diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yaml b/.github/dependabot.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9d309aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+version: 2
+updates:
+  - package-ecosystem: "maven"
+    directory: "/springboot-postgres/app"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "daily"
+
+  - package-ecosystem: "docker"
+    directory: "/springboot-postgres/app"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "weekly"
+      
+  - package-ecosystem: "github-actions"
+    directory: "/"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "weekly"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/helm-ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/helm-ci.yaml
index 777e1b0..c4e7032 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/helm-ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/helm-ci.yaml
@@ -1,82 +1,82 @@
-name: Helm CI - Build and Push
-
-on:
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - main
-
-jobs:
-  build-and-push:
-    name: Build and Push Docker Image
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-
-    outputs:
-      image-tag: ${{ steps.set-tag.outputs.tag }}
-
-    env:
-      IMAGE_NAME: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}/springboot-postgres
-
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout code
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: Set up JDK 17
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
-        with:
-          distribution: 'temurin'
-          java-version: '17'
-
-      - name: Build Spring Boot App
-        working-directory: ./app
-        run: ./mvnw clean package -DskipTests
-
-      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
-        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
-
-      - name: Log in to DockerHub
-        uses: docker/login-action@v3
-        with:
-          username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}
-          password: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
-
-      - name: Set Image Tag
-        id: set-tag
-        run: |
-          COMMIT_SHA=$(echo "${{ github.sha }}" | cut -c1-7)
-          TAG="main-${COMMIT_SHA}"
-          echo "tag=$TAG" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-
-      - name: Build and Push Docker Image
-        run: |
-          docker build -t $IMAGE_NAME:${{ steps.set-tag.outputs.tag }} ./app
-          docker push $IMAGE_NAME:${{ steps.set-tag.outputs.tag }}
-
-  update-values:
-    name: Update Helm values.yaml
-    needs: build-and-push
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-
-    env:
-      IMAGE_NAME: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}/springboot-postgres
-      IMAGE_TAG: ${{ needs.build-and-push.outputs.image-tag }}
-      FILE: helm/springboot-postgres-prod/values.yaml
-
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout code
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: Configure Git
-        run: |
-          git config --global user.name "${{ secrets.GIT_USER_NAME }}"
-          git config --global user.email "${{ secrets.GIT_USER_EMAIL }}"
-
-      - name: Update values.yaml
-        run: |
-          echo "Updating $FILE with image: $IMAGE_NAME:$IMAGE_TAG"
-          sed -i.bak -E "s|image:.*|image: ${IMAGE_NAME}:${IMAGE_TAG}|" "$FILE"
-
-          git add "$FILE"
-          git commit -m "Update image tag to $IMAGE_TAG in Helm values.yaml"
-
-          git pull origin auto/helm-update --rebase || true
-          git push origin HEAD:auto/helm-update-prod --force-with-lease
\ No newline at end of file
+# name: Helm CI - Build and Push
+
+# on:
+#   push:
+#     branches:
+#       - main
+
+# jobs:
+#   build-and-push:
+#     name: Build and Push Docker Image
+#     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+#     outputs:
+#       image-tag: ${{ steps.set-tag.outputs.tag }}
+
+#     env:
+#       IMAGE_NAME: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}/springboot-postgres
+
+#     steps:
+#       - name: Checkout code
+#         uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+#       - name: Set up JDK 17
+#         uses: actions/setup-java@v4
+#         with:
+#           distribution: 'temurin'
+#           java-version: '17'
+
+#       - name: Build Spring Boot App
+#         working-directory: ./app
+#         run: ./mvnw clean package -DskipTests
+
+#       - name: Set up Docker Buildx
+#         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+#       - name: Log in to DockerHub
+#         uses: docker/login-action@v3
+#         with:
+#           username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}
+#           password: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+#       - name: Set Image Tag
+#         id: set-tag
+#         run: |
+#           COMMIT_SHA=$(echo "${{ github.sha }}" | cut -c1-7)
+#           TAG="main-${COMMIT_SHA}"
+#           echo "tag=$TAG" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+#       - name: Build and Push Docker Image
+#         run: |
+#           docker build -t $IMAGE_NAME:${{ steps.set-tag.outputs.tag }} ./app
+#           docker push $IMAGE_NAME:${{ steps.set-tag.outputs.tag }}
+
+#   update-values:
+#     name: Update Helm values.yaml
+#     needs: build-and-push
+#     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+#     env:
+#       IMAGE_NAME: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}/springboot-postgres
