diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 618c5688..e6a4d2e8 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -86,6 +86,9 @@ stylecop.*
 *.dbmdl
 Generated_Code #added for RIA/Silverlight projects
 dist/
+dist_local/
+/scripts/viewer/index.html
+/scripts/guides/default/
 userfiles
 
 # Backup & report files from converting an old project file to a newer
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ede2cd97..c0b6187a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -78,6 +78,27 @@ run the command below in a terminal
 
 This will build a zip in the parent folder of the cloned repo with the naming patern a2j-viewer_{MAJVER}.{MINVER}.{PATCH}_{YYYY}-{MM}-{DD}.zip
 
+## Local Development & Testing
+
+If you need to modify the A2J Viewer source or test it within a local environment, follow the steps below.
+
+### 1. Configuration of Interview Files
+Before running the local development server, ensure your interview/guide files are placed in the following directory:
+`scripts/guides/default/`
+
+> **Note:** If this directory is empty, the viewer will fallback to the default sample guides located in the `demo` folder.
+
+### 2. Launching the Development Server
+To initiate the local build process and start the web server, execute the following command in your terminal:
+
+```bash
+npm run dev
+```
+
+### 3. Workflow Limitations (No HMR)
+Please be advised that Hot Module Replacement (HMR) is currently *not supported*.
+To reflect any changes made to the local source files (JS, LESS, or HTML), you must stop the current process and re-run the `npm run dev` command to rebuild the assets.
+
 ## Upgrading
 1.) backup your old viewer and Guided Interviews
 
diff --git a/demo/build.viewer.html.js b/demo/build.viewer.html.js
index e5d62a71..8071bbf4 100644
--- a/demo/build.viewer.html.js
+++ b/demo/build.viewer.html.js
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@
 const fs = require('fs')
 const path = require('path')
 
-const buildViewerHtml = function () {
+const buildViewerHtml = function (isLocal = false) {
   const version = Date.now()
-  const html = template(version)
+  const templatePath = isLocal ? '.' : '..'
+  const html = template(version, templatePath)
 
-  function template (version) {
+  function template (version, templatePath) {
     return `<!--
     A2J Author 7 * Justice * justicia * 正义 * công lý * 사법 * правосудие
     All Contents Copyright The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction
@@ -31,11 +32,11 @@ const buildViewerHtml = function () {
       <script>
         localStorage.setItem('a2jConfig', JSON.stringify({
           // path (or url) to the interview XML file
-          templateURL: '../guides/default/Guide.xml',
+          templateURL: '${templatePath}/guides/default/Guide.xml',
 
           // folder containing images, templates and other assets related to the interview
           // path can be relative or fully qualified but requires a trailing slash
-          fileDataURL: '../guides/default/',
+          fileDataURL: '${templatePath}/guides/default/',
 
           // endpoint to load an answer file at start, used for RESUME
           getDataURL: '',
@@ -71,7 +72,18 @@ const buildViewerHtml = function () {
   </html>`
   }
 
-  fs.writeFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/viewer/viewer.html'), html, 'utf-8')
+  if (isLocal) {
+    const outputPath = path.join(__dirname, '../scripts/viewer/index.html')
+    const dirPath = path.dirname(outputPath)
+
+    // check folder exists, if not create it
+    if (!fs.existsSync(dirPath)) {
+      fs.mkdirSync(dirPath, { recursive: true })
+    }
+    fs.writeFileSync(outputPath, html, 'utf-8')
+  } else {
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/viewer/viewer.html'), html, 'utf-8')
+  }
 }
 
