diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 8cb0de037..01feee77f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -713,3 +713,6 @@ CONTRIBUTION_GUIDE.md
 .qodo
 .windsurfrules
 .windsurf/rules
+
+# MCP servers
+.serena
diff --git a/backend/sample.env b/backend/sample.env
index af73870e1..bbd8d6f23 100644
--- a/backend/sample.env
+++ b/backend/sample.env
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ DEFAULT_LOG_LEVEL="INFO"
 PATH_PREFIX="api/v1"
 
 # Django settings
-DJANGO_APP_BACKEND_URL=http://frontend.unstract.localhost
+DJANGO_APP_BACKEND_URL=http://frontend.unstract.localhost:8081
 DJANGO_SECRET_KEY="1(xf&nc6!y7!l&!5xe&i_rx7e^m@fcut9fduv86ft=-b@2g6"
 
 # Postgres DB envs
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ GOOGLE_OAUTH2_SECRET=
 SESSION_EXPIRATION_TIME_IN_SECOND=7200
 
 # FE Web Application Dependencies
-WEB_APP_ORIGIN_URL="http://frontend.unstract.localhost"
+WEB_APP_ORIGIN_URL="http://frontend.unstract.localhost:8081"
 
 # API keys for trusted services
 INTERNAL_SERVICE_API_KEY=
diff --git a/docker/CONTAINER_RUNTIME.md b/docker/CONTAINER_RUNTIME.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..68037d15b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/CONTAINER_RUNTIME.md
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+# Container Runtime Support (Docker & Podman)
+
+The Unstract docker-compose configuration supports both **Docker** (default) and **Podman**.
+
+## Socket Detection
+
+The configuration defaults to Docker and supports Podman via environment variable:
+- **Docker**: Default (`/var/run/docker.sock`) - no configuration needed
+- **Podman**: Set `DOCKER_SOCKET=${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}/podman/podman.sock`
+
+## Using Docker
+
+Docker works out of the box with no additional configuration:
+
+```bash
+VERSION=main docker-compose -f docker-compose.yaml up -d
+```
+
+The Docker socket at `/var/run/docker.sock` is used automatically.
+
+## Using Podman
+
+### Prerequisites
+
+1. **Enable Podman socket** (required for Traefik to discover containers):
+   ```bash
+   systemctl --user enable podman.socket
+   systemctl --user start podman.socket
+   ```
+
+2. **Verify socket is running**:
+   ```bash
+   systemctl --user status podman.socket
+   # Should show: active (listening)
+   ```
+
+### Run with Podman
+
+Set the `DOCKER_SOCKET` environment variable to point to Podman socket, then run podman-compose:
+
+```bash
+export DOCKER_SOCKET=${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}/podman/podman.sock
+VERSION=main podman-compose -f docker-compose.yaml up -d
+```
+
+**Note**: The `DOCKER_SOCKET` environment variable must be set to use Podman instead of the default Docker socket.
+
+## Custom Socket Path
+
+If you need to specify a custom socket path, set the `DOCKER_SOCKET` environment variable:
+
+```bash
+# Example: Custom Docker socket location
+export DOCKER_SOCKET=/custom/path/docker.sock
+VERSION=main docker-compose -f docker-compose.yaml up -d
+
+# Example: Alternative Podman socket location
+export DOCKER_SOCKET=/run/user/$(id -u)/podman/podman.sock
+VERSION=main podman-compose -f docker-compose.yaml up -d
+```
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Traefik shows "Cannot connect to Docker daemon"
+
+**For Podman users**:
+1. Check if Podman socket is running:
+   ```bash
+   systemctl --user status podman.socket
+   ```
+
+2. If inactive, start it:
+   ```bash
+   systemctl --user start podman.socket
+   ```
+
+3. Verify socket file exists:
+   ```bash
+   ls -la $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/podman/podman.sock
+   # Should show: srw-rw---- (socket file, not directory)
+   ```
+
+4. If it's a directory (wrong), remove and restart:
+   ```bash
+   rmdir $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/podman/podman.sock
+   systemctl --user restart podman.socket
+   ```
+
+**For Docker users**:
+1. Check if Docker daemon is running:
+   ```bash
+   systemctl status docker
+   ```
+
+2. Verify socket permissions:
+   ```bash
+   ls -la /var/run/docker.sock
+   ```
+
+### Port 8081 not accessible
+
+This is the Traefik HTTP port for Podman rootless compatibility.
+
+1. Check if Traefik container is running:
+   ```bash
+   podman ps | grep unstract-proxy
+   # or
+   docker ps | grep unstract-proxy
+   ```
+
+2. Check Traefik logs:
+   ```bash
+   podman logs unstract-proxy
+   # or
+   docker logs unstract-proxy
+   ```
+
+## Socket Path Priority
+
+The configuration uses this simple priority:
+
+1. `$DOCKER_SOCKET` - if explicitly set (use this for Podman or custom paths)
+2. `/var/run/docker.sock` - default (Docker standard socket)
+
+**Docker**: No configuration needed - uses default socket
+**Podman**: Set `export DOCKER_SOCKET=${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}/podman/podman.sock`
+
+## Technical Details
+
+The docker-compose files use this volume mount configuration:
+
+```yaml
+volumes:
+  - ${DOCKER_SOCKET:-/var/run/docker.sock}:/var/run/docker.sock
+```
+
+This means:
+- If `DOCKER_SOCKET` is set → use that path (for Podman or custom Docker socket)
+- Else → use `/var/run/docker.sock` (Docker default)
+
+**For Podman users:**
+```bash
+export DOCKER_SOCKET=${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}/podman/podman.sock
+```
+
+This overrides the default Docker socket with the Podman socket path.
diff --git a/docker/README.md b/docker/README.md
index 9461511d3..395fce7dd 100644
--- a/docker/README.md
+++ b/docker/README.md
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 # Docker Commands
 
