diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9d571a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# Git
+.git/
+.gitignore
+
+# Documentation and tests (not needed in production image)
+docs/
+tests/
+*.md
+
+# IDE and editor files
+.vscode/
+.idea/
+*.swp
+*.swo
+
+# Python cache
+__pycache__/
+*.py[cod]
+*$py.class
+
+# Hermes specific
+*.jsonl
+*.jsonl.offset
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..96656d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# Dockerfile for Hermes Agent
+FROM python:3.12-slim
+
+WORKDIR /app
+
+# Install uv for fast, reliable dependency resolution (pinned for reproducibility)
+COPY --from=ghcr.io/astral-sh/uv:0.5.25 /uv /bin/uv
+
+# Copy project files (explicit uv.lock required for --frozen)
+COPY pyproject.toml uv.lock ./
+COPY src/ ./src/
+
+# Install production dependencies only
+RUN uv sync --frozen --no-dev
+
+# Ensure logs reach the container log driver immediately
+ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
+ENV ALERTS_JSONL_PATH=/var/hermes/alerts.jsonl
+ENV ALERT_OFFSET_PATH=/var/hermes/alerts.jsonl.offset
+ENV METRICS_PORT=8091
+
+RUN mkdir -p /var/hermes
+
+# metrics endpoint — implemented in task 2.7
+EXPOSE 8091
+
+CMD ["uv", "run", "python", "-m", "agentic_node_ops.processor"]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/agentic_node_ops/processor.py b/src/agentic_node_ops/processor.py
index 4f7cc6a..a253510 100644
--- a/src/agentic_node_ops/processor.py
+++ b/src/agentic_node_ops/processor.py
@@ -187,3 +187,7 @@ def run_processor_loop(
     """
     log.info("Starting alert processor loop (poll interval: %ss)", poll_interval)
     asyncio.run(_run_loop_async(db, dispatcher, poll_interval))
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    run_processor_loop()