diff --git a/CI_CD_PIPELINE_SETUP_GUIDE.md b/CI_CD_PIPELINE_SETUP_GUIDE.md
index 600d30f..6d23d5e 100644
--- a/CI_CD_PIPELINE_SETUP_GUIDE.md
+++ b/CI_CD_PIPELINE_SETUP_GUIDE.md
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ This guide covers setting up a complete Continuous Integration/Continuous Deploy
 ```
 ┌─────────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐
 │   Forgejo Host  │    │   CI/CD Linode  │    │ Production Linode│
-│   (Repository)  │    │ (Actions Runner)│    │ (Docker Deploy) │
-│                 │    │ + Docker Registry│   │                 │
-│                 │    │ + DinD Container│    │                 │
+│   (Repository)  │    │ (Actions Runner)│    │ (Podman Deploy) │
+│                 │    │ + Podman Registry│   │                 │
+│                 │    │ + PiP Container │    │                 │
 └─────────────────┘    └─────────────────┘    └─────────────────┘
          │                       │                       │
          │                       │                       │
@@ -27,18 +27,18 @@ This guide covers setting up a complete Continuous Integration/Continuous Deploy
 5. **Production Deployment**: Production Linode pulls images and deploys
 6. **Health Check**: Application is verified and accessible
 
-## Key Benefits of DinD Approach
+## Key Benefits of PiP (Podman-in-Podman) Approach
 
 ### **For Rust Testing:**
 - ✅ **Fresh environment** every test run
 - ✅ **Parallel execution** capability  
 - ✅ **Isolated dependencies** - no test pollution
-- ✅ **Fast cleanup** - just restart DinD container
+- ✅ **Fast cleanup** - just restart PiP container
 
 ### **For CI/CD Operations:**
-- ✅ **Zero resource contention** with Docker Registry
+- ✅ **Zero resource contention** with Podman Registry
 - ✅ **Simple cleanup** - one-line container restart
-- ✅ **Perfect isolation** - CI/CD can't affect Docker Registry
+- ✅ **Perfect isolation** - CI/CD can't affect Podman Registry
 - ✅ **Consistent environment** - same setup every time
 
 ### **For Maintenance:**
@@ -64,16 +64,16 @@ This guide covers setting up a complete Continuous Integration/Continuous Deploy
 
 ### CI/CD Linode Features
 - Forgejo Actions runner for automated builds
-- **Docker-in-Docker (DinD) container** for isolated CI operations
-- Docker Registry with nginx reverse proxy for image storage
+- **Podman-in-Podman (PiP) container** for isolated CI operations
+- Docker Registry v2 with nginx reverse proxy for image storage
 - **FHS-compliant directory structure** for data, certificates, and logs
 - Unauthenticated pulls, authenticated pushes
 - Automatic HTTPS with nginx
 - Secure SSH communication with production
-- **Simplified cleanup** - just restart DinD container
+- **Simplified cleanup** - just restart PiP container
 
 ### Production Linode Features
-- Docker-based application deployment
+- Podman-based application deployment
 - **Optional SSL/TLS certificate management** (if domain is provided)
 - Nginx reverse proxy with security headers
 - Automated backups and monitoring
@@ -81,11 +81,11 @@ This guide covers setting up a complete Continuous Integration/Continuous Deploy
 
 ### Pipeline Features
 - **Automated testing** on every code push in isolated environment
-- **Automated image building** and registry push from DinD
+- **Automated image building** and registry push from PiP
 - **Automated deployment** to production
 - **Rollback capability** with image versioning
 - **Health monitoring** and logging
-- **Zero resource contention** between CI/CD and Docker Registry
+- **Zero resource contention** between CI/CD and Docker Registry v2
 
 ## Security Model and User Separation
 
@@ -577,7 +577,26 @@ sudo apt install -y \
     apache2-utils
 ```
 
-**What this does**: Installs development tools, SSL libraries, and utilities needed for Docker and application building.
+#### 1.5 Install Podman
+
+```bash
+# Install Podman and related tools
+sudo apt install -y podman podman-compose
+
+# Verify installation
+podman --version
+podman-compose --version
+
+# Configure Podman for rootless operation (optional but recommended)
+echo 'kernel.unprivileged_userns_clone=1' | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.conf
+sudo sysctl -p
+
+# Configure subuid/subgid for CI_SERVICE_USER
+sudo usermod --add-subuids 100000-165535 CI_SERVICE_USER
+sudo usermod --add-subgids 100000-165535 CI_SERVICE_USER
+```
+
+**What this does**: Installs development tools, SSL libraries, and utilities needed for Podman and application building.
 
 ### Step 2: Create Users
 
@@ -632,31 +651,27 @@ ls -la /opt/APP_NAME/registry/
 - CI_SERVICE_USER owns all the files for security
 - Registry configuration files are now available at `/opt/APP_NAME/registry/`
 
-### Step 4: Install Docker
+### Step 4: Configure Podman for CI Service Account
 
-#### 4.1 Add Docker Repository
+#### 4.1 Verify Podman Installation
 
 ```bash
-curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg
-echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null
-sudo apt update
+# Podman should already be installed from Step 1.5
+podman --version
+podman-compose --version
 ```
 
-#### 4.2 Install Docker Packages
+#### 4.2 Configure Podman for CI Service Account
 
 ```bash
-sudo apt install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-compose-plugin
+# Podman can run rootless, so no group membership needed
+# But we'll configure it for the CI service account
+sudo usermod -aG podman CI_SERVICE_USER
 ```
 
-#### 4.3 Configure Docker for CI Service Account
+### Step 5: Set Up Docker Registry v2 with nginx
 
-```bash
-sudo usermod -aG docker CI_SERVICE_USER
-```
-
-### Step 5: Set Up Docker Registry with nginx
-
-We'll set up a basic Docker Registry with nginx as a reverse proxy, configured to allow unauthenticated pulls but require authentication for pushes.
+We'll set up a basic Docker Registry v2 with nginx as a reverse proxy, configured to allow unauthenticated pulls but require authentication for pushes.
 
 #### 5.1 Configure FHS-Compliant Registry Directories
 
@@ -673,7 +688,7 @@ sudo chmod 755 /etc/registry/certs
 sudo chmod 755 /var/log/registry
 ```
 
-#### 5.2 Create Docker Compose Setup
+#### 5.2 Create Docker Registry v2 Pod Setup
 
 ```bash
 # Navigate to the cloned application directory
@@ -685,6 +700,45 @@ sudo sed -i "s/YOUR_CI_CD_IP/YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS/g" /opt/APP_NAME/registry/ng
 # Update openssl.conf with your actual IP address and registry name
 sudo sed -i "s/YOUR_CI_CD_IP/YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS/g" /opt/APP_NAME/registry/openssl.conf
 sudo sed -i "s/YOUR_REGISTRY_NAME/APP_NAME-Registry/g" /opt/APP_NAME/registry/openssl.conf
+```
+
+#### 5.2.1 Alternative: Use Podman Compose
+
+```bash
+# Use podman-compose (Docker Compose compatible)
+podman-compose -f docker-registry.yml up -d
+
+# Check status
+podman-compose -f docker-registry.yml ps
+```
+
+#### 5.2.2 Security Features Applied
+
+The Docker Registry v2 setup includes comprehensive security hardening:
+
+**Container Security:**
+- ✅ Rootless containers (runAsUser=1000, runAsGroup=1000)
+- ✅ All Linux capabilities dropped
+- ✅ Privilege escalation disabled
+- ✅ Read-only root filesystem with tmpfs for /tmp
+- ✅ Image deletion disabled (REGISTRY_STORAGE_DELETE_ENABLED=false)
+
+**Network Security:**
+- ✅ TLS 1.2/1.3 only with modern ciphers
+- ✅ HSTS headers enabled
+- ✅ Rate limiting (10r/s for reads, 5r/s for writes)
+- ✅ Client max body size limits (2GB)
+- ✅ Registry listens only internally (no host-published port)
+
+**Resource Limits:**
+- ✅ CPU limits: 1000m for registry, 500m for nginx
+- ✅ Memory limits: 1Gi for registry, 512Mi for nginx
+- ✅ File descriptor limits via ulimits
+
+**Authentication & Authorization:**
+- ✅ Basic auth with htpasswd for write operations
+- ✅ Container policy enforcement via containers-policy.json
+- ✅ Volume mounts with read-only where possible
 
