diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 809e0e509..9973c00e2 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -291,6 +291,7 @@ wheels/
 # === DOCKER ===
 .dockerignore
 Dockerfile.*
+docker-compose.override.yml
 
 # === MISC ===
 .Python
diff --git a/docker-compose.override.example.yml b/docker-compose.override.example.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8423e5bcf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.override.example.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+# AutoBot Docker Compose — Development Override (#1911)
+# Activated automatically when copied to docker-compose.override.yml.
+# Provides: live code reloading, debug ports, relaxed health checks.
+#
+# Usage:
+#   cp docker-compose.override.example.yml docker-compose.override.yml
+#   docker compose up -d                  # Automatically uses the override
+#   docker compose -f docker-compose.yml up -d  # Skip override (production)
+#
+# Known limitations:
+#   - autobot-shared changes require container restart (pip -e install at boot)
+#   - Frontend: run `npm run build` on host; dist/ is served by nginx (no HMR)
+#   - On WSL2 (core.symlinks=false): symlinks are recreated at container start
+#   - env_file from base compose is still active; these vars override it
+#
+# AutoBot - AI-Powered Automation Platform
+# Copyright (c) 2025 mrveiss
+# Author: mrveiss
+
+services:
+  autobot-backend:
+    volumes:
+      - ./autobot-backend:/app/autobot-backend
+      - ./autobot-shared:/app/autobot-shared
+    command: >
+      bash -c "
+        ln -sf /app/autobot-shared /app/autobot_shared &&
+        ln -sf /app/autobot-shared /app/autobot-backend/autobot_shared &&
+        pip install -e /app/autobot-shared --quiet &&
+        python3.12 -m uvicorn main:app
+          --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8000
+          --reload
+          --reload-dir /app/autobot-backend
+          --reload-dir /app/autobot-shared
+          --app-dir /app/autobot-backend
+      "
+    environment:
+      - AUTOBOT_ENVIRONMENT=development
+      - AUTOBOT_LOG_LEVEL=DEBUG
+    ports:
+      # debugpy remote debugging — to enable, install debugpy in container:
+      #   docker exec -it autobot-backend pip install debugpy
+      # then restart with: python -m debugpy --listen 0.0.0.0:5678 -m uvicorn ...
+      - "5678:5678"
+    healthcheck:
+      interval: 30s
+      timeout: 15s
+      retries: 10
+      start_period: 180s
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        limits:
+          memory: 4G
+          cpus: '4.0'
+
+  autobot-slm:
+    volumes:
+      - ./autobot-slm-backend:/app/autobot-slm-backend
+      - ./autobot-shared:/app/autobot-shared
+    command: >
+      bash -c "
+        ln -sf /app/autobot-shared /app/autobot_shared &&
+        pip install -e /app/autobot-shared --quiet &&
+        python3.12 -m uvicorn main:app
+          --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8000
+          --reload
+          --reload-dir /app/autobot-slm-backend
+          --reload-dir /app/autobot-shared
+          --app-dir /app/autobot-slm-backend
+      "
+    environment:
+      - AUTOBOT_ENVIRONMENT=development
+      - AUTOBOT_LOG_LEVEL=DEBUG
+    healthcheck:
+      interval: 30s
+      timeout: 15s
+      retries: 10
+      start_period: 60s
+
+  # Frontend: mount pre-built dist/ into nginx.
+  # Run `npm run build` on host after changes — no HMR in this mode.
+  autobot-frontend:
+    volumes:
+      - ./autobot-frontend/dist:/usr/share/nginx/html