+      id: userId,
+    },
+    include: {
+      passwordItems: true,
+      cardItems: true,
+      pinItems: true,
+      noteItems: true,
+    },
+  });
+}
diff --git a/src/components/vault/dialogs/create-password-dialog.tsx b/src/components/vault/dialogs/create-password-dialog.tsx
index c081a79..83d75b0 100644
--- a/src/components/vault/dialogs/create-password-dialog.tsx
+++ b/src/components/vault/dialogs/create-password-dialog.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-"use client"
-
 import {createPasswordItem} from "@/app/actions";
 import {Button} from "@/components/ui/button";
 import {Dialog,DialogContent,DialogFooter,DialogHeader,DialogTitle} from "@/components/ui/dialog";
@@ -7,21 +5,27 @@ import {Input} from "@/components/ui/input";
 import {encrypt} from "@/utils/encryption";
 import {useUser} from "@clerk/nextjs";
 import {Loader2} from "lucide-react";
-import {useState} from "react";
+import {ChangeEvent, useState} from "react";
 import toast from "react-hot-toast";
 import {z} from "zod";
 
+const initialPasswordItemState = {
+  name: "",
+  username: "",
+  website: "",
+  password: "",
+}
+
 export const CreatePasswordDialog = ({
   open,
-  onClose,
+    onClose,
 }: {
   open: boolean;
-  onClose: () => void;
+  onClose: ()=> void
 }) => {
-  const [name, setName] = useState("");
-  const [username, setUsername] = useState("");
-  const [website, setWebsite] = useState("");
-  const [password, setPassword] = useState("");
+
+  const [passwordItem, setPasswordItem] = useState(initialPasswordItemState)
+
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
 
   const { user: clerkuser } = useUser();
@@ -47,12 +51,7 @@ export const CreatePasswordDialog = ({
 
   const handleSave = async () => {
     setLoading(true);
-    const validationResult = passwordSchema.safeParse({
-      name,
-      username,
-      website,
-      password,
-    });
+    const validationResult = passwordSchema.safeParse(passwordItem);
 
     if (!validationResult.success) {
       const errorMessage =
@@ -64,11 +63,12 @@ export const CreatePasswordDialog = ({
 
     try {
       await createPasswordItem(
-        encrypt(username, clerkuser),
-        encrypt(website, clerkuser),
-        encrypt(password, clerkuser)
+        encrypt(passwordItem.username, clerkuser),
+        encrypt(passwordItem.website, clerkuser),
+        encrypt(passwordItem.password, clerkuser)
       );
       toast.success("Password created");
+      setPasswordItem(initialPasswordItemState)
       onClose();
     } catch (error) {
       toast.error("Failed to create password");
@@ -77,6 +77,10 @@ export const CreatePasswordDialog = ({
     }
   };
 
+  const handleChange = (e: ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
+    setPasswordItem(prevState => ({...prevState, [e.target.name]: e.target.value}))
+  }
+
   return (
     <Dialog open={open} onOpenChange={onClose}>
       <DialogContent>
@@ -87,50 +91,54 @@ export const CreatePasswordDialog = ({
           <div className="relative">
             <Input
               placeholder="Name"
-              value={name}
-              onChange={(e) => setName(e.target.value)}
+              value={passwordItem.name}
+              onChange={handleChange}
               maxLength={50}
+              name="name"
             />
-            <div className="mt-1 text-sm text-gray-500">{name.length} / 50</div>
+            <div className="mt-1 text-sm text-gray-500">{passwordItem.name.length} / 50</div>
           </div>
           <div className="relative">
             <Input
               placeholder="Username"
-              value={username}
-              onChange={(e) => setUsername(e.target.value)}
+              value={passwordItem.username}
+              onChange={handleChange}
               maxLength={30}
+              name="username"
             />
             <div className="mt-1 text-sm text-gray-500">
-              {username.length} / 30
+              {passwordItem.username.length} / 30
             </div>
           </div>
           <div className="relative">
             <Input
               placeholder="Website"
-              value={website}
-              onChange={(e) => setWebsite(e.target.value)}
+              value={passwordItem.website}
+              onChange={handleChange}
               maxLength={1024}
+              name="website"
             />
             <div className="mt-1 text-sm text-gray-500">
-              {website.length} / 1024
+              {passwordItem.website.length} / 1024
             </div>
           </div>
           <div className="relative">
             <Input
               placeholder="Password"
-              value={password}
-              onChange={(e) => setPassword(e.target.value)}
+              value={passwordItem.password}
+              onChange={handleChange}
               type="password"
+              name="password"
               maxLength={128}
             />
             <div className=" mt-1 text-sm text-gray-500">
-              {password.length} / 128
+              {passwordItem.password.length} / 128
             </div>
           </div>
         </div>
         <DialogFooter>
           <div className="mt-4 flex justify-end gap-2">
-            <Button variant="outline" onClick={onClose}>
+            <Button variant="outline" onClick={()=>onClose()}>
               Cancel
             </Button>
             <Button onClick={handleSave}>
diff --git a/src/components/vault/vault-page.tsx b/src/components/vault/vault-page.tsx
index 4e8b99a..3a5b25c 100644
--- a/src/components/vault/vault-page.tsx
+++ b/src/components/vault/vault-page.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 "use client";
 
-import {deletePasswordItem} from "@/app/actions";
+import {deletePasswordItem, getPasswords} from "@/app/actions";
 import {Button} from "@/components/ui/button";
 import {Input} from "@/components/ui/input";
 import {ScrollArea} from "@/components/ui/scroll-area";
@@ -63,13 +63,14 @@ export const VaultPage: React.FC<VaultPageProps> = ({ user }) => {
   const [searchQuery, setSearchQuery] = useState("");
   const [filteredEntries, setFilteredEntries] = useState<PasswordEntry[]>([]);
   const [passwords, setPasswords] = useState<PasswordEntry[]>([]);
+  const [passwordItems, setPasswordItems] = useState(user?.passwordItems)
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!clerkUser) return;
 