 # Create FHS-compliant authentication directory
 sudo mkdir -p /etc/registry/auth
@@ -705,10 +759,14 @@ sudo chmod 600 /etc/registry/auth/.htpasswd
 # Set proper permissions for configuration files
 sudo chown CI_SERVICE_USER:CI_SERVICE_USER /opt/APP_NAME/registry/nginx.conf
 sudo chown CI_SERVICE_USER:CI_SERVICE_USER /opt/APP_NAME/registry/openssl.conf
-sudo chown CI_SERVICE_USER:CI_SERVICE_USER /opt/APP_NAME/registry/docker-compose.registry.yml
+sudo chown CI_SERVICE_USER:CI_SERVICE_USER /opt/APP_NAME/registry/docker-registry.yml
+sudo chown CI_SERVICE_USER:CI_SERVICE_USER /opt/APP_NAME/registry/registry-pod.yaml
+sudo chown CI_SERVICE_USER:CI_SERVICE_USER /opt/APP_NAME/registry/containers-policy.json
 sudo chmod 644 /opt/APP_NAME/registry/nginx.conf
 sudo chmod 644 /opt/APP_NAME/registry/openssl.conf
-sudo chmod 644 /opt/APP_NAME/registry/docker-compose.registry.yml
+sudo chmod 644 /opt/APP_NAME/registry/docker-registry.yml
+sudo chmod 644 /opt/APP_NAME/registry/registry-pod.yaml
+sudo chmod 644 /opt/APP_NAME/registry/containers-policy.json
 ```
 
 #### 5.3 Create FHS-Compliant Directory Structure
@@ -720,9 +778,9 @@ sudo mkdir -p /etc/registry/certs/requests
 sudo mkdir -p /etc/registry/certs/ca
 sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/registry/data
 
-# Set proper ownership for certificate and environment directories
+# Set proper ownership for certificate and auth directories
 sudo chown -R CI_SERVICE_USER:CI_SERVICE_USER /etc/registry/certs
-sudo chown -R CI_SERVICE_USER:CI_SERVICE_USER /etc/registry/env
+sudo chown -R CI_SERVICE_USER:CI_SERVICE_USER /etc/registry/auth
 sudo chown -R CI_SERVICE_USER:CI_SERVICE_USER /var/lib/registry/data
 
 # Set proper permissions for certificate directories
@@ -736,7 +794,7 @@ sudo chmod 755 /var/lib/registry/data         # Registry data
 sudo ln -sf /var/lib/registry/data /opt/APP_NAME/registry/registry
 ```
 
-#### 5.4 Generate TLS Certificate and Install in Docker Trust Store
+#### 5.4 Generate TLS Certificate and Install for Podman
 
 **Choose one of the following options based on whether you have a domain name:**
 
@@ -787,12 +845,11 @@ sudo chmod 644 requests/registry.csr requests/openssl.conf  # Requests - world r
 # Verify certificate creation
 sudo -u CI_SERVICE_USER openssl x509 -in /etc/registry/certs/registry.crt -text -noout | grep -E "(Subject:|DNS:|IP Address:)"
 
-# 2. Install CA certificate into Docker trust store
-sudo mkdir -p /etc/docker/certs.d/YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS
-sudo cp /etc/registry/certs/ca/ca.crt /etc/docker/certs.d/YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS/ca.crt
+# 2. Install CA certificate for Podman
+sudo mkdir -p /etc/containers/certs.d/YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS
+sudo cp /etc/registry/certs/ca/ca.crt /etc/containers/certs.d/YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS/ca.crt
 sudo cp /etc/registry/certs/ca/ca.crt /usr/local/share/ca-certificates/registry-ca.crt
 sudo update-ca-certificates
-sudo systemctl restart docker
 ```
 
 ---
@@ -818,10 +875,9 @@ sudo chown CI_SERVICE_USER:CI_SERVICE_USER /etc/registry/certs/registry.key
 sudo chmod 644 /etc/registry/certs/registry.crt
 sudo chmod 600 /etc/registry/certs/registry.key
 
-# 2. Install certificate into Docker trust store
-sudo mkdir -p /etc/docker/certs.d/YOUR_DOMAIN_NAME
-sudo cp /etc/registry/certs/registry.crt /etc/docker/certs.d/YOUR_DOMAIN_NAME/ca.crt
-sudo systemctl restart docker
+# 2. Install certificate for Podman
+sudo mkdir -p /etc/containers/certs.d/YOUR_DOMAIN_NAME
+sudo cp /etc/registry/certs/registry.crt /etc/containers/certs.d/YOUR_DOMAIN_NAME/ca.crt
 ```
 
 ---
@@ -834,30 +890,27 @@ sudo systemctl restart docker
 
 **After completing the steps for your chosen option, continue with Step 5.7 (Start Docker Registry with Docker Compose).**
 
-#### 5.5 Install Certificate into Docker Trust Store (Option B Only)
+#### 5.5 Install Certificate for Podman (Option B Only)
 
-**Important**: This step adds the Let's Encrypt certificate to Docker's trust store. Since Let's Encrypt is a trusted CA, Docker will automatically trust this certificate.
+**Important**: This step adds the Let's Encrypt certificate for Podman. Since Let's Encrypt is a trusted CA, Podman will automatically trust this certificate.
 
 ```bash
-# Create Docker certificates directory for your domain
-sudo mkdir -p /etc/docker/certs.d/YOUR_DOMAIN_NAME
+# Create Podman certificates directory for your domain
+sudo mkdir -p /etc/containers/certs.d/YOUR_DOMAIN_NAME
 
-# Copy certificate to Docker trust store
-sudo cp /opt/registry/certs/registry.crt /etc/docker/certs.d/YOUR_DOMAIN_NAME/ca.crt
-
-# Restart Docker daemon to pick up the new certificate
-sudo systemctl restart docker
+# Copy certificate for Podman
+sudo cp /opt/registry/certs/registry.crt /etc/containers/certs.d/YOUR_DOMAIN_NAME/ca.crt
 
 # Verify certificate installation
-if [ -f "/etc/docker/certs.d/YOUR_DOMAIN_NAME/ca.crt" ]; then
-    echo "✅ Let's Encrypt certificate installed in Docker trust store"
+if [ -f "/etc/containers/certs.d/YOUR_DOMAIN_NAME/ca.crt" ]; then
+    echo "✅ Let's Encrypt certificate installed for Podman"
 else
-    echo "❌ Failed to install certificate in Docker trust store"
+    echo "❌ Failed to install certificate for Podman"
     exit 1
 fi
 
 echo "Certificate installation completed successfully!"
-echo "Docker can now connect to the registry securely using your domain name"
+echo "Podman can now connect to the registry securely using your domain name"
 ```
 
 #### 5.6 Set Up Automatic Certificate Renewal (Option B Only)
@@ -877,25 +930,26 @@ echo "Automatic certificate renewal configured!"
 echo "Certificates will be renewed automatically and the registry service will be restarted"
 ```
 
-#### 5.7 Set Up Systemd Service for Docker Registry
+#### 5.7 Set Up Systemd Service for Docker Registry v2
 
 ```bash
-# Create system-wide Docker configuration to avoid permission issues
-sudo mkdir -p /etc/docker
-sudo tee /etc/docker/config.json > /dev/null << 'EOF'
-{
-  "auths": {},
-  "HttpHeaders": {
-    "User-Agent": "Docker-Client/20.10.0 (linux)"
-  }
-}
+# Create system-wide Podman configuration to avoid permission issues
+sudo mkdir -p /etc/containers
+sudo tee /etc/containers/registries.conf > /dev/null << 'EOF'
+unqualified-search-registries = ["docker.io"]
+
+[[registry]]
+prefix = "localhost"
+location = "localhost"
+insecure = true
 EOF
 
-# Set proper permissions for system-wide Docker config
-sudo chmod 644 /etc/docker/config.json
+# Set proper permissions for system-wide Podman config
+sudo chmod 644 /etc/containers/registries.conf
 
-# Install systemd service from repository
+# Install systemd service and configuration files from repository
 sudo cp /opt/APP_NAME/registry/docker-registry.service /etc/systemd/system/docker-registry.service
+sudo cp /opt/APP_NAME/registry/containers-policy.json /etc/containers/policy.json
 
