diff --git a/DEPLOYMENT.md b/DEPLOYMENT.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7a94c0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/DEPLOYMENT.md
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+# Deployment (Dokploy)
+
+Guide for deploying Space Booking to production via Dokploy. The app ships as a
+Docker Compose stack (`docker-compose.yml`): a `backend` (FastAPI/SQLite) and a
+`frontend` (Vue, served behind Traefik).
+
+## Security model (read first)
+
+- **No demo accounts in production.** The demo seed (`backend/seed_db.py`) only
+  runs when `RUN_SEED=1` is set — never set it in production.
+- **First user becomes admin.** The first account to register on a fresh
+  database is automatically made `superadmin` and is activated immediately (no
+  email verification needed). **Register your own account first, right after the
+  first deploy.**
+- **SECRET_KEY is enforced.** With `DEBUG=false` (the production default) the
+  backend refuses to start unless `SECRET_KEY` is a strong, random value
+  (≥ 32 chars, not a known placeholder). Tokens are forgeable with a weak key.
+- **CORS** is restricted to `FRONTEND_URL` in production; `localhost` is allowed
+  only in dev (`DEBUG=true`).
+
+## Required environment variables (Dokploy → service → Environment)
+
+```
+SECRET_KEY=<openssl rand -hex 32>
+FRONTEND_URL=https://space.roa.romfast.ro
+DOMAIN=space.roa.romfast.ro
+```
+
+Do **not** set `DEBUG` (defaults to `false` = production) and do **not** set
+`RUN_SEED`.
+
+Optional (email/SMTP — needed so non-admin users can verify their accounts):
+
+```
+SMTP_ENABLED=true
+SMTP_HOST=smtp.example.com
+SMTP_PORT=587
+SMTP_USER=user@example.com
+SMTP_PASSWORD=...
+SMTP_FROM_ADDRESS=rezervari@romfast.ro
+```
+
+> Without SMTP, only the first user (the admin, auto-activated) can log in;
+> other registrations stay inactive until email verification.
+
+## First deploy
+
+1. Push the latest code to the git remote that Dokploy tracks (`master`).
+2. In Dokploy, set the environment variables above.
+3. **Deploy / Redeploy.** Tables are created automatically on boot.
+4. Open the site → **Register** with your own email → you become `superadmin`.
+
+## Resetting the database (start clean)
+
+The production DB lives in the Docker volume `backend_data`, mounted at
+`/data/space_booking.db`.
+
+> ⚠️ Deleting the DB file while the container is running has no immediate
+> effect — the app holds the file open and keeps using it. You **must restart**
+> the container afterwards so it creates a fresh, empty database.
+
+```bash
+# 1. Find the backend container
+docker ps | grep backend
+# e.g. constanta-space-booking-mnsx1b-backend-1
+
+# 2. Delete the database file
+docker exec -it <container> rm -f /data/space_booking.db
+
+# 3. Restart so the app recreates an empty DB
+docker restart <container>
+
+# 4. Verify it is empty (should print: users: [])
+docker exec -it <container> \
+  python3 -c "import sqlite3; c=sqlite3.connect('/data/space_booking.db'); print('users:', list(c.execute('select id,email,role,is_active from users')))"
+```
+
+Then go to the site and register your admin account again.
+
+## Inspecting users in production
+
+```bash
+docker exec -it <container> \
+  python3 -c "import sqlite3; c=sqlite3.connect('/data/space_booking.db'); [print(r) for r in c.execute('select id,email,role,is_active from users')]"
+```
+
+## Local development
+
+For local dev with demo data, set `DEBUG=true` and `RUN_SEED=1`. The seed reads
+account passwords from `ADMIN_PASSWORD` / `MANAGER_PASSWORD` / `USER_PASSWORD`
+(weak defaults if unset). See `backend/.env.example`.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6b8dc92..f8d5c48 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -64,9 +64,12 @@ npm run dev
 
 Frontend will be available at: http://localhost:5173
 
-## Demo Accounts
+## Demo Accounts (local dev only)
 
-After seeding the database (runs automatically on container start):
+Demo accounts are **not** created in production. They are seeded only for local
+development, and only when `RUN_SEED=1` is set (see `backend/.env.example`).
+In production, the first user to register becomes the `superadmin` — see
+[DEPLOYMENT.md](DEPLOYMENT.md).
 
 | Email | Password | Role |
 |-------|----------|------|
@@ -74,6 +77,9 @@ After seeding the database (runs automatically on container start):
 | manager@example.com | managerpassword | Manager |
 | user@example.com | userpassword | User |
 
+> Passwords are overridable via `ADMIN_PASSWORD` / `MANAGER_PASSWORD` /
+> `USER_PASSWORD`. Defaults are weak and for local use only.
+
 ## Docker Compose (local)
 
 ```bash
@@ -90,29 +96,20 @@ Backend API: http://localhost:8000/docs
 
 ## Deploy (Dokploy)
 
-```
-Dokploy UI → New Service → Docker Compose → Git: space-booking repo
-```
+See **[DEPLOYMENT.md](DEPLOYMENT.md)** for the full production guide (security
+model, environment variables, first-deploy steps, and how to reset the
+database).
 
-### Environment Variables (Dokploy → Environment tab)
+Quick version:
 
-| Variable | Required | Example |
-|----------|----------|---------|
-| `SECRET_KEY` | **Yes** | `python -c "import secrets; print(secrets.token_hex(32))"` |
-| `FRONTEND_URL` | **Yes** | `https://space.roa.romfast.ro` |
-| `SMTP_ENABLED` | No | `true` |
-| `SMTP_HOST` | No* | `smtp.example.com` |
-| `SMTP_PORT` | No* | `587` |
-| `SMTP_USER` | No* | `user@example.com` |
-| `SMTP_PASSWORD` | No* | `secret` |
-| `SMTP_FROM_ADDRESS` | No* | `rezervari@romfast.ro` |
+1. `Dokploy UI → New Service → Docker Compose → Git: space-booking repo`
+2. Set environment variables (`SECRET_KEY`, `FRONTEND_URL`, `DOMAIN`).
+3. Deploy. Tables are auto-created on boot; **no demo data** is seeded.
+4. Open the site → **Register your own account first** → you become
+   `superadmin`.
 
-*Required only if `SMTP_ENABLED=true`
-
-### Auto-seed
-
-`entrypoint.sh` runs `seed_db.py` automatically on every container start.
-The script is idempotent — skips if data already exists.
+> The backend refuses to start in production unless `SECRET_KEY` is a strong,
+> random value. Do not set `RUN_SEED` in production.
 
 ## Development Commands