 module.exports = {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c3951461..a19a866c 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
   "main": "a2jviewer/app",
   "scripts": {
     "lint": "standard --fix --env mocha",
+    "dev": "node scripts/build.local.js npx http-server dist_local && npx http-server dist_local",
     "test": "npm run lint && testee --reporter Spec --browsers firefox tests/index.html",
     "build": "grunt build --gruntfile=Gruntfile.js",
     "deploy": "npm i && npm run build && mv index.html index.dev.html && mv index.production.html index.html",
diff --git a/scripts/build.local.js b/scripts/build.local.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b049dc2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/build.local.js
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+
+const path = require('path')
+const fs = require('fs-extra')
+const chalk = require('chalk')
+const stealTools = require('steal-tools')
+const { buildViewerHtml } = require('../demo/build.viewer.html')
+
+const srcPath = path.join(__dirname, '..')
+const outputPath = path.join(srcPath, 'dist_local')
+
+console.log(chalk.cyan('🚀 Starting Optimized Local Build...'))
+
+const buildConfig = {
+  main: 'app',
+  config: path.join(srcPath, 'package.json!npm')
+}
+
+const buildOptions = {
+  minify: true,
+  bundleSteal: true,
+  dest: path.join(outputPath, 'dist')
+}
+
+// 1. Clean up previous build results
+fs.removeSync(outputPath)
+
+// 2. Execute StealJS Build
+stealTools.build(buildConfig, buildOptions)
+  .then(function () {
+    console.log(chalk.yellow('📦 JS Build finished. Syncing static assets...'))
+    makePackageFolder()
+    console.log(chalk.green('✨ Build Complete! Assets are located in: ' + outputPath))
+    console.log(chalk.blue('🔗 Command: npx http-server dist_local'))
+  })
+  .catch(function (error) {
+    console.log(chalk.red('❌ Build failed!'))
+    throw error
+  })
+
+/**
+ * Orchestrates the copying of all necessary static files into the distribution folder.
+ */
+function makePackageFolder () {
+  // Ensure the output directory exists
+  fs.ensureDirSync(outputPath)
+
+  // Generate the shell HTML (local_viewer.html) using the imported utility
+  buildViewerHtml(true)
+
+  // Copy interview-specific guides and default content
+  fs.copySync(path.join(srcPath, 'demo/guides/default/'), path.join(outputPath, 'guides', 'default'))
+
+  // Copy viewer-related templates and static assets
+  fs.copySync(path.join(srcPath, 'scripts/viewer/'), outputPath)
+
+  // Copy global styles and generic images
+  fs.copySync(path.join(srcPath, 'styles', 'viewer-avatars.css'), path.join(outputPath, 'styles', 'viewer-avatars.css'))
+  fs.copySync(path.join(srcPath, 'images'), path.join(outputPath, 'images'))
+
+  // Ensure the default guide folder exists in the source for local development
+  fs.ensureDirSync(path.join(srcPath, 'scripts/guides/default/'))
+  fs.copySync(path.join(srcPath, 'scripts/guides/default/'), path.join(outputPath, 'guides', 'default'))
+
+  // Sync dependency assets: Avatar images from @caliorg
+  const depsPath = path.join(srcPath, 'node_modules', '@caliorg', 'a2jdeps', 'avatar', 'images')
+  if (fs.existsSync(depsPath)) {
+    fs.copySync(depsPath, path.join(outputPath, 'node_modules', '@caliorg', 'a2jdeps', 'avatar', 'images'))
+  }
+
+  // Sync dependency assets: Lightbox2 UI elements
+  const lbPath = path.join(srcPath, 'node_modules', 'lightbox2', 'dist', 'images')
+  if (fs.existsSync(lbPath)) {
+    fs.copySync(lbPath, path.join(outputPath, 'node_modules', 'lightbox2', 'dist', 'images'))
+  }
+
+  console.log(chalk.yellow('✅ All static assets successfully merged into dist_local.'))
+}
diff --git a/src/modal/modal-test.js b/src/modal/modal-test.js
index 0254a087..8f670d1d 100644
--- a/src/modal/modal-test.js
+++ b/src/modal/modal-test.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import AppState from '~/src/models/app-state'
 import Interview from '~/src/models/interview'
 import Logic from '~/src/mobile/util/logic'
 import MemoryState from '~/src/models/memory-state'
+import ModalContent from '~/src/models/modal-content'
 import F from 'funcunit'
 import { assert } from 'chai'
 import sinon from 'sinon'
@@ -180,5 +181,34 @@ describe('<a2j-modal> ', function () {
 