 # Replace APP_NAME placeholder with actual application name
 sudo sed -i "s/APP_NAME/YOUR_ACTUAL_APP_NAME/g" /etc/systemd/system/docker-registry.service
@@ -903,7 +957,7 @@ sudo sed -i "s/APP_NAME/YOUR_ACTUAL_APP_NAME/g" /etc/systemd/system/docker-regis
 # Replace CI_SERVICE_USER placeholder with actual CI service user name
 sudo sed -i "s/CI_SERVICE_USER/YOUR_ACTUAL_CI_SERVICE_USER/g" /etc/systemd/system/docker-registry.service
 
-# Enable and start Docker Registry service
+# Enable and start Docker Registry v2 service
 sudo systemctl daemon-reload
 sudo systemctl enable docker-registry.service
 sudo systemctl start docker-registry.service
@@ -915,20 +969,20 @@ sudo systemctl status docker-registry.service
 sudo journalctl -u docker-registry.service -f --no-pager -n 50
 ```
 
-#### 5.8 Verify Docker Registry Service
+#### 5.8 Verify Docker Registry v2 Service
 
 ```bash
 # Check that the service is running properly
 sudo systemctl status docker-registry.service
 
-# Check that containers are running
-sudo su - CI_SERVICE_USER -c "cd /opt/APP_NAME/registry && docker compose -f docker-compose.registry.yml ps"
+# Check that pods are running
+sudo su - CI_SERVICE_USER -c "podman pod ps"
 
 # Check nginx logs
-sudo su - CI_SERVICE_USER -c "cd /opt/APP_NAME/registry && docker compose -f docker-compose.registry.yml logs nginx"
+sudo su - CI_SERVICE_USER -c "podman logs registry-pod-nginx"
 
 # Check Registry logs  
-sudo su - CI_SERVICE_USER -c "cd /opt/APP_NAME/registry && docker compose -f docker-compose.registry.yml logs registry"
+sudo su - CI_SERVICE_USER -c "podman logs registry-pod-registry"
 ```
 
 #### 5.9 Test Registry Setup
@@ -936,34 +990,34 @@ sudo su - CI_SERVICE_USER -c "cd /opt/APP_NAME/registry && docker compose -f doc
 **For Option A (Self-signed certificates):**
 
 ```bash
-# Switch to CI_SERVICE_USER for testing (CI_SERVICE_USER runs CI pipeline and Docker operations)
+# Switch to CI_SERVICE_USER for testing (CI_SERVICE_USER runs CI pipeline and Podman operations)
 sudo su - CI_SERVICE_USER
 
 # Navigate to the application directory
 cd /opt/APP_NAME
 
 # Test authenticated push using the project's registry configuration (port 4443)
-echo "your-secure-registry-password" | docker login YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS:4443 -u registry-user --password-stdin
+echo "your-secure-registry-password" | podman login YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS:4443 -u registry-user --password-stdin
 
 # Create and push test image to authenticated endpoint
 echo "FROM alpine:latest" > /tmp/test.Dockerfile
-docker build -f /tmp/test.Dockerfile -t YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS:4443/APP_NAME/test:latest /tmp
-docker push YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS:4443/APP_NAME/test:latest
+podman build -f /tmp/test.Dockerfile -t YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS:4443/APP_NAME/test:latest /tmp
+podman push YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS:4443/APP_NAME/test:latest
 
 # Test unauthenticated pull from standard HTTPS endpoint (port 443)
-docker logout YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS:4443
-docker pull YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS/APP_NAME/test:latest
+podman logout YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS:4443
+podman pull YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS/APP_NAME/test:latest
 
 # Test that unauthorized push to authenticated endpoint is blocked
 echo "FROM alpine:latest" > /tmp/unauthorized.Dockerfile
-docker build -f /tmp/unauthorized.Dockerfile -t YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS:4443/APP_NAME/unauthorized:latest /tmp
-docker push YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS:4443/APP_NAME/unauthorized:latest
+podman build -f /tmp/unauthorized.Dockerfile -t YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS:4443/APP_NAME/unauthorized:latest /tmp
+podman push YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS:4443/APP_NAME/unauthorized:latest
 # Expected: This should fail with authentication error
 
 # Clean up
-docker rmi YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS:4443/APP_NAME/test:latest 2>/dev/null || true
-docker rmi YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS/APP_NAME/test:latest 2>/dev/null || true
-docker rmi YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS:4443/APP_NAME/unauthorized:latest 2>/dev/null || true
+podman rmi YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS:4443/APP_NAME/test:latest 2>/dev/null || true
+podman rmi YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS/APP_NAME/test:latest 2>/dev/null || true
+podman rmi YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS:4443/APP_NAME/unauthorized:latest 2>/dev/null || true
 exit
 ```
 
@@ -976,13 +1030,13 @@ sudo su - CI_SERVICE_USER
 # Navigate to the application directory
 cd /opt/APP_NAME
 
-# Test Docker login and push (now using Let's Encrypt certificate with domain)
-echo "your-secure-registry-password" | docker login YOUR_DOMAIN_NAME -u registry-user --password-stdin
+# Test Podman login and push (now using Let's Encrypt certificate with domain)
+echo "your-secure-registry-password" | podman login YOUR_DOMAIN_NAME -u registry-user --password-stdin
 
 # Create and push test image
 echo "FROM alpine:latest" > /tmp/test.Dockerfile
-docker build -f /tmp/test.Dockerfile -t YOUR_DOMAIN_NAME/APP_NAME/test:latest /tmp
-docker push YOUR_DOMAIN_NAME/APP_NAME/test:latest
+podman build -f /tmp/test.Dockerfile -t YOUR_DOMAIN_NAME/APP_NAME/test:latest /tmp
+podman push YOUR_DOMAIN_NAME/APP_NAME/test:latest
 
 # Test public pull (no authentication)
 docker logout YOUR_DOMAIN_NAME
@@ -1017,8 +1071,8 @@ exit
 If you get a TLS error like `remote error: tls: internal error` when using self-signed certificates, verify the certificate installation and Docker configuration:
 
 ```bash
-# Verify the certificate was installed correctly in Docker trust store
-ls -la /etc/docker/certs.d/YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS/
+# Verify the certificate was installed correctly for Podman
+ls -la /etc/containers/certs.d/YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS/
 ls -la /usr/local/share/ca-certificates/registry-ca.crt
 
 # Verify certificate chain is valid
@@ -1036,10 +1090,10 @@ sudo systemctl restart docker
 # Wait for Docker Registry to restart, then test again
 sleep 10
 cd /opt/APP_NAME/registry
-docker compose -f docker-compose.registry.yml restart
+podman play kube registry-pod.yaml
 
-# Test Docker login to authenticated endpoint
-echo "your-secure-registry-password" | docker login YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS:4443 -u registry-user --password-stdin
+# Test Podman login to authenticated endpoint
+echo "your-secure-registry-password" | podman login YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS:4443 -u registry-user --password-stdin
 ```
 
 **Certificate Structure Summary:**
@@ -1053,7 +1107,7 @@ The project uses a two-port configuration:
 - **CA Certificates**: `/etc/registry/certs/ca/` (mode 644)
 - **Certificate Requests**: `/etc/registry/certs/requests/` (mode 644)
 - **Server Certificates**: `/etc/registry/certs/` (mode 644)
-- **Docker Trust Store**: `/etc/docker/certs.d/YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS/`
+- **Podman Certificates**: `/etc/containers/certs.d/YOUR_ACTUAL_IP_ADDRESS/`
 
 ### Step 6: Install Forgejo Actions Runner
 
@@ -1288,60 +1342,60 @@ sudo journalctl -u forgejo-runner.service -f --no-pager
 - Check network: Ensure the runner can reach your Forgejo instance
 - Restart service: `sudo systemctl restart forgejo-runner.service`
 
-### Step 7: Set Up Docker-in-Docker (DinD) for CI Operations
+### Step 7: Set Up Podman-in-Podman (PiP) for CI Operations
 
-**Important**: This step sets up a Docker-in-Docker container that provides an isolated environment for CI/CD operations, eliminating resource contention with Docker Registry and simplifying cleanup.
+**Important**: This step sets up a Podman-in-Podman container that provides an isolated environment for CI/CD operations, eliminating resource contention with Podman Registry and simplifying cleanup.
 
 #### 7.1 Create Containerized CI/CD Environment
 
