diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cccc1f44d..be6950c0e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -53,3 +53,11 @@ stop:
 .PHONY: stop-v
 stop-v:
 	$(MAKE) stop ARGS="--volumes"
+
+.PHONY: clean
+clean:
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE_CMD) -f docker-compose.dev.yml down -v --rmi all
+
+.PHONY: setup
+setup:
+	./bin/setup-cms.sh
diff --git a/bin/setup-cms.sh b/bin/setup-cms.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..6c5dd1901
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/setup-cms.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Exit on error
+set -e
+
+# Formatting
+POS='\033[0;32m' # positive
+NEG='\033[0;31m' # negative
+WRN='\033[1;33m' # warning
+INF='\033[0;36m' # info
+RST='\033[0m'    # reset
+IMP='\033[1m'    # important
+
+# Define root path
+ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
+cd "$ROOT"
+
+# Announce start
+echo -e "${POS}Setting up TACC Core CMS...${RST}"
+
+# Check if Docker is installed and running
+if ! command -v docker &> /dev/null; then
+    echo -e "${NEG}Error: Docker is not installed.${RST}"
+    echo "Please install Docker and try again."
+    exit 1
+fi
+if ! docker info &> /dev/null; then
+    echo -e "${NEG}Error: Docker is not running.${RST}"
+    echo "Please start Docker and try again."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Check if containers are already running
+if docker ps | grep -q "core_cms"; then
+    echo -e "${WRN}Containers are already running. Stopping them first...${RST}"
+    make stop
+fi
+
+# Check for required example files
+echo -e "${INF}Checking for required files...${RST}"
+for file in settings_custom settings_local secrets; do
+    if [ ! -f "taccsite_cms/${file}.example.py" ]; then
+        echo -e "${NEG}Error: taccsite_cms/${file}.example.py not found.${RST}"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+done
+
+# Create expected .var files if they don't exist
+echo -e "${INF}Setting up .var files...${RST}"
+if [ ! -f "needs_demo.var" ]; then
+    echo "false" > needs_demo.var
+    echo -e "  ${POS}Created needs_demo.var${RST}"
+else
+    echo -e "  ${INF}needs_demo.var already exists${RST}"
+fi
+if [ ! -f "project_name.var" ]; then
+    echo "core-cms" > project_name.var
+    echo -e "  ${POS}Created project_name.var${RST}"
+else
+    echo -e "  ${INF}project_name.var already exists${RST}"
+fi
+if [ ! -f "docker_repo.var" ]; then
+    echo "core-cms" > docker_repo.var
+    echo -e "  ${POS}Created docker_repo.var${RST}"
+else
+    echo -e "  ${INF}docker_repo.var already exists${RST}"
+fi
+
+# Copy required settings files if they don't exist
+echo -e "${INF}Setting up configuration files...${RST}"
+for file in settings_custom settings_local secrets; do
+    if [ ! -f "taccsite_cms/${file}.py" ]; then
+        cp "taccsite_cms/${file}.example.py" "taccsite_cms/${file}.py"
+        echo -e "  ${POS}Created taccsite_cms/${file}.py${RST}"
+    else
+        echo -e "  ${INF}taccsite_cms/${file}.py already exists${RST}"
+    fi
+done
+
+# Build and start Docker containers
+echo -e "${INF}Building and starting Docker containers...${RST}"
+make build
+make start ARGS=--detach
+
+# Wait for containers to be ready
+echo -e "${INF}Waiting for containers to be ready...${RST}"
+for i in {1..30}; do
+    if docker ps | grep -q "core_cms" && docker ps | grep -q "core_cms_postgres" && docker ps | grep -q "core_cms_elasticsearch"; then
+        break
+    fi
+    if [ $i -eq 30 ]; then
+        echo -e "  ${NEG}Error: Containers failed to start.${RST}"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    sleep 1
+done
+
+# Wait for PostgreSQL to be ready
+echo -e "${INF}Waiting for PostgreSQL to be ready...${RST}"
+for i in {1..30}; do
+    if docker exec core_cms_postgres pg_isready -U postgresadmin; then
+        break
+    fi
+    if [ $i -eq 30 ]; then
+        echo -e "  ${NEG}Error: PostgreSQL failed to start.${RST}"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    sleep 1
+done
+
+# Wait for Elasticsearch to be ready
+echo -e "${INF}Waiting for Elasticsearch to be ready...${RST}"
+for i in {1..30}; do
+    if curl -s http://localhost:9201/_cluster/health | grep -q '"status":"green"\|"status":"yellow"'; then
+        break
+    fi
+    if [ $i -eq 30 ]; then
+        echo -e "  ${NEG}Error: Elasticsearch failed to start.${RST}"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    sleep 1
+done
+
+# Run Django setup commands
+echo -e "${INF}Setting up Django...${RST}"
+docker exec -it core_cms sh -c "python manage.py migrate"
+
+# Check whether to let user create superuser
+echo -e "${INF}Checking for existing superuser...${RST}"
+
+# Define how to check for superuser
+HAS_SUPERUSER_CMD="python manage.py shell -c \"from django.contrib.auth import get_user_model; User = get_user_model(); print(User.objects.filter(is_superuser=True).exists())\""
+HAS_SUPERUSER=$(docker exec core_cms sh -c "$HAS_SUPERUSER_CMD")
+
+# Check for / Create a superuser
+if [ "$HAS_SUPERUSER" != "True" ]; then
+    echo -e "${INF}No superuser found. Letting you create one...${RST}"
+    docker exec -it core_cms sh -c "python manage.py createsuperuser"
+else
+    echo -e "${INF}Superuser already exists. Skipping creation.${RST}"
+fi
+
+# Collect static files
+echo -e "${INF}Preparing static files...${RST}"
+docker exec -it core_cms sh -c "python manage.py collectstatic --no-input"
+
+# Announce end
+echo -e "${POS}
+${IMP}Setup complete! You can now:${RST}${POS}
+1. Open http://localhost:8000/ in your browser.
+2. Log in with the credentials you just created.
+3. Create your first CMS page (this will be your homepage).
+
+To stop the CMS, run:
+  ${INF}make stop${POS}
+
+To start it again, run:
+  ${INF}make start${RST}
+${RST}"