+## Container Runtime Support
+
+This project supports both **Docker** and **Podman**. See [CONTAINER_RUNTIME.md](CONTAINER_RUNTIME.md) for detailed information.
+
+**Quick Start**:
+- **Docker**: Use `docker compose` commands as shown below
+- **Podman**: Use `podman-compose` commands AND enable the socket: `systemctl --user enable --now podman.socket`
+
 ## Docker Build
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/docker/docker-compose-dev-essentials.yaml b/docker/docker-compose-dev-essentials.yaml
index cd5aa31fe..9ae29072c 100644
--- a/docker/docker-compose-dev-essentials.yaml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose-dev-essentials.yaml
@@ -77,13 +77,15 @@ services:
       --providers.docker=true --providers.docker.network=unstract-network
       --providers.file.filename=/proxy_overrides.yaml --providers.file.watch=true
     ports:
-      # The HTTP port
-      - "80:80"
+      # The HTTP port (changed to 8081 for rootless Podman compatibility)
+      - "8081:80"
       # The Web UI (enabled by --api.insecure=true)
       - "8080:8080"
     volumes:
-      # So that Traefik can listen to the Docker events
-      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
+      # Socket mount for container runtime (defaults to Docker)
+      # Docker: /var/run/docker.sock (default)
+      # Podman: Set DOCKER_SOCKET=${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}/podman/podman.sock
+      - ${DOCKER_SOCKET:-/var/run/docker.sock}:/var/run/docker.sock
       # Proxy overrides for components run directly in Docker host
       - ./proxy_overrides.yaml:/proxy_overrides.yaml
     # Since any proxy overrides need to point to Docker host for relevant routes.
@@ -142,8 +144,8 @@ services:
     env_file:
       - ./essentials.env
     ports:
-      - "5672:5672"  # AMQP port
-      - "15672:15672"  # Management UI port
+      - "5672:5672" # AMQP port
+      - "15672:15672" # Management UI port
     volumes:
       - rabbitmq_data:/var/lib/rabbitmq
 
diff --git a/docker/docker-compose.yaml b/docker/docker-compose.yaml
index d4e10cd03..c1db0b399 100644
--- a/docker/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ services:
       - ./workflow_data:/data
       - ${TOOL_REGISTRY_CONFIG_SRC_PATH}:/data/tool_registry_config
 