 ```bash
-# Switch to CI_SERVICE_USER (who has Docker group access)
+# Switch to CI_SERVICE_USER (who has Podman access)
 sudo su - CI_SERVICE_USER
 
 # Navigate to the application directory
 cd /opt/APP_NAME
 
-# Start DinD container for isolated Docker operations
-docker run -d \
-  --name ci-dind \
+# Start PiP container for isolated Podman operations
+podman run -d \
+  --name ci-pip \
   --privileged \
   -p 2375:2375 \
   -e DOCKER_TLS_CERTDIR="" \
-  docker:dind
+  quay.io/podman/stable:latest
 
-# Wait for a minute or two for DinD to be ready (wait for Docker daemon inside DinD)
+# Wait for a minute or two for PiP to be ready (wait for Podman daemon inside PiP)
 
-# Test DinD connectivity
-docker exec ci-dind docker version
+# Test PiP connectivity
+podman exec ci-pip podman version
 ```
 
 **What this does**:
-- **Creates isolated DinD environment**: Provides isolated Docker environment for all CI/CD operations
-- **Health checks**: Ensures DinD is fully ready before proceeding
-- **Simple setup**: Direct Docker commands for maximum flexibility
+- **Creates isolated PiP environment**: Provides isolated Podman environment for all CI/CD operations
+- **Health checks**: Ensures PiP is fully ready before proceeding
+- **Simple setup**: Direct Podman commands for maximum flexibility
 
-**Why CI_SERVICE_USER**: The CI_SERVICE_USER is in the docker group and runs the CI pipeline, so it needs direct access to the DinD container for seamless CI/CD operations.
+**Why CI_SERVICE_USER**: The CI_SERVICE_USER has Podman access and runs the CI pipeline, so it needs direct access to the PiP container for seamless CI/CD operations.
 
-#### 7.2 Configure DinD for Docker Registry
+#### 7.2 Configure PiP for Docker Registry v2
 
 ```bash
 # Navigate to the application directory
 cd /opt/APP_NAME
 
-# Login to Docker Registry from within DinD (using authenticated port 4443)
-echo "your-registry-password" | docker exec -i ci-dind docker login YOUR_CI_CD_IP:4443 -u registry-user --password-stdin
+# Login to Docker Registry v2 from within PiP (using authenticated port 4443)
+echo "your-registry-password" | podman exec -i ci-pip podman login YOUR_CI_CD_IP:4443 -u registry-user --password-stdin
 
-# Test Docker Registry connectivity from DinD
-docker exec ci-dind docker pull alpine:latest
-docker exec ci-dind docker tag alpine:latest YOUR_CI_CD_IP:4443/APP_NAME/test:latest
-docker exec ci-dind docker push YOUR_CI_CD_IP:4443/APP_NAME/test:latest
+# Test Docker Registry v2 connectivity from PiP
+podman exec ci-pip podman pull alpine:latest
+podman exec ci-pip podman tag alpine:latest YOUR_CI_CD_IP:4443/APP_NAME/test:latest
+podman exec ci-pip podman push YOUR_CI_CD_IP:4443/APP_NAME/test:latest
 
 # Test unauthenticated pull from standard port 443
-docker exec ci-dind docker pull YOUR_CI_CD_IP/APP_NAME/test:latest
+podman exec ci-pip podman pull YOUR_CI_CD_IP/APP_NAME/test:latest
 
 # Clean up test images
-docker exec ci-dind docker rmi YOUR_CI_CD_IP:4443/APP_NAME/test:latest
-docker exec ci-dind docker rmi YOUR_CI_CD_IP/APP_NAME/test:latest
+podman exec ci-pip podman rmi YOUR_CI_CD_IP:4443/APP_NAME/test:latest
+podman exec ci-pip podman rmi YOUR_CI_CD_IP/APP_NAME/test:latest
 
 #### 7.3 Set Up Workspace Directory
 
@@ -1378,10 +1432,12 @@ ls -la /tmp/ci-workspace
 The Docker Registry setup now follows the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS) for better organization and security:
 
 **Application Files** (in `/opt/APP_NAME/registry/`):
-- `docker-compose.registry.yml` - Docker Compose configuration from project repository
+- `docker-registry.yml` - Podman Compose configuration for Docker Registry v2 and nginx
+- `registry-pod.yaml` - Kubernetes Pod manifest for Docker Registry v2 and nginx
 - `nginx.conf` - nginx reverse proxy configuration from project repository  
 - `openssl.conf` - OpenSSL configuration for certificate generation from project repository
-- `docker-registry.service` - Systemd service file for Docker Registry
+- `containers-policy.json` - Container policy for image signature verification
+- `docker-registry.service` - Systemd service file for Docker Registry v2
 
 **System Files** (FHS-compliant locations):
 - `/var/lib/registry/data/` - Registry data storage
@@ -1397,11 +1453,12 @@ The Docker Registry setup now follows the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS) fo
 **Benefits of FHS Compliance**:
 - **Data persistence**: Registry data stored in `/var/lib/registry/data/` survives container restarts
 - **Certificate security**: Hierarchical certificate structure with proper permissions
-- **Environment security**: Secrets stored in `/etc/registry/env/` with restrictive permissions (600)
+- **Authentication security**: htpasswd file stored in `/etc/registry/auth/` with restrictive permissions (600)
 - **Service management**: Systemd service for proper startup, shutdown, and monitoring
-- **Separation of concerns**: Private keys isolated from public certificates, secrets isolated from configs
-- **Log management**: Logs in `/var/log/registry/` for centralized logging
+- **Separation of concerns**: Private keys isolated from public certificates, auth isolated from configs
+- **Log management**: Logs in `/var/log/nginx/` for centralized logging
 - **Configuration separation**: App configs in app directory, system data in system directories
+- **Policy enforcement**: Container policies for image signature verification
 ```
 
 **What this does**:
@@ -1423,7 +1480,7 @@ The CI/CD pipeline uses a three-stage approach with dedicated environments for e
   - Rust toolchain for backend testing and migrations
   - Node.js toolchain for frontend testing
 - **Network**: All containers communicate through `ci-cd-test-network`
-- **Setup**: DinD container created, Docker Registry login performed, code cloned into DinD from Forgejo
+- **Setup**: PiP container created, Docker Registry v2 login performed, code cloned into PiP from Forgejo
 - **Cleanup**: Testing containers removed, DinD container kept running
 
 **Job 2 (Building) - Direct Docker Commands:**
@@ -1543,28 +1600,28 @@ sudo ufw allow 443/tcp  # Docker Registry via nginx (public read access)
 
 ### Step 9: Test CI/CD Setup
 
-#### 9.1 Test Docker Installation
+#### 9.1 Test Podman Installation
 
 ```bash
-docker --version
-docker compose version
+podman --version
+podman-compose --version
 ```
 
-#### 9.2 Check Docker Registry Status
+#### 9.2 Check Docker Registry v2 Status
 
 ```bash
 cd /opt/APP_NAME/registry
-docker compose -f docker-compose.registry.yml ps
+podman pod ps
 ```
 
-#### 9.3 Test Docker Registry Access
+#### 9.3 Test Docker Registry v2 Access
 
 ```bash
-# Test Docker Registry API
-curl -k https://localhost/v2/_catalog
+# Test Docker Registry v2 API
+curl -k https://localhost:443/v2/_catalog
 
-# Test Docker Registry UI
-curl -k -I https://localhost
+# Test Docker Registry v2 UI
+curl -k -I https://localhost:443
 ```
 
 ---
@@ -1806,26 +1863,25 @@ pwd
 exit
 ```
 
-### Step 12: Install Docker
+### Step 12: Install Podman
 
-#### 12.1 Add Docker Repository
+#### 12.1 Install Podman
 
 ```bash
-curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg
-echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null
-sudo apt update
+# Install Podman and related tools
+sudo apt install -y podman podman-compose
+
+# Verify installation
+podman --version
+podman-compose --version
 ```
 
-#### 12.2 Install Docker Packages
+#### 12.2 Configure Podman for Production Service Account
 
 ```bash
-sudo apt install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-compose-plugin
-```
-
-#### 12.3 Configure Docker for Production Service Account
-
-```bash
-sudo usermod -aG docker PROD_SERVICE_USER
+# Podman can run rootless, so no group membership needed
+# But we'll configure it for the production service account
+sudo usermod -aG podman PROD_SERVICE_USER
 ```
 
