diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 8598071..be25d52 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,14 +1,16 @@
-FROM node:20-alpine
+FROM node:20-slim
 
-# Install simple static file server
-RUN npm install -g serve
-
-# Create app directory
 WORKDIR /app
 
-# Copy all files
+# Erst Manifeste kopieren → Layer-Cache für npm install
+COPY package*.json ./
+RUN npm install --omit=dev
+
+# Rest der App
 COPY . .
 
-# Start server on the port defined by Railway ($PORT)
-# If $PORT is not set, default to 3000
-CMD serve -s . -l tcp://0.0.0.0:${PORT:-3000}
+ENV PORT=3000
+ENV DATA_DIR=/data
+EXPOSE 3000
+
+CMD ["node", "server/index.js"]
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bce37c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+{
+  "name": "dienstplan-pro",
+  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "private": true,
+  "type": "commonjs",
+  "scripts": {
+    "start": "node server/index.js",
+    "test": "node --test"
+  },
+  "dependencies": {
+    "better-sqlite3": "^11.3.0",
+    "express": "^4.21.0"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/server/index.js b/server/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..56b8579
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+const path = require('path');
+const express = require('express');
+
+const app = express();
+app.use(express.json({ limit: '5mb' }));
+
+app.get('/api/health', (req, res) => res.json({ status: 'ok' }));
+
+// Statisches Frontend (Repo-Root). Dotfiles werden per Default nicht ausgeliefert.
+app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, '..')));
+
+if (require.main === module) {
+  const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3000;
+  app.listen(PORT, '0.0.0.0', () => console.log(`Dienstplan-Pro auf :${PORT}`));
+}
+
+module.exports = app;
diff --git a/server/index.test.js b/server/index.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..38a4433
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/index.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+const { test } = require('node:test');
+const assert = require('node:assert');
+const app = require('./index');
+
+test('GET /api/health liefert ok', async () => {
+  const server = app.listen(0);
+  const { port } = server.address();
+  try {
+    const res = await fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}/api/health`);
+    assert.strictEqual(res.status, 200);
+    const body = await res.json();
+    assert.strictEqual(body.status, 'ok');
+  } finally {
+    server.close();
+  }
+});