diff --git a/kubernetes/k3d-config.yaml b/kubernetes/k3d-config.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fba1536
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kubernetes/k3d-config.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+apiVersion: k3d.io/v1alpha5
+kind: Simple
+metadata:
+  name: study-app-cluster
+servers: 1
+agents: 1
+options:
+  k3s:
+    extraArgs:
+      - arg: --disable=traefik
+        nodeFilters:
+          - server:*
diff --git a/kubernetes/manifests/base/backend/deployment.yaml b/kubernetes/manifests/base/backend/deployment.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6317a16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kubernetes/manifests/base/backend/deployment.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+apiVersion: apps/v1
+kind: Deployment
+metadata:
+  name: backend
+  namespace: study-app
+spec:
+  replicas: 1
+  selector:
+    matchLabels:
+      component: backend
+  template:
+    metadata:
+      labels:
+        component: backend
+    spec:
+      containers:
+        - name: backend
+          image: backend:latest
+          ports:
+            - containerPort: 22112
+          resources:
+            limits:
+              memory: "512Mi"
+            requests:
+              cpu: "100m"
+              memory: "128Mi"
diff --git a/kubernetes/manifests/base/backend/kustomization.yaml b/kubernetes/manifests/base/backend/kustomization.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5b98e94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kubernetes/manifests/base/backend/kustomization.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+
+resources:
+  - deployment.yaml
+  - service.yaml
diff --git a/kubernetes/manifests/base/backend/service.yaml b/kubernetes/manifests/base/backend/service.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..94674cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kubernetes/manifests/base/backend/service.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Service
+metadata:
+  name: backend
+  namespace: study-app
+spec:
+  selector:
+    component: backend
+  ports:
+    - port: 22112
+  type: LoadBalancer
+
diff --git a/kubernetes/manifests/base/frontend/deployment.yaml b/kubernetes/manifests/base/frontend/deployment.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a4d7cab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kubernetes/manifests/base/frontend/deployment.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+apiVersion: apps/v1
+kind: Deployment
+metadata:
+  name: frontend
+  namespace: study-app
+spec:
+  replicas: 1
+  selector:
+    matchLabels:
+      component: frontend
+  template:
+    metadata:
+      labels:
+        component: frontend
+    spec:
+      containers:
+        - name: frontend
+          image: frontend:latest
+          ports:
+            - containerPort: 22111
+          env:
+            - name: API_URL
+              value: "http://backend:22112"
+          resources:
+            limits:
+              memory: "512Mi"
+            requests:
+              cpu: "100m"
+              memory: "128Mi"
+
diff --git a/kubernetes/manifests/base/frontend/kustomization.yaml b/kubernetes/manifests/base/frontend/kustomization.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5b98e94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kubernetes/manifests/base/frontend/kustomization.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+
+resources:
+  - deployment.yaml
+  - service.yaml
diff --git a/kubernetes/manifests/base/frontend/service.yaml b/kubernetes/manifests/base/frontend/service.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eabab1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kubernetes/manifests/base/frontend/service.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Service
+metadata:
+  name: frontend
+  namespace: study-app
+spec:
+  selector:
+    component: frontend
+  ports:
+    - port: 22111
+  type: LoadBalancer
+
diff --git a/kubernetes/manifests/base/kustomization.yaml b/kubernetes/manifests/base/kustomization.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf40911
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kubernetes/manifests/base/kustomization.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+
+resources:
+  - backend
+  - frontend
diff --git a/kubernetes/manifests/dev/backend/kustomization.yaml b/kubernetes/manifests/dev/backend/kustomization.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e1ea66e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kubernetes/manifests/dev/backend/kustomization.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+