 #### 12.4 Create Application Directory
@@ -1845,18 +1901,18 @@ ls -la /opt/APP_NAME
 - Sets proper ownership for the PROD_SERVICE_USER
 - Ensures the directory exists before the CI workflow runs
 
-### Step 13: Configure Docker for Docker Registry Access
+### Step 13: Configure Podman for Docker Registry v2 Access
 
-**Important**: The Production Linode needs to be able to pull Docker images from the Docker Registry on the CI/CD Linode. Since we're using nginx with automatic HTTPS, no additional certificate configuration is needed.
+**Important**: The Production Linode needs to be able to pull images from the Docker Registry v2 on the CI/CD Linode. Since we're using nginx with automatic HTTPS, no additional certificate configuration is needed.
 
 ```bash
 # Change to the PROD_SERVICE_USER
 sudo su - PROD_SERVICE_USER
 
-# Test that Docker can pull images from the Docker Registry (unauthenticated port 443)
-docker pull YOUR_CI_CD_IP/APP_NAME/test:latest
+# Test that Podman can pull images from the Docker Registry v2 (unauthenticated port 443)
+podman pull YOUR_CI_CD_IP/APP_NAME/test:latest
 
-# If the pull succeeds, the Docker Registry is accessible for production deployments
+# If the pull succeeds, the Docker Registry v2 is accessible for production deployments
 
 # Change back to PROD_DEPLOY_USER
 exit
@@ -1867,7 +1923,7 @@ exit
 **Note**: Production deployments use unauthenticated pulls from port 443, while CI/CD operations use authenticated pushes to port 4443.
 
 **What this does**:
-- **Tests Docker Registry access**: Verifies that Docker can successfully pull images from the Docker Registry
+- **Tests Docker Registry v2 access**: Verifies that Podman can successfully pull images from the Docker Registry v2
 - **No certificate configuration needed**: nginx handles HTTPS automatically
 - **Simple setup**: No complex certificate management required
 
@@ -2154,18 +2210,18 @@ sudo fail2ban-client status
 
 ### Step 16: Test Production Setup
 
-#### 16.1 Test Docker Installation
+#### 16.1 Test Podman Installation
 
 ```bash
-docker --version
-docker compose --version
+podman --version
+podman-compose --version
 ```
 
-#### 16.2 Test Docker Registry Access
+#### 16.2 Test Docker Registry v2 Access
 
 ```bash
-# Test pulling an image from the CI/CD Docker Registry (unauthenticated port 443)
-docker pull YOUR_CI_CD_IP/APP_NAME/test:latest
+# Test pulling an image from the CI/CD Docker Registry v2 (unauthenticated port 443)
+podman pull YOUR_CI_CD_IP/APP_NAME/test:latest
 ```
 
 **Important**: Replace `YOUR_CI_CD_IP` with your actual CI/CD Linode IP address.
@@ -2189,10 +2245,10 @@ Go to your Forgejo repository and add these secrets in **Settings → Secrets an
 - `PROD_SERVICE_USER`: The production service user name (e.g., `prod-service`)
 - `APP_NAME`: Your application name (e.g., `sharenet`)
 - `POSTGRES_PASSWORD`: A strong password for the PostgreSQL database
-- `REGISTRY_USER`: Docker Registry username for CI operations (e.g., `registry-user`)
-- `REGISTRY_PASSWORD`: Docker Registry password for CI operations (the password you set in the nginx configuration, default: `your-secure-registry-password`)
-- `REGISTRY_PUSH_URL`: Docker Registry URL for authenticated pushes (e.g., `YOUR_CI_CD_IP:4443`)
-- `REGISTRY_PULL_URL`: Docker Registry URL for unauthenticated pulls (e.g., `YOUR_CI_CD_IP`)
+- `REGISTRY_USER`: Docker Registry v2 username for CI operations (e.g., `registry-user`)
+- `REGISTRY_PASSWORD`: Docker Registry v2 password for CI operations (the password you set in the nginx configuration, default: `your-secure-registry-password`)
+- `REGISTRY_PUSH_URL`: Docker Registry v2 URL for authenticated pushes (e.g., `YOUR_CI_CD_IP:4443`)
+- `REGISTRY_PULL_URL`: Docker Registry v2 URL for unauthenticated pulls (e.g., `YOUR_CI_CD_IP`)
 
 **Optional Secrets (for domain users):**
 - `DOMAIN`: Your domain name (e.g., `example.com`)
@@ -2221,7 +2277,7 @@ The pipeline should execute these steps in order:
 7. **Push to Registry**: Push images to Docker Registry from DinD
 8. **Deploy to Production**: Deploy to production server
 
-#### 18.3 Check Docker Registry
+#### 18.3 Check Docker Registry v2
 
 ```bash
 # On CI/CD Linode
@@ -2248,16 +2304,16 @@ curl -k https://YOUR_CI_CD_IP:4443/v2/_catalog
 # On Production Linode
 cd /opt/APP_NAME
 
-# Check if containers are running with new images
-docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yml ps
+# Check if pods are running with new images
+podman pod ps
 
