diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy-dev.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy-dev.yml
index 8ddfa4d..cffd5fa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy-dev.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy-dev.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ permissions:
   id-token: write
   contents: read
 
+env:
+  FORCE_JAVASCRIPT_ACTIONS_TO_NODE24: true
+
 concurrency:
   group: development-deployment
   cancel-in-progress: true
@@ -24,9 +27,11 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: .
 
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v5
 
-      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+      - name: Setup Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v5
         with:
           node-version: 22
           cache: npm
@@ -45,7 +50,7 @@ jobs:
           echo "Environment: dev"
 
       - name: Configure AWS credentials
-        uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v4
+        uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v5
         with:
           role-to-assume: ${{ secrets.AWS_ROLE_ARN }}
           aws-region: us-east-1
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index dc93deb..5c836a9 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ crash.*.log
 # Exclude all .tfvars files, which are likely to contain sensitive data
 *.tfvars
 *.tfvars.json
-.tfvars*
+.tfvars
 
 # Ignore override files
 override.tf
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a760d6a..6e100c0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ This system provisions and connects:
 
 ---
 
-## 📁 Project Structure (Typical)
+## 📁 Project Structure
 
 ```
 .
@@ -50,9 +50,9 @@ This system provisions and connects:
 ├── index.html                    # Vite entry HTML file
 ├── package.json + other configs  # Project dependencies and scripts
 │
-├── terraform/                    # Infrastructure as Code (Terraform)
+├── terraform/                    # Infrastructure as Code (Terraform) directory
 │   │
-│   ├── bootstrap/                # One-time setup (state backend, foundational resources)
+│   ├── bootstrap/                # One-time setup (state backend, foundational resource)
 │   │
 │   ├── modules/                  # Reusable Terraform modules
 │   │   │
@@ -88,7 +88,6 @@ This project was built with:
 - Reusable Terraform modules for multi-project usage
 - Production-ready S3 security configuration
 - Clean separation of infrastructure and frontend build
-- Remote state backend with state locking
 
 ---
 
@@ -265,16 +264,32 @@ Just change:
 - S3 bucket is private by default
 - CloudFront serves as the only public entry point
 - IAM follows least privilege principle
-- GitHub Actions uses short-lived credentials (OIDC)
-- No hardcoded secrets in repo
 
 ---
 
-## 📈 Lessons Learned
+## 🧱 Infrastructure Teardown
 
-- Add custom domain + Route53 automation
-- ACM SSL certificate provisioning
-- Automated performance testing in CI
+1. From each environment directory (dev, staging and prod), run the command:
+
+```
+terraform destroy -auto-approve
+```
+
+Do this for all environments.
+
+2. From the terraform **_bootstrap_** directory, run the command:
+
+```
+terraform destroy -auto-approve
+
+```
+
+3. Optional, but can do: List all AWS buckets in your account and confirmbuckets are not listed. Run the command:
+
+```
+aws s3 ls
+
+```
 
 ---
 
@@ -387,6 +402,12 @@ Writing reusable setup instructions and architecture explanations can improve:
 
 ---
 
-## 👨‍💻 Author
+## 📈 Future Improvements
+
+- Add custom domain + Route53 automation
+- ACM SSL certificate provisioning
+- Automated performance testing in CI
 
-Built and Maintained by [ecoderP](https://github.com/ecoderP)
+---
+
+## 👨‍💻 Author
diff --git a/terraform/bootstrap/terraform.tfvarsexample b/terraform/bootstrap/terraform.tfvarsexample
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0bb43c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/terraform/bootstrap/terraform.tfvarsexample
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+aws_region              = "Your AWS region"
+project_name            = "Your project name"
+backend_bucket_name     = "Your unique bucket name"
+s3_encryption_algorithm = "AES256" # Default to SSE-S3
diff --git a/terraform/environments/dev/dev.tfbackendexample b/terraform/environments/dev/dev.tfbackendexample
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3d94a31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/terraform/environments/dev/dev.tfbackendexample
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+bucket         = "Your bootstrap backend state bucket name"
+region          = "Your AWS region"
+key            = "dev/terraform.tfstate"
+encrypt        = true
+use_lockfile   = true  # important for S3 backend state lock
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/terraform/environments/dev/terraform.tfvarsexample b/terraform/environments/dev/terraform.tfvarsexample
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..836681f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/terraform/environments/dev/terraform.tfvarsexample
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+aws_region          = "Your AWS region"
+project_name        = "Project name"
+website_bucket_name = "Your unique bucket name"             # unique for each environment
+github_repo         = "Your-github-username/repo-name"     # Not web link
+github_branch       = "dev"
+environment         = "dev"
diff --git a/terraform/environments/prod/prod.tfbackendexample b/terraform/environments/prod/prod.tfbackendexample
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..93dbd39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/terraform/environments/prod/prod.tfbackendexample
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+bucket         = "Your bootstrap backend state bucket name"
+region          = "Your AWS region"
+key            = "prod/terraform.tfstate"
+encrypt        = true
+use_lockfile   = true  # important for S3 backend state lock
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/terraform/environments/prod/terraform.tfvarsexample b/terraform/environments/prod/terraform.tfvarsexample
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..027ad41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/terraform/environments/prod/terraform.tfvarsexample
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+aws_region          = "Your AWS region"
+project_name        = "Project name"
+website_bucket_name = "Your unique bucket name"
+github_repo         = "Your github username/repo name"     # Not web link
+github_branch       = "prod"
+environment         = "prod"
diff --git a/terraform/environments/staging/staging.tfbackendexample b/terraform/environments/staging/staging.tfbackendexample
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fb4c21e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/terraform/environments/staging/staging.tfbackendexample
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+bucket         = "Your bootstrap backend state bucket name"
+region          = "Your AWS region"
+key            = "staging/terraform.tfstate"
+encrypt        = true
+use_lockfile   = true  # important for S3 backend state lock
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/terraform/environments/staging/terraform.tfvarsexample b/terraform/environments/staging/terraform.tfvarsexample
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..361647c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/terraform/environments/staging/terraform.tfvarsexample
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+aws_region          = "Your AWS region"
+project_name        = "Project name"
+website_bucket_name = "Your unique bucket name"             # unique for each environment
+github_repo         = "Your github username/repo name"     # Not web link
+github_branch       = "staging"
+environment         = "staging"