+resources:
+  - ../../base/backend
diff --git a/kubernetes/manifests/dev/frontend/kustomization.yaml b/kubernetes/manifests/dev/frontend/kustomization.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..61ca572
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kubernetes/manifests/dev/frontend/kustomization.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+
+resources:
+  - ../../base/frontend
+
+# Patch for the frontend deployment
+patches:
+  - target:
+      kind: Deployment
+      name: frontend
+      namespace: study-app
+    patch: |-
+      - op: replace
+        path: /spec/template/spec/containers/0/env
+        value:
+          - name: DEBUG
+            value: "true"
+          - name: API_URL
+            value: "http://dev-backend:22112"
diff --git a/kubernetes/manifests/dev/kustomization.yaml b/kubernetes/manifests/dev/kustomization.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..875ec64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kubernetes/manifests/dev/kustomization.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+
+resources:
+  - namespace.yaml
+  - backend
+  - frontend
+
+namespace: study-app
+namePrefix: dev-
+
+images:
+  - name: backend
+    newTag: dev
+  - name: frontend
+    newTag: dev
diff --git a/kubernetes/manifests/dev/namespace.yaml b/kubernetes/manifests/dev/namespace.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e6a1ebf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kubernetes/manifests/dev/namespace.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Namespace
+metadata:
+  name: study-app
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/kubernetes/setup_cluster_local b/kubernetes/setup_cluster_local
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..24e0367
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kubernetes/setup_cluster_local
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -e
+
+# Colors for better output
+GREEN='\033[0;32m'
+RED='\033[0;31m'
+YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
+NC='\033[0m' # No Color
+
+# Script directory
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+BASE_DIR="$(dirname "$SCRIPT_DIR")"
+CLUSTER_NAME="study-app-cluster"
+
+echo -e "${GREEN}DevOps Study App - Kubernetes Deployment Helper${NC}"
+echo -e "${YELLOW}This script will set up a k3d cluster and deploy the study app.${NC}"
+echo ""
+
+# Check for required tools
+check_dependency() {
+  if ! command -v "$1" &>/dev/null; then
+    echo -e "${RED}Error: $1 is not installed. Please install it before proceeding.${NC}"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+}
+
+echo "Checking dependencies..."
+check_dependency k3d
+check_dependency kubectl
+check_dependency docker
+echo -e "${GREEN}All dependencies are installed.${NC}"
+echo ""
+
+# Check if cluster exists
+if k3d cluster list | grep -q "$CLUSTER_NAME"; then
+  echo -e "${YELLOW}Cluster $CLUSTER_NAME already exists.${NC}"
+  read -p "Do you want to delete and recreate it? (y/n): " -r
+  if [[ $REPLY =~ ^[Yy]$ ]]; then
+    echo "Deleting existing cluster..."
+    k3d cluster delete "$CLUSTER_NAME"
+  else
+    echo "Using existing cluster."
+  fi
+fi
+
+# Create cluster if it doesn't exist
+if ! k3d cluster list | grep -q "$CLUSTER_NAME"; then
+  echo "Creating k3d cluster using config file..."
+  k3d cluster create --config "$SCRIPT_DIR/k3d-config.yaml"
+  echo -e "${GREEN}Cluster created successfully!${NC}"
+fi
+
+# Configure kubectl to use the cluster
+echo "Configuring kubectl to use the cluster..."
+kubectl config use-context k3d-"$CLUSTER_NAME"
+
+# Build Docker images
+echo "Building Docker images..."
+echo "Building backend image..."
+docker build -t backend:dev -f "$BASE_DIR/src/backend/Dockerfile" "$BASE_DIR/src/backend"
+
+echo "Building frontend image..."
+docker build -t frontend:dev -f "$BASE_DIR/src/frontend/Dockerfile" "$BASE_DIR/src/frontend"
+
+# Import images into k3d
+echo "Importing images into k3d..."
+k3d image import backend:dev -c "$CLUSTER_NAME"
+k3d image import frontend:dev -c "$CLUSTER_NAME"
+
+# Deploy the application using kustomize
+echo "Deploying application using kustomize..."
+kubectl apply -k "$SCRIPT_DIR/manifests/dev"
+
+# Wait for pods to be ready
+echo "Waiting for pods to be ready..."
+kubectl wait --for=condition=Ready pods --all -n study-app --timeout=120s
+
+# Get service info
+echo -e "${GREEN}Application deployed successfully!${NC}"
+echo "Getting service information..."