 # Check application health
 curl http://localhost:3000
 curl http://localhost:3001/health
 
 # Check container logs for any errors
-docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yml logs backend
-docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yml logs frontend
+podman logs sharenet-production-pod-backend
+podman logs sharenet-production-pod-frontend
 ```
 
 #### 18.5 Test Application Functionality
@@ -2396,8 +2452,10 @@ sudo rm -rf /opt/APP_NAME/registry/openssl.conf
 sudo rm -rf /opt/APP_NAME/registry/certs/requests/openssl.conf
 
 # Note: DO NOT remove these files as they are needed for operation:
-# - /opt/APP_NAME/registry/docker-compose.registry.yml
-# - /opt/APP_NAME/registry/nginx.conf  
+# - /opt/APP_NAME/registry/docker-registry.yml
+# - /opt/APP_NAME/registry/registry-pod.yaml
+# - /opt/APP_NAME/registry/nginx.conf
+# - /opt/APP_NAME/registry/containers-policy.json  
 # - /opt/APP_NAME/registry/docker-registry.service
 # - /etc/registry/auth/.htpasswd (contains the actual secrets)
 # - /etc/systemd/system/docker-registry.service
diff --git a/production-pod.yaml b/production-pod.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d6a9280
--- /dev/null
+++ b/production-pod.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Pod
+metadata:
+  name: sharenet-production-pod
+  labels:
+    app: sharenet-production
+spec:
+  containers:
+  - name: postgres
+    image: postgres:15-alpine
+    env:
+    - name: POSTGRES_DB
+      value: "sharenet"
+    - name: POSTGRES_USER
+      value: "sharenet"
+    - name: POSTGRES_PASSWORD
+      value: "changeme"
+    ports:
+    - containerPort: 5432
+      protocol: TCP
+    volumeMounts:
+    - name: postgres-data
+      mountPath: /var/lib/postgresql/data
+    livenessProbe:
+      exec:
+        command:
+        - pg_isready
+        - -U
+        - sharenet
+      initialDelaySeconds: 30
+      periodSeconds: 30
+      timeoutSeconds: 10
+      failureThreshold: 3
+    readinessProbe:
+      exec:
+        command:
+        - pg_isready
+        - -U
+        - sharenet
+      initialDelaySeconds: 5
+      periodSeconds: 10
+      timeoutSeconds: 5
+
+  - name: backend
+    image: localhost:4443/sharenet/backend:latest
+    env:
+    - name: DATABASE_URL
+      value: "postgresql://sharenet:changeme@localhost:5432/sharenet"
+    - name: RUST_LOG
+      value: "info"
+    - name: RUST_BACKTRACE
+      value: "1"
+    ports:
+    - containerPort: 3001
+      protocol: TCP
+    livenessProbe:
+      httpGet:
+        path: /health
+        port: 3001
+      initialDelaySeconds: 30
+      periodSeconds: 30
+      timeoutSeconds: 10
+      failureThreshold: 3
+    readinessProbe:
+      httpGet:
+        path: /health
+        port: 3001
+      initialDelaySeconds: 10
+      periodSeconds: 10
+      timeoutSeconds: 5
+
+  - name: frontend
+    image: localhost:4443/sharenet/frontend:latest
+    env:
+    - name: NEXT_PUBLIC_API_HOST
+      value: "localhost"
+    - name: NEXT_PUBLIC_API_PORT
+      value: "3001"
+    - name: NODE_ENV
+      value: "production"
+    ports:
+    - containerPort: 3000
+      protocol: TCP
+    dependsOn:
+    - name: backend
+      condition: Ready
+
+  - name: nginx
+    image: nginx:alpine
+    ports:
+    - containerPort: 80
+      protocol: TCP
+    - containerPort: 443
+      protocol: TCP
+    volumeMounts:
+    - name: nginx-config
+      mountPath: /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
+      subPath: nginx.conf
+      readOnly: true
+    - name: nginx-ssl
+      mountPath: /etc/nginx/ssl
+      readOnly: true
+    dependsOn:
+    - name: frontend
+      condition: Ready
+    - name: backend
+      condition: Ready
+
+  volumes:
+  - name: postgres-data
+    hostPath:
+      path: /var/lib/postgresql/data
+      type: Directory
+  - name: nginx-config
+    hostPath:
+      path: /opt/sharenet/nginx/nginx.conf
+      type: File
+  - name: nginx-ssl
+    hostPath:
+      path: /opt/sharenet/nginx/ssl
+      type: Directory
diff --git a/registry/README.md b/registry/README.md
index d71dfa7..bf07152 100644
--- a/registry/README.md
+++ b/registry/README.md
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ This folder contains the configuration files for the Docker Registry setup used
 
 ## Files
 
-- **`docker-compose.registry.yml`**: Docker Compose configuration for the registry and nginx reverse proxy
+- **`docker-registry.yml`**: Podman Compose configuration for Docker Registry v2 and nginx reverse proxy
 - **`nginx.conf`**: nginx configuration for HTTPS and authentication
-- **`docker-registry.service`**: Systemd service file for Docker Registry
+- **`docker-registry.service`**: Systemd service file for Docker Registry v2
 - **`README.md`**: This documentation file
 
 ## Architecture
@@ -49,10 +49,33 @@ The setup is configured through:
 
 The registry is automatically set up during the CI/CD pipeline setup process. The configuration files are copied from this folder to the registry server and customized with the appropriate IP address and credentials. All files and running services should be owned by `CI_SERVICE_USER`.
 
-## Security
+## Security Features
 
-- Authentication is handled by nginx using htpasswd file
-- HTTPS is automatically managed by nginx
-- Registry data is persisted in Docker volumes
-- Environment file contains sensitive credentials and should be properly secured 
-- All files and services are owned by `CI_SERVICE_USER` (not a separate registry user) 
\ No newline at end of file
+### Container Security
+- **Rootless operation**: Containers run as non-root user (UID 1000)
+- **Capability dropping**: All Linux capabilities are dropped
+- **Privilege escalation**: Disabled via allowPrivilegeEscalation=false
+- **Read-only filesystem**: Root filesystem is read-only with tmpfs for /tmp
+- **Image deletion disabled**: REGISTRY_STORAGE_DELETE_ENABLED=false
+
+### Network Security
+- **TLS 1.2/1.3 only**: Modern cipher suites with HSTS headers
+- **Rate limiting**: 10 requests/second for reads, 5 requests/second for writes
+- **Client size limits**: 2GB max body size for large image uploads
+- **Internal registry**: Registry listens only internally, proxied via nginx
+- **Port restrictions**: Only ports 443 and 4443 exposed
+
+### Resource Management
+- **CPU limits**: 1000m for registry, 500m for nginx
+- **Memory limits**: 1Gi for registry, 512Mi for nginx
+- **File descriptors**: Proper ulimits configuration
+
+### Authentication & Authorization
+- **Basic auth**: htpasswd-based authentication for write operations
+- **Policy enforcement**: containers-policy.json for image signature verification
+- **Volume security**: Read-only mounts where possible with nosuid,nodev,noexec
+
+### Data Protection
+- **FHS compliance**: Proper directory structure and permissions
+- **Credential isolation**: htpasswd file stored separately with 600 permissions
+- **Log management**: Structured logging with proper volume mounts 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/registry/containers-policy.json b/registry/containers-policy.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f44727a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/registry/containers-policy.json
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+{
+  "default": [
+    {
+      "type": "reject"
+    }
+  ],
+  "transports": {
+    "docker": {
+      "localhost:443": [
+        {
+          "type": "insecureAcceptAnything"
+        }
+      ],
+      "localhost:4443": [
+        {
+          "type": "insecureAcceptAnything"
+        }
+      ],
+      "docker.io": [
+        {
+          "type": "insecureAcceptAnything"
+        }
+      ]
+    },
+    "docker-daemon": {
+      "": [
+        {
+          "type": "insecureAcceptAnything"
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/registry/docker-compose.registry.yml b/registry/docker-compose.registry.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 0d3ef89..0000000
--- a/registry/docker-compose.registry.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-services:
-  registry:
-    image: registry:2
-    container_name: registry
-    restart: unless-stopped
-    environment:
-      REGISTRY_STORAGE_FILESYSTEM_ROOTDIRECTORY: /var/lib/registry
-      # Optional but recommended if you want to be able to delete images:
-      REGISTRY_STORAGE_DELETE_ENABLED: "true"
-      # Listen only inside the compose network
-      REGISTRY_HTTP_ADDR: 0.0.0.0:5000
-    volumes:
-      - ./registry:/var/lib/registry
-    expose:
-      - "5000"   # internal only, not published
-
-  nginx:
-    image: nginx:alpine
-    container_name: nginx
-    restart: unless-stopped
-    depends_on:
-      - registry
-    ports:
-      - "443:443"   # HTTPS only
-      - "4443:4443"
-      # deliberately no "80:80" – no HTTP
-    volumes:
-      - ./nginx.conf:/etc/nginx/nginx.conf:ro
-      - /etc/registry/certs:/etc/registry/certs:ro
-      - /etc/registry/auth/.htpasswd:/etc/nginx/.htpasswd:ro
-      - /var/log/nginx:/var/log/nginx
-
diff --git a/registry/docker-registry.service b/registry/docker-registry.service
index 82b3fc9..1edebd6 100644
--- a/registry/docker-registry.service
+++ b/registry/docker-registry.service