-
   # Celery worker for managing logs and periodic tasks
   worker-logging:
     image: unstract/backend:${VERSION}
@@ -154,8 +153,8 @@ services:
       - ../backend/.env
       - ./essentials.env
     depends_on:
-        - db
-        - rabbitmq
+      - db
+      - rabbitmq
     environment:
       - ENVIRONMENT=development
       - APPLICATION_NAME=unstract-celery-beat
@@ -166,7 +165,7 @@ services:
     container_name: unstract-frontend
     restart: unless-stopped
     ports:
-      - "3000:80"
+      - "3000:8080"
     depends_on:
       - backend
       - reverse-proxy
@@ -175,6 +174,7 @@ services:
     labels:
       - traefik.enable=true
       - traefik.http.routers.frontend.rule=Host(`frontend.unstract.localhost`)  && !PathPrefix(`/api/v1`, `/deployment`)
+      - traefik.http.services.frontend.loadbalancer.server.port=8080
 
   platform-service:
     image: unstract/platform-service:${VERSION}
@@ -232,8 +232,10 @@ services:
       - ../runner/.env
     volumes:
       - ./workflow_data:/data
-      # Docker socket bind mount to spawn tool containers
-      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
+      # Socket mount for container runtime (defaults to Docker)
+      # Docker: /var/run/docker.sock (default)
+      # Podman: Set DOCKER_SOCKET=${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}/podman/podman.sock
+      - ${DOCKER_SOCKET:-/var/run/docker.sock}:/var/run/docker.sock
     depends_on:
       - redis
       - rabbitmq
@@ -310,8 +312,8 @@ services:
     image: unstract/worker-unified:${VERSION}
     container_name: unstract-worker-file-processing-v2
     restart: unless-stopped
-    # command: ["file-processing"]
-    command: [".venv/bin/celery", "-A", "worker", "worker", "--queues=file_processing,api_file_processing,file_processing_priority", "--loglevel=INFO", "--pool=prefork", "--concurrency=4", "--prefetch-multiplier=1", "--without-gossip", "--without-mingle", "--without-heartbeat"]
+    entrypoint: .venv/bin/celery
+    command: "-A worker worker --queues=file_processing,api_file_processing,file_processing_priority --loglevel=INFO --pool=prefork --concurrency=4 --prefetch-multiplier=1 --without-gossip --without-mingle --without-heartbeat"
     ports:
       - "8087:8082"
     env_file:
diff --git a/docker/dockerfiles/frontend.Dockerfile b/docker/dockerfiles/frontend.Dockerfile
index 1a69660fc..2f7422bcb 100644
--- a/docker/dockerfiles/frontend.Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/dockerfiles/frontend.Dockerfile
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ RUN mkdir -p /usr/share/nginx/html/config && \
 COPY ../frontend/generate-runtime-config.sh /docker-entrypoint.d/40-env.sh
 RUN chmod +x /docker-entrypoint.d/40-env.sh
 
-EXPOSE 80
+EXPOSE 8080
 
 USER nginx
 
diff --git a/frontend/nginx.conf b/frontend/nginx.conf
index 8cb1b66d5..1eab90139 100644
--- a/frontend/nginx.conf
+++ b/frontend/nginx.conf
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ http {
     scgi_temp_path          /tmp/scgi_temp 1 2;
 
     server {
-        listen 80;
+        listen 8080;
         root  /usr/share/nginx/html;
         include /etc/nginx/mime.types;
 
diff --git a/frontend/sample.env b/frontend/sample.env
index 8e09fca6c..75a15467e 100644
--- a/frontend/sample.env
+++ b/frontend/sample.env
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-REACT_APP_BACKEND_URL=http://localhost:8000
+REACT_APP_BACKEND_URL=http://frontend.unstract.localhost:8081
 
 # Analytics - PostHog (set to false to disable tracking)
 # Default: false for local development