diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 535c4247..3bd890fb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 
 [Documentation](https://github.com/microsoft/mssql-python/wiki) | [Release Notes](https://github.com/microsoft/mssql-python/releases) | [Roadmap](https://github.com/microsoft/mssql-python/blob/main/ROADMAP.md)
 
+> **Note:**
+> This project is currently in an alpha phase, meaning it is still under active development. We are looking to validate core functionalities and gather initial feedback before a broader public launch. Please use with caution and avoid production environments.
+> 
 ## Installation
 
 mssql-python can be installed with [pip](http://pypi.python.org/pypi/pip)
@@ -48,11 +51,12 @@ import mssql_python
 
 # Establish a connection
 # Specify connection string
-connection = ("SERVER=<your_server_name>;DATABASE=<your_database_name>;UID=<your_user_name>;PWD=<your_password>;Encrypt=yes;")
+connection_string = "SERVER=<your_server_name>;DATABASE=<your_database_name>;UID=<your_user_name>;PWD=<your_password>;Encrypt=yes;"
+connection = mssql_python.connect(connection_string)
 
 # Execute a query
 cursor = connection.cursor()
-cursor.execute("SELECT @@version")
+cursor.execute("SELECT * from customer")
 rows = cursor.fetchall()
 
 for row in rows:
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..457b5682
--- /dev/null
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+import os
+import sys
+import subprocess
+from setuptools import setup, Extension, find_packages
+from setuptools.command.build_ext import build_ext
+
+class CMakeExtension(Extension):
+    def __init__(self, name, sourcedir=''):
+        # No sources; CMake handles the build.
+        super().__init__(name, sources=[])
+        self.sourcedir = os.path.abspath(sourcedir)
+
+class CMakeBuild(build_ext):
+    def run(self):
+        # Check if CMake is installed
+        try:
+            subprocess.check_output(['cmake', '--version'])
+        except OSError:
+            raise RuntimeError("CMake must be installed to build these extensions.")
+        for ext in self.extensions:
+            self.build_extension(ext)
+
+    def build_extension(self, ext):
+        # Calculate the directory where the final .pyd will be placed (inside mssql_python)
+        extdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(self.get_ext_fullpath(ext.name)))
+        cfg = 'Debug' if self.debug else 'Release'
+        cmake_args = [
+            '-DCMAKE_LIBRARY_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY=' + extdir,
+            '-DCMAKE_LIBRARY_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY_RELEASE=' + extdir,
+            '-DCMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY_RELEASE=' + extdir,
+            '-DPYTHON_EXECUTABLE=' + sys.executable,
+            '-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=' + cfg
+        ]
+        build_args = ['--config', cfg]
+
+        if not os.path.exists(self.build_temp):
+            os.makedirs(self.build_temp)
+
+        # Configure CMake project
+        subprocess.check_call(['cmake', ext.sourcedir] + cmake_args, cwd=self.build_temp)
+        # Build the target defined in your CMakeLists.txt
+        subprocess.check_call(['cmake', '--build', '.', '--target', 'ddbc_bindings'] + build_args, cwd=self.build_temp)
+
+setup(
+    name='mssql-python',
+    version='0.1.5',
+    description='A Python library for interacting with Microsoft SQL Server',
+    long_description=open('README.md', encoding='utf-8').read(),
+    long_description_content_type='text/markdown',
+    author='Microsoft Corporation',
+    author_email='pysqldriver@microsoft.com',
+    url='https://github.com/microsoft/mssql-python',
+    packages=find_packages(),
+    package_data={
+        # Include DLL files inside mssql_python
+        'mssql_python': ['libs/*', 'libs/**/*', '*.dll']
+    },
+    include_package_data=True,
+    # Requires Python 3.13
+    python_requires='==3.13.*',
+    # Naming the extension as mssql_python.ddbc_bindings puts the .pyd directly in mssql_python
+    ext_modules=[CMakeExtension('mssql_python.ddbc_bindings', sourcedir='mssql_python/pybind')],
+    cmdclass={'build_ext': CMakeBuild},
+    zip_safe=False,
+)