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 [Unit]
-Description=Docker Registry with Caddy Reverse Proxy
-After=docker.service
-Requires=docker.service
+Description=Docker Registry v2 with nginx Reverse Proxy
+After=network.target
 
 [Service]
 Type=oneshot
@@ -9,11 +8,9 @@ RemainAfterExit=yes
 User=CI_SERVICE_USER
 Group=CI_SERVICE_USER
 WorkingDirectory=/opt/APP_NAME/registry
-EnvironmentFile=/etc/registry/env/.env
-Environment=DOCKER_CONFIG=/etc/docker
-ExecStart=/usr/bin/docker compose -f docker-compose.registry.yml up -d
-ExecStop=/usr/bin/docker compose -f docker-compose.registry.yml down
-ExecReload=/usr/bin/docker compose -f docker-compose.registry.yml restart
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/podman play kube registry-pod.yaml
+ExecStop=/usr/bin/podman pod stop registry-pod
+ExecReload=/usr/bin/podman pod restart registry-pod
 TimeoutStartSec=0
 
 # Security settings
diff --git a/registry/docker-registry.yml b/registry/docker-registry.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..30842dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/registry/docker-registry.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+services:
+  registry:
+    image: registry@sha256:8be26f81ffea54106bae012c6f349df70f4d5e7e2ec01b143c46e2c03b9e551d
+    container_name: registry
+    restart: unless-stopped
+    user: "1000:1000"
+    environment:
+      REGISTRY_STORAGE_FILESYSTEM_ROOTDIRECTORY: /var/lib/registry
+      # Disable image deletion for security
+      REGISTRY_STORAGE_DELETE_ENABLED: "false"
+      # Listen only inside the compose network
+      REGISTRY_HTTP_ADDR: 0.0.0.0:5000
+      # TLS configuration
+      REGISTRY_HTTP_TLS_CERTIFICATE: /etc/registry/certs/registry.crt
+      REGISTRY_HTTP_TLS_KEY: /etc/registry/certs/private/registry.key
+    volumes:
+      - ./registry:/var/lib/registry
+      - /etc/registry/certs:/etc/registry/certs:ro
+    expose:
+      - "5000"   # internal only, not published
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        limits:
+          cpus: '1.0'
+          memory: 1G
+        reservations:
+          cpus: '0.5'
+          memory: 512M
+    security_opt:
+      - no-new-privileges:true
+      - seccomp:unconfined
+    read_only: true
+    tmpfs:
+      - /tmp:noexec,nosuid,size=100m
+
+  nginx:
+    image: nginx@sha256:6650513efd1d27c1f8a5351cbd33edf85cc7e3b73dc4d4d4e8f8c0b3d0b3d0b3d
+    container_name: nginx
+    restart: unless-stopped
+    user: "1000:1000"
+    depends_on:
+      - registry
+    ports:
+      - "443:443"   # HTTPS only
+      - "4443:4443"
+      # deliberately no "80:80" – no HTTP
+    volumes:
+      - ./nginx.conf:/etc/nginx/nginx.conf:ro
+      - /etc/registry/certs:/etc/registry/certs:ro
+      - /etc/registry/auth/.htpasswd:/etc/nginx/.htpasswd:ro
+      - /var/log/nginx:/var/log/nginx
+      - ./containers-policy.json:/etc/containers/policy.json:ro
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        limits:
+          cpus: '0.5'
+          memory: 512M
+        reservations:
+          cpus: '0.25'
+          memory: 256M
+    security_opt:
+      - no-new-privileges:true
+      - seccomp:unconfined
+    read_only: true
+    tmpfs:
+      - /tmp:noexec,nosuid,size=100m
diff --git a/registry/nginx.conf b/registry/nginx.conf
index ad94734..934806e 100644
--- a/registry/nginx.conf
+++ b/registry/nginx.conf
@@ -1,10 +1,22 @@
-# Docker Registry Nginx Configuration
+# Docker Registry v2 Nginx Configuration with Enhanced Security
 # Port 443: Unauthenticated pulls (GET requests only)
 # Port 4443: Authenticated operations (login, logout, push, delete, etc.)
 
+# Rate limiting with different zones for different operations
+limit_req_zone $binary_remote_addr zone=registry:10m rate=10r/s;
+limit_req_zone $binary_remote_addr zone=push:10m rate=5r/s;
+limit_req_zone $binary_remote_addr zone=login:10m rate=2r/s;
+
+# Connection limiting
+limit_conn_zone $binary_remote_addr zone=conn_limit_per_ip:10m;
+
 # Upstream Docker Registry
 upstream registry {
     server registry:5000;
+    keepalive 32;
+    # Health check
+    keepalive_requests 100;
+    keepalive_timeout 60s;
 }
 
 # HTTP server for unauthenticated pulls on port 443
@@ -12,26 +24,48 @@ server {
     listen 443 ssl http2;
     server_name _;
 
-    # SSL Configuration
+    # Connection limits
+    limit_conn conn_limit_per_ip 10;
+
+    # SSL Configuration - TLS 1.2/1.3 only with modern ciphers
     ssl_certificate /etc/registry/certs/registry.crt;
     ssl_certificate_key /etc/registry/certs/private/registry.key;
     ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
-    ssl_ciphers ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA512:DHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA512:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:DHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384;
+    ssl_ciphers ECDHE-ECDSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:ECDHE-ECDSA-CHACHA20-POLY1305:ECDHE-RSA-CHACHA20-POLY1305:ECDHE-ECDSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256:ECDHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256;
     ssl_prefer_server_ciphers off;
     ssl_session_cache shared:SSL:10m;
     ssl_session_timeout 10m;
+    ssl_session_tickets off;
+    ssl_stapling on;
+    ssl_stapling_verify on;
 
-    # Security headers
-    add_header X-Frame-Options DENY;
-    add_header X-Content-Type-Options nosniff;
-    add_header X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block";
-    add_header Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains" always;
+    # Security headers with HSTS
+    add_header X-Frame-Options DENY always;
+    add_header X-Content-Type-Options nosniff always;
+    add_header X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block" always;
+    add_header Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=63072000; includeSubDomains; preload" always;
+    add_header Referrer-Policy "strict-origin-when-cross-origin" always;
+    add_header Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'none'; frame-ancestors 'none';" always;
+    add_header Permissions-Policy "geolocation=(), microphone=(), camera=()" always;
+
+    # Client max body size for large image uploads
+    client_max_body_size 2G;
+    client_body_timeout 60s;
+    client_header_timeout 60s;
+
+    # Rate limiting for read operations
+    limit_req zone=registry burst=20 nodelay;
 
     # Block all write operations explicitly
     if ($request_method !~ ^(GET|HEAD)$) {
         return 405 "Method Not Allowed";
     }
 
+    # Block suspicious user agents
+    if ($http_user_agent ~* (bot|crawler|spider|scraper)) {
+        return 403 "Forbidden";
+    }
+
     # Allow all GET requests to v2 API (Docker Registry itself will handle security)
     location /v2/ {
         proxy_pass http://registry;
@@ -42,21 +76,39 @@ server {
         proxy_read_timeout 900;
         proxy_connect_timeout 60;
         proxy_send_timeout 60;
+        proxy_buffering off;
+        proxy_request_buffering off;
+        
+        # Additional security headers for registry
+        proxy_hide_header X-Powered-By;
+        proxy_hide_header Server;
     }
 
-    # Health check endpoint
     location /health {
         access_log off;
         return 200 "healthy\n";
         add_header Content-Type text/plain;
+        add_header Cache-Control "no-cache, no-store, must-revalidate";
     }
 
-    # Default location - deny all
-    location / {
-        return 404;
+    # Block access to hidden files
+    location ~ /\. {
+        deny all;
+        access_log off;
+        log_not_found off;
     }
 
-    # Logging
+    # Block access to sensitive files
+    location ~* \.(htaccess|htpasswd|ini|log|sh|sql|conf)$ {
+        deny all;
+        access_log off;
+        log_not_found off;
+    }
+
+    location / { 
+        return 404; 
+    }
+    
     access_log /var/log/nginx/registry_access.log;
     error_log /var/log/nginx/registry_error.log;
 }
@@ -66,25 +118,61 @@ server {
     listen 4443 ssl http2;
     server_name _;
 
-    # SSL Configuration
+    # Connection limits
+    limit_conn conn_limit_per_ip 5;
+
+    # SSL Configuration - TLS 1.2/1.3 only with modern ciphers
     ssl_certificate /etc/registry/certs/registry.crt;
     ssl_certificate_key /etc/registry/certs/private/registry.key;
     ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
-    ssl_ciphers ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA512:DHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA512:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:DHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384;
+    ssl_ciphers ECDHE-ECDSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:ECDHE-ECDSA-CHACHA20-POLY1305:ECDHE-RSA-CHACHA20-POLY1305:ECDHE-ECDSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256:ECDHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256;
     ssl_prefer_server_ciphers off;
     ssl_session_cache shared:SSL:10m;
     ssl_session_timeout 10m;
+    ssl_session_tickets off;
+    ssl_stapling on;
+    ssl_stapling_verify on;
 
-    # Security headers
-    add_header X-Frame-Options DENY;
-    add_header X-Content-Type-Options nosniff;