+#       IMAGE_TAG: ${{ needs.build-and-push.outputs.image-tag }}
+#       FILE: helm/springboot-postgres-prod/values.yaml
+
+#     steps:
+#       - name: Checkout code
+#         uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+#       - name: Configure Git
+#         run: |
+#           git config --global user.name "${{ secrets.GIT_USER_NAME }}"
+#           git config --global user.email "${{ secrets.GIT_USER_EMAIL }}"
+
+#       - name: Update values.yaml
+#         run: |
+#           echo "Updating $FILE with image: $IMAGE_NAME:$IMAGE_TAG"
+#           sed -i.bak -E "s|image:.*|image: ${IMAGE_NAME}:${IMAGE_TAG}|" "$FILE"
+
+#           git add "$FILE"
+#           git commit -m "Update image tag to $IMAGE_TAG in Helm values.yaml"
+
+#           git pull origin auto/helm-update --rebase || true
+#           git push origin HEAD:auto/helm-update-prod --force-with-lease
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/kustomize-ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/kustomize-ci.yaml
index 39e9ee4..9b464d8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/kustomize-ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/kustomize-ci.yaml
@@ -1,93 +1,93 @@
-name: Kustomize CI - Build and Push
-
-on:
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - feature/development
-      - development
-
-concurrency:
-  group: kustomize-update
-  cancel-in-progress: true
-
-jobs:
-  build-and-push:
-    name: Build and Push Docker Image
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-
-    outputs:
-      image-tag: ${{ steps.set-tag.outputs.tag }}
-
-    env:
-      IMAGE_NAME: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}/springboot-postgres
-
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout code
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: Set up JDK 17
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
-        with:
-          distribution: 'temurin'
-          java-version: '17'
-
-      - name: Build Spring Boot App
-        working-directory: ./app
-        run: ./mvnw clean package -DskipTests
-
-      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
-        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
-
-      - name: Log in to DockerHub
-        uses: docker/login-action@v3
-        with:
-          username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}
-          password: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
-
-      - name: Set image tag
-        id: set-tag
-        run: |
-          COMMIT_SHA=$(echo "${{ github.sha }}" | cut -c1-7)
-          BRANCH=$(echo "${GITHUB_REF#refs/heads/}" | tr '/' '-')
-          TAG="${BRANCH}-${COMMIT_SHA}"
-          echo "tag=$TAG" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-
-      - name: Build and push Docker image
-        run: |
-          docker build -t $IMAGE_NAME:${{ steps.set-tag.outputs.tag }} ./app
-          docker push $IMAGE_NAME:${{ steps.set-tag.outputs.tag }}
-
-  update-kustomize:
-    name: Update Kustomize Overlay
-    needs: build-and-push
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-
-    env:
-      IMAGE_NAME: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}/springboot-postgres
-      IMAGE_TAG: ${{ needs.build-and-push.outputs.image-tag }}
-
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout code
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: Configure git
-        run: |
-          git config --global user.name "${{ secrets.GIT_USER_NAME }}"
-          git config --global user.email "${{ secrets.GIT_USER_EMAIL }}"
-
-      - name: Update image tag and push to branch
-        run: |
-          FILE="kustomize/overlays/dev/patch-deployment-image.yaml"
-
-          echo "Updating $FILE with image: $IMAGE_NAME:$IMAGE_TAG"
-
-          sed -i.bak -E "s|image:.*|image: ${IMAGE_NAME}:${IMAGE_TAG}|" "$FILE"
-
-          git checkout -B auto/kustomize-update
-          git add "$FILE"
-          git commit -m "Update image tag to $IMAGE_TAG" || echo "No changes to commit"
-
-          git push origin auto/kustomize-update --force
+# name: Kustomize CI - Build and Push
+
+# on:
+#   push:
+#     branches:
+#       - feature/development
+#       - development
+
+# concurrency:
+#   group: kustomize-update
+#   cancel-in-progress: true
+
+# jobs:
+#   build-and-push:
+#     name: Build and Push Docker Image
+#     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+#     outputs:
+#       image-tag: ${{ steps.set-tag.outputs.tag }}
+
+#     env:
+#       IMAGE_NAME: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}/springboot-postgres
+
+#     steps:
+#       - name: Checkout code
+#         uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+#       - name: Set up JDK 17
+#         uses: actions/setup-java@v4
+#         with:
+#           distribution: 'temurin'
+#           java-version: '17'
+
+#       - name: Build Spring Boot App
+#         working-directory: ./app
+#         run: ./mvnw clean package -DskipTests
+
+#       - name: Set up Docker Buildx
+#         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+#       - name: Log in to DockerHub
+#         uses: docker/login-action@v3
+#         with:
+#           username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}
+#           password: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+#       - name: Set image tag
+#         id: set-tag
+#         run: |
