diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index cc76ef84..4494f3b0 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ DOCKER_DEV_SSH_PASSWORD=password
 
 DOCKER_PROD_DOMAIN=
 DOCKER_PROD_WEB_PORT=443
+# The MySQL database running in the container is exposed to the host on this port,
+# allowing access with database tools such as DBeaver
 DOCKER_PROD_MYSQL_PORT=3001
 # Password for the Zeppelin database user
 DOCKER_PROD_MYSQL_PASSWORD=
diff --git a/DEVELOPMENT.md b/DEVELOPMENT.md
index 0edbbc88..90f2c2ca 100644
--- a/DEVELOPMENT.md
+++ b/DEVELOPMENT.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 Zeppelin's development environment runs entirely within a Docker container.
 Below you can find instructions for setting up the environment and getting started with development!
 
-👉 **No support is offered for self-hosting the bot!** 👈
+**Note:** If you'd just like to run the bot for your own server, see 👉 **[PRODUCTION.md](./PRODUCTION.md)** 👈
 
 ## Starting the development environment
 
diff --git a/MANAGEMENT.md b/MANAGEMENT.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a6d12ef5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/MANAGEMENT.md
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# Management
+After starting Zeppelin -- either in the [development](./DEVELOPMENT.md) or [production](./PRODUCTION.md) environment -- you have several tools available to manage it.
+
+## Note
+Make sure to add yourself to the list of staff members (`STAFF`) in `.env` and allow at least one server by default (`DEFAULT_ALLOWED_SERVERS`). Then, invite the bot to the server.
+
+In all examples below, `@Bot` refers to a user mention of the bot user. Make sure to run the commands on a server with the bot, in a channel that the bot can see.
+
+In the command parameters, `<this>` refers to a required parameter (don't include the `< >` symbols) and `[this]` refers to an optional parameter (don't include the `[ ]` symbols). `<this...>` refers to being able to list multiple values, e.g. `value1 value2 value3`.
+
+## Allow a server to invite the bot
+Run the following command:
+```
+@Bot allow_server <serverId> [userId]
+```
+When specifying a user ID, that user will be given "Bot manager" level access to the server's dashboard, allowing them to manage access for other users.
+
+## Disallow a server
+Run the following command:
+```
+@Bot disallow_server <serverId>
+```
+
+## Grant access to a server's dashboard
+Run the following command:
+```
+@Bot add_dashboard_user <serverId> <userId...>
+```
+
+## Remove access to a server's dashboard
+Run the following command:
+```
+@Bot remove_dashboard_user <serverId> <userId...>
+```
diff --git a/PRODUCTION.md b/PRODUCTION.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a45bf50d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/PRODUCTION.md
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# Zeppelin production environment
+Zeppelin's production environment - that is, the **bot, API, and dashboard** - uses Docker.
+
+## Starting the production environment
+1. Install Docker on the machine running the bot
+2. Make a copy of `.env.example` called `.env`
+3. Fill in the missing values in `.env`
+4. Run `docker-compose -f docker-compose.production.yml -d up`
+
+## Updating the bot
+
+### One-click script
+If you've downloaded the bot's files by cloning the git repository, you can use `update.sh` to update the bot.
+
+### Manual instructions
+1. Shut the bot down: `docker-compose -f docker-compose.production.yml down`
+2. Update the files (e.g. `git pull`)
+3. Start the bot again: `docker-compose -f docker-compose.production.yml -d up`
+
+### Ephemeral hotfixes
+If you need to make a hotfix to the bot's source files directly on the server:
+1. Shut the bot down: `docker-compose -f docker-compose.production.yml down`
+2. Make your edits
+3. Start the bot again: `docker-compose -f docker-compose.production.yml -d up`
+
+Note that you can't edit the compiled files directly as they're overwritten when the environment starts.
+Only edit files in `/backend/src`, `/shared/src`, and `/dashboard/src`.
+
+Make sure to revert any hotfixes before updating the bot normally.
+
+## View logs
+To view real-time logs, run `docker-compose -f docker-compose.production.yml -t logs`
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4d11bbe5..52f60f07 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -19,52 +19,15 @@ Zeppelin is a moderation bot for Discord, designed with large servers and reliab
 
 See https://zeppelin.gg/ for more details.
 
+## Usage documentation
+For information on how to use the bot, see https://zeppelin.gg/docs
+
 ## Development
-👉 **No support is offered for self-hosting the bot!** 👈
+See [DEVELOPMENT.md](./DEVELOPMENT.md) for instructions on running the development environment.
 
-See [DEVELOPMENT.md](./DEVELOPMENT.md) for instructions on running the development environment!
+Once you have the environment up and running, see [MANAGEMENT.md](./MANAGEMENT.md) for how to manage your bot.
 
-### Config format example
-Configuration is stored in the database in the `configs` table
+## Production
+See [PRODUCTION.md](./PRODUCTION.md) for instructions on how to run the bot in production.
 