-    if (!user?.passwordItems) return;
+    if (!user?.passwordItems || !passwordItems) return;
 
-    const decryptedPasswords = user.passwordItems
+    const decryptedPasswords = passwordItems
       .map((item) => ({
         id: item.id,
         name: decrypt(item.username, clerkUser),
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ export const VaultPage: React.FC<VaultPageProps> = ({ user }) => {
       );
 
     setPasswords(decryptedPasswords);
-  }, [user?.passwordItems, clerkUser]);
+  }, [user?.passwordItems, clerkUser, passwordItems]);
 
   const handleSearchChange = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
     setSearchQuery(e.target.value);
@@ -211,8 +212,8 @@ export const VaultPage: React.FC<VaultPageProps> = ({ user }) => {
                           onClick={async () => {
                             try {
                               await deletePasswordItem(password.id);
-                              router.refresh();
-
+                              const updatedItems = await getPasswords(user?.id as string)
+                               setPasswordItems(updatedItems?.passwordItems);
                               if (selectedEntry?.id === password.id) {
                                 setSelectedEntry(null);
                               }
@@ -281,10 +282,11 @@ export const VaultPage: React.FC<VaultPageProps> = ({ user }) => {
       )}
       <CreatePasswordDialog
         open={isCreateDialogOpen}
-        onClose={() => {
+        onClose={async () => {
           setIsCreateDialogOpen(false);
-          router.refresh();
           setSelectedEntry(null);
+          const userWithPasswords = await getPasswords(user?.id as string)
+          setPasswordItems(userWithPasswords?.passwordItems)
         }}
       />
     </div>
diff --git a/src/utils/encryption.ts b/src/utils/encryption.ts
index 7b04a0f..78e031d 100644
--- a/src/utils/encryption.ts
+++ b/src/utils/encryption.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 import CryptoJS from "crypto-js";
 
+
+// this can be reverse engineered - please use a randomly generated string that is saved securely somewhere else.
 const generateEncryptionPassword = (clerkUser: any) => {
   if (!clerkUser) return "";
-
   return `${clerkUser.id}-${clerkUser.createdAt}-${clerkUser.createdAt?.getTime()}-${clerkUser.id.charCodeAt(clerkUser.id.length - 1)}-${clerkUser.createdAt?.getDate()}-${clerkUser.id.charCodeAt(0)}-${clerkUser.createdAt?.getUTCFullYear()}-${clerkUser.id.charCodeAt(1)}-${clerkUser.createdAt?.getUTCHours()}-${clerkUser.id.length}-${clerkUser.createdAt?.getUTCMinutes()}`;
 };
 
+// See above comment - the key should be stored securely and used on subsequent encryption calls
 export const encrypt = (data: string, clerkUser: any) => {
   const encryptionPassword = generateEncryptionPassword(clerkUser);
   return CryptoJS.AES.encrypt(data, encryptionPassword).toString();
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 7d5909c..3eb6e4e 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@
     "@babel/helper-string-parser" "^7.25.9"
     "@babel/helper-validator-identifier" "^7.25.9"
 
-"@clerk/backend@^1.21.6", "@clerk/backend@^1.23.11":
+"@clerk/backend@^1.23.11":
   version "1.23.11"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/@clerk/backend/-/backend-1.23.11.tgz"
   integrity sha512-N5CYCnVbSVXUkQg9oAAAf9r/kfPmBGxMqjzslDC9Tl3rkXFTkWjkBNnToB6We2ySdrmqiQGR/+/c4mS9XRbaOQ==
@@ -124,16 +124,6 @@
     "@clerk/types" "^4.45.0"
     tslib "2.4.1"
 
-"@clerk/clerk-sdk-node@^5.1.6":
-  version "5.1.6"
-  resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/@clerk/clerk-sdk-node/-/clerk-sdk-node-5.1.6.tgz"
-  integrity sha512-KeF5p0XP0gNoCx+YIHrfrkNNADBz8ZabwPAhOiJZ9Wo14r93WlzRA51IE0Qgteej8IpWwnvKu4/MpiV7FFoLqA==
-  dependencies:
-    "@clerk/backend" "^1.21.6"
-    "@clerk/shared" "^2.20.6"
-    "@clerk/types" "^4.40.2"
-    tslib "2.4.1"
-
 "@clerk/nextjs@^6.11.0":
   version "6.11.0"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/@clerk/nextjs/-/nextjs-6.11.0.tgz"
@@ -147,7 +137,7 @@
     server-only "0.0.1"
     tslib "2.4.1"
 
-"@clerk/shared@^2.20.18", "@clerk/shared@^2.20.6":
+"@clerk/shared@^2.20.18":
   version "2.20.18"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/@clerk/shared/-/shared-2.20.18.tgz"
   integrity sha512-vSQLZSRFr62+YeE1KE/Xu/eWCrwYJRNA2KRyQYmb2VPleFNmOjtTNlO4xkMZ0eN6BLKxrBo9b0NVwu3L28FhKg==
@@ -159,7 +149,7 @@
     std-env "^3.7.0"
     swr "^2.2.0"
 
-"@clerk/types@^4.40.2", "@clerk/types@^4.45.0":
+"@clerk/types@^4.45.0":
   version "4.45.0"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/@clerk/types/-/types-4.45.0.tgz"
   integrity sha512-DSXPWq1xD01tzyHv7CugX2T/XfVUZX2xxQ92cs+JPTrGoqIYm+yjRWqOz1CVJ/76TbYMOrB0efCGOxEcNV/PQw==