+#           COMMIT_SHA=$(echo "${{ github.sha }}" | cut -c1-7)
+#           BRANCH=$(echo "${GITHUB_REF#refs/heads/}" | tr '/' '-')
+#           TAG="${BRANCH}-${COMMIT_SHA}"
+#           echo "tag=$TAG" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
+#       - name: Build and push Docker image
+#         run: |
+#           docker build -t $IMAGE_NAME:${{ steps.set-tag.outputs.tag }} ./app
+#           docker push $IMAGE_NAME:${{ steps.set-tag.outputs.tag }}
+
+#   update-kustomize:
+#     name: Update Kustomize Overlay
+#     needs: build-and-push
+#     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+#     env:
+#       IMAGE_NAME: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}/springboot-postgres
+#       IMAGE_TAG: ${{ needs.build-and-push.outputs.image-tag }}
+
+#     steps:
+#       - name: Checkout code
+#         uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+#       - name: Configure git
+#         run: |
+#           git config --global user.name "${{ secrets.GIT_USER_NAME }}"
+#           git config --global user.email "${{ secrets.GIT_USER_EMAIL }}"
+
+#       - name: Update image tag and push to branch
+#         run: |
+#           FILE="kustomize/overlays/dev/patch-deployment-image.yaml"
+
+#           echo "Updating $FILE with image: $IMAGE_NAME:$IMAGE_TAG"
+
+#           sed -i.bak -E "s|image:.*|image: ${IMAGE_NAME}:${IMAGE_TAG}|" "$FILE"
+
+#           git checkout -B auto/kustomize-update
+#           git add "$FILE"
+#           git commit -m "Update image tag to $IMAGE_TAG" || echo "No changes to commit"
+
+#           git push origin auto/kustomize-update --force
 
 
  
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d7ecab6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+# Spring Boot Postgres - Helm & Kustomize Deployment
+
+This project demonstrates a GitOps-style Continuous Integration (CI) pipeline for a **Spring Boot + PostgreSQL** application, leveraging:
+
+	•	 **Kustomize and Helm** for Kubernetes manifests management
+	•	 **GitHub Actions** for building, testing, tagging, and pushing images
+	•	 **DockerHub** as the image registry
+
+ The current focus is **CI only** — with clear automation of image updates through Git. **ArgoCD-based Continuous Deployment (CD)** will be implemented in the next stage.
+---
+
+##  Project Structure
+
+```
+.
+├── app                          # Spring Boot application (Dockerized)
+├── helm                        # Helm chart for production deployments
+│   └── springboot-postgres-prod
+│       ├── Chart.yaml
+│       └── templates/...
+├── kustomize                   # Kustomize overlays for different environments
+│   ├── base
+│   ├── overlays/
+│   │   ├── dev
+│   │   └── stage
+├── .github/workflows           # CI pipelines for Kustomize & Helm
+│   ├── helm-ci.yaml
+│   └── kustomize-ci.yaml
+└── dependabot.yaml             # Dependency automation
+```
+
+---
+
+##  Deployment Strategies
+
+###  Kustomize – For Development Environments
+- Manages environment-specific configurations using overlays (`dev`, `stage`, etc.).
+- Uses patch files (`patch-deployment-image.yaml`, etc.) to inject settings.
+- CI builds Docker image and automatically updates Kustomize overlays with the new image tag.
+- Image tag changes are pushed to a dedicated branch (`auto/kustomize-update`).
+
+###  Helm – For Production
+- Used for production-grade deployments with templated configuration.
+- Helm chart located in `helm/springboot-postgres-prod`.
+- CI builds and pushes Docker image on `main` branch updates.
+- Image tag is updated in `values.yaml` and pushed to a separate branch (`auto/helm-update`).
+
+---
+
+##  Branching Strategy
+
+### `main`
+-  Protected branch for production.
+- Triggers **Helm CI** on push.
+- Only accepts Pull Requests.
+
+### `development`
+-  Integration branch.
+- Triggers **Kustomize CI** on push.
+- Represents the latest working state of development.
+
+### `feature/*`
+-  Feature development.
+- Merged into `development`.
+
+### `auto/kustomize-update`
+-  Auto-managed branch.
+- CI pushes updated image tags to `kustomize/overlays/dev/patch-deployment-image.yaml`.
+
+### `auto/helm-update`
+-  Auto-managed branch.
+- CI pushes updated image tag to `helm/springboot-postgres-prod/values.yaml`.
+
+---
+
+##  CI/CD Overview
+
+| Tool              | Purpose                                      | Trigger Branches         |
+|-------------------|----------------------------------------------|---------------------------|
+| `kustomize-ci.yaml` | Builds Docker image, updates dev overlay   | `feature/*`, `development`|
+| `helm-ci.yaml`      | Builds Docker image, updates Helm chart    | `main`                    |
+
+- Docker image is tagged as: `branchname-<shortsha>`, e.g., `feature-login-abc1234`.
+
+---
+
+##  Docker Image
+
+- Docker image is built from `/app` and pushed to DockerHub.
+- Image tag is dynamically generated in CI.
+
+---
+
+##  Prerequisites
+
+- GitHub PAT with `repo` scope (for pushing commits via Actions).
+- DockerHub credentials stored in repository secrets:
+  - `DOCKERHUB_USERNAME`
+  - `DOCKERHUB_TOKEN`
+- Git config secrets:
+  - `GIT_USER_NAME`
+  - `GIT_USER_EMAIL`
+  - `GH_PAT` (used in CI for authenticated pushes)
+
+---
+
+##  Future Enhancements
+
+- Add staging environment overlay in Kustomize.
+- Implement CD using ArgoCD or Flux.
+- Add unit and integration tests in CI.
+- Add Helm chart versioning and publishing.
+
+---
+
+
+