diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 94c7b18..8892ebe 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@ services:
     volumes:
       - /docker/data/deletedposts:/app/config
     environment:
-      CLIENT_ID: "abc123"
-      CLIENT_SECRET: "secret"
-      USER_AGENT: "DeletedPostsBot/1.0"
-      USERNAME: "botuser"
-      PASSWORD: "botpass"
-      SUB_NAME: "my_subreddit"
-      MAX_DAYS: "90"            # strings are converted to ints when the
-      MAX_POSTS: "500"          # corresponding config value is an int
-      SLEEP_MINUTES: "10"
+      CLIENT_ID: "${CLIENT_ID}"
+      CLIENT_SECRET: "${CLIENT_SECRET}"
+      USER_AGENT: "${USER_AGENT}"
+      USERNAME: "${USERNAME}"
+      PASSWORD: "${PASSWORD}"
+      SUB_NAME: "${SUB_NAME}"
+      MAX_DAYS: "${MAX_DAYS}"            # strings are converted to ints when the
+      MAX_POSTS: "${MAX_POSTS}"          # corresponding config value is an int
+      SLEEP_MINUTES: "${SLEEP_MINUTES}"  
diff --git a/example.env b/example.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4d27919
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example.env
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# Example environment file for DeletedPosts bot
+# Copy to .env or reference from docker-compose.yml using env_file
+
+# Reddit API credentials
+CLIENT_ID=your_client_id_here
+CLIENT_SECRET=your_client_secret_here
+USER_AGENT="DeletedPostsBot/1.0 by YourUsername"
+USERNAME=bot_username
+PASSWORD=bot_password
+
+# Target subreddit
+SUB_NAME=example_subreddit
+
+# Behaviour settings (numbers)
+MAX_DAYS=180
+MAX_POSTS=180
+SLEEP_MINUTES=5
+