+kubectl get services -n study-app
+
+# Function to wait for LoadBalancer IP assignment and get URL
+get_service_url() {
+  local service_name=$1
+  local max_attempts=30
+  local attempt=1
+
+  echo -e "Waiting for $service_name external IP..."
+
+  while [ $attempt -le $max_attempts ]; do
+    local ip
+    local port
+
+    ip=$(kubectl get svc "$service_name" -n study-app -o=jsonpath='{.status.loadBalancer.ingress[0].ip}' 2>/dev/null)
+    port=$(kubectl get svc "$service_name" -n study-app -o=jsonpath='{.spec.ports[0].port}' 2>/dev/null)
+
+    if [ -n "$ip" ] && [ -n "$port" ]; then
+      echo "http://$ip:$port"
+      return 0
+    fi
+
+    echo -n "."
+    sleep 2
+    ((attempt++))
+  done
+
+  echo ""
+  echo -e "${RED}Could not get external IP for $service_name after $max_attempts attempts${NC}"
+  return 1
+}
+
+# Get frontend and backend service URLs
+FRONTEND_URL=$(get_service_url "dev-frontend")
+BACKEND_URL=$(get_service_url "dev-backend")
+
+echo -e "\n${GREEN}Access your application via LoadBalancer external IPs:${NC}"
+if [ -n "$FRONTEND_URL" ] && [ -n "$BACKEND_URL" ]; then
+  echo -e "Frontend: ${YELLOW}$FRONTEND_URL${NC}"
+  echo -e "Backend API: ${YELLOW}$BACKEND_URL${NC}"
+  echo -e "Backend health check: ${YELLOW}$BACKEND_URL/health${NC}"
+else
+  echo -e "\n${RED}Could not determine service URLs. Please check the service status:${NC}"
+  echo -e "${YELLOW}kubectl get svc -n study-app${NC}"
+fi
+
+# Extract service ports for port-forwarding instructions
+FRONTEND_PORT=$(kubectl get svc dev-frontend -n study-app -o=jsonpath='{.spec.ports[0].port}' 2>/dev/null)
+BACKEND_PORT=$(kubectl get svc dev-backend -n study-app -o=jsonpath='{.spec.ports[0].port}' 2>/dev/null)
+
+echo -e "\n${GREEN}Alternative access via port-forwarding (for local development):${NC}"
+echo -e "To access via port-forwarding, run these commands in separate terminals:"
+echo -e "${YELLOW}kubectl port-forward svc/dev-frontend -n study-app $FRONTEND_PORT:$FRONTEND_PORT${NC}"
+echo -e "${YELLOW}kubectl port-forward svc/dev-backend -n study-app $BACKEND_PORT:$BACKEND_PORT${NC}"
+echo -e "Then access the application at:"
+echo -e "Frontend: ${YELLOW}http://localhost:$FRONTEND_PORT${NC}"
+echo -e "Backend API: ${YELLOW}http://localhost:$BACKEND_PORT${NC}"
+echo -e "Backend health check: ${YELLOW}http://localhost:$BACKEND_PORT/health${NC}"
+
+echo -e "\nTo delete the cluster when finished:"
+echo -e "${YELLOW}k3d cluster delete $CLUSTER_NAME${NC}"
+
diff --git a/mise.toml b/mise.toml
index a92fdf7..ca5ebfc 100644
--- a/mise.toml
+++ b/mise.toml
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 [tools]
+k3d = "latest"
+kubectl = "latest"
 pre-commit = "latest"
 python = "3.13"
 ruff = "latest"
@@ -13,5 +15,9 @@ experimental = true
 APP_REPO = 'devops'
 GITOPS_REPO = 'devops-gitops'
 
+[tasks.k8s-setup-local]
+description = "Set up a basic Kubernetes cluster for development that builds the local images and applies them"
+run = "bash ./kubernetes/setup_cluster_local"
+
 [hooks]
 enter = "bash ./scripts/setup_project"