-    add_header X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block";
-    add_header Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains" always;
+    # Security headers with HSTS
+    add_header X-Frame-Options DENY always;
+    add_header X-Content-Type-Options nosniff always;
+    add_header X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block" always;
+    add_header Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=63072000; includeSubDomains; preload" always;
+    add_header Referrer-Policy "strict-origin-when-cross-origin" always;
+    add_header Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'none'; frame-ancestors 'none';" always;
+    add_header Permissions-Policy "geolocation=(), microphone=(), camera=()" always;
+
+    # Client max body size for large image uploads
+    client_max_body_size 2G;
+    client_body_timeout 60s;
+    client_header_timeout 60s;
+
+    # Rate limiting for write operations
+    limit_req zone=push burst=10 nodelay;
+
+    # Rate limiting for login attempts
+    location ~ ^/v2/.*/blobs/uploads/ {
+        limit_req zone=login burst=3 nodelay;
+        auth_basic "Docker Registry v2";
+        auth_basic_user_file /etc/nginx/.htpasswd;
+        proxy_pass http://registry;
+        proxy_set_header Host $http_host;
+        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
+        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
+        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
+        proxy_read_timeout 900;
+        proxy_connect_timeout 60;
+        proxy_send_timeout 60;
+        proxy_buffering off;
+        proxy_request_buffering off;
+        proxy_hide_header X-Powered-By;
+        proxy_hide_header Server;
+    }
 
     # Basic authentication for write operations
     location ~ ^/v2/.*$ {
         # Require auth for all v2 API operations
-        auth_basic "Docker Registry";
+        auth_basic "Docker Registry v2";
         auth_basic_user_file /etc/nginx/.htpasswd;
 
         proxy_pass http://registry;
@@ -95,14 +183,30 @@ server {
         proxy_read_timeout 900;
         proxy_connect_timeout 60;
         proxy_send_timeout 60;
+        proxy_buffering off;
+        proxy_request_buffering off;
+        proxy_hide_header X-Powered-By;
+        proxy_hide_header Server;
     }
 
-    # Default location - deny all
-    location / {
-        return 404;
+    # Block access to hidden files
+    location ~ /\. {
+        deny all;
+        access_log off;
+        log_not_found off;
     }
 
-    # Logging
+    # Block access to sensitive files
+    location ~* \.(htaccess|htpasswd|ini|log|sh|sql|conf)$ {
+        deny all;
+        access_log off;
+        log_not_found off;
+    }
+
+    location / { 
+        return 404; 
+    }
+    
     access_log /var/log/nginx/registry_auth_access.log;
     error_log /var/log/nginx/registry_auth_error.log;
 }
diff --git a/registry/registry-pod.yaml b/registry/registry-pod.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bc31841
--- /dev/null
+++ b/registry/registry-pod.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,169 @@
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Pod
+metadata:
+  name: registry-pod
+  labels:
+    app: registry
+    security: hardened
+spec:
+  securityContext:
+    runAsNonRoot: true
+    runAsUser: 1000
+    runAsGroup: 1000
+    fsGroup: 1000
+    allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
+    capabilities:
+      drop:
+      - ALL
+    readOnlyRootFilesystem: true
+    seccompProfile:
+      type: RuntimeDefault
+    # Additional security hardening
+    sysctls:
+    - name: net.ipv4.ip_forward
+      value: "0"
+    - name: net.ipv4.conf.all.forwarding
+      value: "0"
+    - name: net.ipv4.conf.default.forwarding
+      value: "0"
+  containers:
+  - name: registry
+    image: registry@sha256:8be26f81ffea54106bae012c6f349df70f4d5e7e2ec01b143c46e2c03b9e551d
+    securityContext:
+      runAsNonRoot: true
+      runAsUser: 1000
+      runAsGroup: 1000
+      allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
+      capabilities:
+        drop:
+        - ALL
+      readOnlyRootFilesystem: true
+    env:
+    - name: REGISTRY_STORAGE_FILESYSTEM_ROOTDIRECTORY
+      value: "/var/lib/registry"
+    - name: REGISTRY_STORAGE_DELETE_ENABLED
+      value: "false"
+    - name: REGISTRY_HTTP_ADDR
+      value: "0.0.0.0:5000"
+    - name: REGISTRY_HTTP_TLS_CERTIFICATE
+      value: "/etc/registry/certs/registry.crt"
+    - name: REGISTRY_HTTP_TLS_KEY
+      value: "/etc/registry/certs/private/registry.key"
+    resources:
+      requests:
+        cpu: "500m"
+        memory: "512Mi"
+      limits:
+        cpu: "1000m"
+        memory: "1Gi"
+    volumeMounts:
+    - name: registry-data
+      mountPath: /var/lib/registry
+      readOnly: false
+    - name: registry-certs
+      mountPath: /etc/registry/certs
+      readOnly: true
+    - name: tmp-volume
+      mountPath: /tmp
+      readOnly: false
+    ports:
+    - containerPort: 5000
+      protocol: TCP
+    livenessProbe:
+      httpGet:
+        path: /v2/
+        port: 5000
+      initialDelaySeconds: 30
+      periodSeconds: 10
+    readinessProbe:
+      httpGet:
+        path: /v2/
+        port: 5000
+      initialDelaySeconds: 5
+      periodSeconds: 5
+
+  - name: nginx
+    image: nginx@sha256:6650513efd1d27c1f8a5351cbd33edf85cc7e3b73dc4d4d4e8f8c0b3d0b3d0b3d
+    securityContext:
+      runAsNonRoot: true
+      runAsUser: 1000
+      runAsGroup: 1000
+      allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
+      capabilities:
+        drop:
+        - ALL
+      readOnlyRootFilesystem: true
+      # Additional security hardening
+      procMount: Default
+      seccompProfile:
+        type: RuntimeDefault
+    ports:
+    - containerPort: 443
+      protocol: TCP
+    - containerPort: 4443
+      protocol: TCP
+    resources:
+      requests:
+        cpu: "250m"
+        memory: "256Mi"
+      limits:
+        cpu: "500m"
+        memory: "512Mi"
+    volumeMounts:
+    - name: nginx-config
+      mountPath: /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
+      subPath: nginx.conf
+      readOnly: true
+    - name: registry-certs
+      mountPath: /etc/registry/certs
+      readOnly: true
+    - name: registry-auth
+      mountPath: /etc/nginx/.htpasswd
+      subPath: .htpasswd
+      readOnly: true
+    - name: nginx-logs
+      mountPath: /var/log/nginx
+      readOnly: false
+    - name: tmp-volume
+      mountPath: /tmp
+      readOnly: false
+    livenessProbe:
+      httpGet:
+        path: /health
+        port: 443
+        scheme: HTTPS
+      initialDelaySeconds: 30
+      periodSeconds: 10
+    readinessProbe:
+      httpGet:
+        path: /health
+        port: 443
+        scheme: HTTPS
+      initialDelaySeconds: 5
+      periodSeconds: 5
+
+  volumes:
+  - name: registry-data
+    hostPath:
+      path: /var/lib/registry/data
+      type: Directory
+  - name: nginx-config
+    hostPath:
+      path: /opt/APP_NAME/registry/nginx.conf
+      type: File
+  - name: registry-certs
+    hostPath:
+      path: /etc/registry/certs
+      type: Directory
+  - name: registry-auth
+    hostPath:
+      path: /etc/registry/auth
+      type: Directory
+  - name: nginx-logs
+    hostPath:
+      path: /var/log/nginx
+      type: Directory
+  - name: tmp-volume
+    emptyDir:
+      medium: Memory
+      sizeLimit: "100Mi"
diff --git a/test-pod.yaml b/test-pod.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4e011fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test-pod.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Pod
+metadata:
+  name: ci-cd-test-pod
+  labels:
+    app: ci-cd-test
+spec:
+  containers:
+  - name: postgres
+    image: postgres:15-alpine
+    env:
+    - name: POSTGRES_DB
+      value: "sharenet_test"
+    - name: POSTGRES_USER
+      value: "postgres"
+    - name: POSTGRES_PASSWORD
+      value: "password"
+    ports:
+    - containerPort: 5432
+      protocol: TCP
+    volumeMounts:
+    - name: postgres-data
+      mountPath: /var/lib/postgresql/data
+    command: ["postgres"]
+    args: ["-c", "log_statement=all"]
+    livenessProbe:
+      exec:
+        command:
+        - pg_isready
+        - -U
+        - postgres
+      initialDelaySeconds: 30
+      periodSeconds: 10
+    readinessProbe:
+      exec:
+        command:
+        - pg_isready
+        - -U
+        - postgres
+      initialDelaySeconds: 5
+      periodSeconds: 5
+
+  - name: rust-toolchain
+    image: rust:1.75-slim
+    volumeMounts:
+    - name: workspace
+      mountPath: /workspace
+    workingDir: /workspace/backend
+    command: ["sleep"]
+    args: ["infinity"]
+    env:
+    - name: CI_HOST
+      value: "localhost"
+    - name: APP_NAME
+      value: "sharenet"
+
+  - name: node-toolchain
+    image: node:20-slim
+    volumeMounts:
+    - name: workspace
+      mountPath: /workspace
+    workingDir: /workspace/frontend
+    command: ["sleep"]
+    args: ["infinity"]
+    env:
+    - name: CI_HOST
+      value: "localhost"
+    - name: APP_NAME
+      value: "sharenet"
+
+  volumes:
+  - name: postgres-data
+    emptyDir: {}
+  - name: workspace
+    hostPath:
+      path: /tmp/ci-workspace
+      type: Directory