       assert.isTrue(pauseActivePlayersSpy.calledOnce, 'should fire pauseActivePlayers() on modal close to pause audio and video players')
     })
+
+    it('historyLength returns the number of saved modal history entries', function () {
+      vm.modalHistory.push({ title: 'First' }, { title: 'Second' })
+      assert.equal(vm.historyLength, 2)
+    })
+
+    it('goBack() restores the previous modal content and removes it from history', function () {
+      vm.modalContent = new ModalContent({ title: 'Current', text: 'Current text' })
+      const assignSpy = sinon.spy(vm.modalContent, 'assign')
+      vm.modalHistory.push({ title: 'Previous', text: 'Previous text' })
+
+      vm.goBack()
+
+      assert.isTrue(assignSpy.calledOnce, 'should assign previous content when history exists')
+      assert.equal(vm.modalContent.title, 'Previous')
+      assert.equal(vm.modalContent.text, 'Previous text')
+      assert.equal(vm.historyLength, 0)
+    })
+
+    it('goBack() does nothing when modalHistory is empty', function () {
+      vm.modalContent = new ModalContent({ title: 'Current', text: 'Current text' })
+      const assignSpy = sinon.spy(vm.modalContent, 'assign')
+
+      vm.goBack()
+
+      assert.isFalse(assignSpy.called, 'should not assign anything when history is empty')
+      assert.equal(vm.modalContent.title, 'Current')
+      assert.equal(vm.historyLength, 0)
+    })
   })
 })
diff --git a/src/modal/modal.js b/src/modal/modal.js
index 1d9fbbb8..fec66465 100644
--- a/src/modal/modal.js
+++ b/src/modal/modal.js
@@ -16,6 +16,22 @@ export let ModalVM = DefineMap.extend('ViewerModalVM', {
   interview: {},
   appState: {},
 
+  modalHistory: {
+    default: () => []
+  },
+
+  get historyLength () {
+    return this.modalHistory.length
+  },
+
+  goBack () {
+    if (this.modalHistory.length > 0) {
+      // get latest modal content from history stack and set as current modal content
+      const previousContent = this.modalHistory.pop()
+      this.modalContent.assign(previousContent)
+    }
+  },
+
   // set in appState and cleared here on close
   modalContent: {
     Type: ModalContent
@@ -97,6 +113,8 @@ export let ModalVM = DefineMap.extend('ViewerModalVM', {
       this.triggeringElement.focus()
     }
 
+    // clear history when closing modal to prevent going back to stale content
+    this.modalHistory = []
     // clear for next modal use
     this.modalContent = null
   },
@@ -200,6 +218,19 @@ export default Component.extend({
             analytics.trackCustomEvent('Pop-Up', 'from: ' + sourcePageName, pageName)
           }
 
+          // push to the history
+          vm.modalHistory.push({
+            title: vm.modalContent.title,
+            text: vm.modalContent.text,
+            textAudioURL: vm.modalContent.textAudioURL,
+            imageURL: vm.modalContent.imageURL,
+            altText: vm.modalContent.altText,
+            mediaLabel: vm.modalContent.mediaLabel,
+            audioURL: vm.modalContent.audioURL,
+            videoURL: vm.modalContent.videoURL,
+            helpReader: vm.modalContent.helpReader
+          })
+
           // popups now have text, audio, video and their alt-text values
           // but title is internal descriptor so set to empty string
           vm.modalContent.assign({
diff --git a/src/modal/modal.less b/src/modal/modal.less
index c1f0aa21..911b9e8b 100644
--- a/src/modal/modal.less
+++ b/src/modal/modal.less
@@ -120,6 +120,26 @@ a2j-modal {
           }
         }
       }
+      .modal-title {
+        .back {
+          text-shadow: none;
+          color: #fff;
+          background: 0 0;
+          border: 0;
+          padding: 0;
+          opacity: 0.7;
+          &:focus, &:hover, &:active {
+            opacity: 1;
+            outline-color: #fff;
+
+            @supports (-webkit-hyphens:none) { /* safari only */
+              /* Safari doesn't allow you to change the focus outline color, we have to do this instead for a11y. */
+              outline: none;
+              box-shadow: 0 0 2px #fff,  0 0 2px #fff,  0 0 2px #fff,  0 0 2px #fff;
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
     }
 
     a.zoom-button {
diff --git a/src/modal/modal.stache b/src/modal/modal.stache
index 0bc4c89a..fc9415dd 100644
--- a/src/modal/modal.stache
+++ b/src/modal/modal.stache
@@ -38,10 +38,20 @@
           </button>
 
           <h4 class="modal-title" id="pageModalLbl">
+            {{#if(modalHistory.length > 1)}}
+              <button
+                type="button"
+                class="back"
+                on:click="goBack()"
+                title="Go back to previous content"
+                aria-label="Go back to previous content"
+                tabindex="1"
+              >
+                <span class="glyphicon-left-open" aria-hidden="true"></span>
+              </button>
+            {{/if}}
             {{#if(modalContent.title)}}
               {{ parseText(cleanHTML(modalContent.title)) }}
-            {{else}}
-              <span class="glyphicon-lifebuoy" aria-hidden="true"></span>
             {{/if}}
           </h4>
         </div>