-```yml
-prefix: '!'
-
-# role id: level
-levels:
-  "12345678": 100 # Example admin
-  "98765432": 50 # Example mod
-
-plugins:
-  mod_plugin:
-    config:
-      kick_message: 'You have been kicked'
-      can_kick: false
-    overrides:
-      - level: '>=50'
-        config:
-          can_kick: true
-      - level: '>=100'
-        config:
-          kick_message: 'You have been kicked by an admin'
-
-  other_plugin:
-    config:
-      categories:
-        mycategory:
-          opt: "something"
-        othercategory:
-          enabled: false
-          opt: "hello"
-    overrides:
-      - level: '>=50'
-        config:
-          categories:
-            mycategory:
-              enabled: false
-      - channel: '1234'
-        config:
-          categories:
-            othercategory:
-              enabled: true
-```
+Once you have the environment up and running, see [MANAGEMENT.md](./MANAGEMENT.md) for how to manage your bot.
diff --git a/docker-compose.development.yml b/docker-compose.development.yml
index 4a28033e..d64aa393 100644
--- a/docker-compose.development.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.development.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 version: '3'
 name: zeppelin-dev
 volumes:
-  mysql-data: {}
   vscode-remote: {}
   vscode-server: {}
   jetbrains-data: {}
@@ -27,7 +26,7 @@ services:
     ports:
       - ${DOCKER_DEV_MYSQL_PORT:?Missing DOCKER_DEV_MYSQL_PORT}:3306
     volumes:
-      - mysql-data:/var/lib/mysql
+      - ./docker/development/data/mysql:/var/lib/mysql
     command: --authentication-policy=mysql_native_password
 
   devenv:
diff --git a/docker-compose.production.yml b/docker-compose.production.yml
index 1b03bd00..109cb3bb 100644
--- a/docker-compose.production.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.production.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 version: '3'
 name: zeppelin-prod
-volumes:
-  mysql-data: {}
 services:
   nginx:
     build:
@@ -24,7 +22,7 @@ services:
     ports:
       - ${DOCKER_PROD_MYSQL_PORT:?Missing DOCKER_PROD_MYSQL_PORT}:3306
     volumes:
-      - mysql-data:/var/lib/mysql
+      - ./docker/production/data/mysql:/var/lib/mysql
     command: --authentication-policy=mysql_native_password
 
   prepare_backend:
@@ -44,15 +42,18 @@ services:
       - prepare_backend
     volumes:
       - ./:/zeppelin
-
-    # Wait for the build_backend container to finish before starting the bot
-    # See: https://github.com/docker/compose/issues/5007#issuecomment-335815508
     user: node
-    command: |-
-      bash -c ' \
-        while ping -c1 prepare_backend &>/dev/null; do sleep 1; done; \
-        cd /zeppelin/backend && npm run start-api-prod \
-      '
+    command: ["/bin/bash", "/zeppelin/docker/production/start-api.sh"]
+
+  bot:
+    image: node:16.16
+    restart: on-failure
+    depends_on:
+      - prepare_backend
+    volumes:
+      - ./:/zeppelin
+    user: node
+    command: ["/bin/bash", "/zeppelin/docker/production/start-bot.sh"]
 
   build_dashboard:
     image: node:16.16
diff --git a/docker/development/data/mysql/.gitignore b/docker/development/data/mysql/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d6b7ef32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/development/data/mysql/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+*
+!.gitignore
diff --git a/docker/production/config/mysql.conf.d/.gitignore b/docker/production/config/mysql.conf.d/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d6b7ef32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/production/config/mysql.conf.d/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+*
+!.gitignore
diff --git a/docker/production/data/mysql/.gitignore b/docker/production/data/mysql/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d6b7ef32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/production/data/mysql/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+*
+!.gitignore
diff --git a/docker/production/start-api.sh b/docker/production/start-api.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..00e9359a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/production/start-api.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# This wrapper script is used for two purposes:
+# 1. Waiting for the prepare_backend container to finish before starting (see https://github.com/docker/compose/issues/5007#issuecomment-335815508)
+# 2. Forwarding signals to the app (see https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/196053)
+
+# Wait for the backend preparations to finish before continuing
+echo "Waiting for prepare_backend to finish before starting the API..."
+while ping -c1 prepare_backend &>/dev/null; do sleep 1; done;
+
+echo "Starting the API"
+cd /zeppelin/backend
+exec npm run start-api-prod
diff --git a/docker/production/start-bot.sh b/docker/production/start-bot.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d9214465
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/production/start-bot.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# This wrapper script is used for two purposes:
+# 1. Waiting for the prepare_backend container to finish before starting (see https://github.com/docker/compose/issues/5007#issuecomment-335815508)
+# 2. Forwarding signals to the app (see https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/196053)
+
+# Wait for the backend preparations to finish before continuing
+echo "Waiting for prepare_backend to finish before starting the bot..."
+while ping -c1 prepare_backend &>/dev/null; do sleep 1; done;
+
+echo "Starting the bot"
+cd /zeppelin/backend
+exec npm run start-bot-prod
diff --git a/update.sh b/update.sh
index bf615aa5..8a32cf94 100755
--- a/update.sh
+++ b/update.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. ./update-backend.sh
-. ./update-dashboard.sh
+echo Updating Zeppelin...
+
+docker-compose -f docker-compose.production.yml down
+git pull
+docker-compose -f docker-compose.production.yml -d up
+
+echo Update finished!