diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 356e0e3..a773961 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 
 # For more information, please refer to https://aka.ms/vscode-docker-python
-FROM python:3.9-slim as base
+FROM python:3.11-slim as base
 
 FROM base as builder
 RUN apt-get update \
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..357d113
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# DSMR 2 MQTT bridge
+
+## Introduction
+
+This bridigng component reads Dutch Smart Meter Requirements (DSMR) telegrams and sends them to a MQTT broker using the [Homie convention](https://homieiot.github.io/). The component is written in Python and is based on the execelent work of others:
+
+* [DSMR Parser](https://github.com/ndokter/dsmr_parser)
+* [Homie4](https://github.com/mjcumming/homie4)
+
+![Works with Homie](https://homieiot.github.io/img/works-with-homie.png). 
+
+## Configuration
+
+Create some environment variables (e.g. with a .env file) to specify the required settings:
+
+```bash
+PYTHONPATH="."
+MQTT_HOST=mqtt.local
+DSMR_PORT=/dev/ttyUSB0
+```
+
+If you have forwared the raw serial signal through ser2net, you should use `DSMR_PORT=remote://<hostname>:<port>`, e.g.:
+
+```bash
+DSMR_PORT=remote://forwarding-pi.local:3333
+```
+
+If you use credentials to access the MQTT broker, then alsp specify:
+
+```bash
+MQTT_USERNAME=<mqtt-user>
+MQTT_PASSWORD=<mqtt_passwrd>
+```