diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c4b2270
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+# Teilchensammler: Collect parts in a list
+
+## Development
+
+This project makes use of [direnv] and [just].
+
+[direnv] is used to set up environment variables and activate the virtualenv. I
+recommend installing it and integrate it into your favourite shell. It works
+well with fish shell.
+
+[just] ist used as a task runner.
+
+### Getting started
+
+Have Python >= 3.12 installed. I use [pyenv] (which in turn is installed by [homebrew]).
+
+Set up Postgresql, a role and a schema. I have it on localhost, using the
+project name for role and schema name, and password. See `.env.sample` for
+providing connection information.
+
+Clone the repo. `cd` into the project directory. ([direnv] should activate the
+virtualenv.) Run `python -m pip install -U pip` to upgrade pip. Then `python -m
+pip install -r requirements/dev.txt`.
+
+Launch the dev server: `just serve` (or `python -m django runserver` when you
+don't have just).
+
+### Making changes
+
+Change code, settings, templates, dependencies as you see fit. Run `just lint`
+repeatedly. Don't forget migrations. Commit often.
+
+### Using the App
+
+`just serve` and open
+[localhost:8000/collector](http://localhost:8000/collector/) in your browser.
+
+## Dependency management
+
+This project uses [pip-compile-multi] for hard-pinning dependencies versions.
+Please see its documentation for usage instructions. In short,
+`requirements/base.in` contains the list of direct requirements with occasional
+version constraints (like `Django<2`) and `requirements/base.txt` is
+automatically generated from it by adding recursive tree of dependencies with
+fixed versions. The same goes for `test` and `dev`.
+
+To upgrade dependency versions, run `just deps` (or `pip-compile-multi --uv`).
+
+To add a new dependency without upgrade, add it to the appropriate .in file and
+run `pip-compile-multi --no-upgrade` (no [just] recipe yet).
+
+### Installing dependencies
+
+For installation always use `.txt` files.
+
+A useful command is `pip-sync requirements/dev.txt`, it uninstalls packages
+from your virtualenv that aren't listed in the file.
+
+For example, command `pip install -Ue
+. -r requirements/dev.txt` will install this project in development mode,
+testing requirements and development tools.
+
+[pip-compile-multi]: https://pypi.org/project/pip-compile-multi/
+[direnv]: https://direnv.net/
+[just]: https://just.systems/
+[pyenv]: https://github.com/pyenv/pyenv
+[homebrew]: https://brew.sh/
diff --git a/VERSION.py b/VERSION.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ba2d3df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/VERSION.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# calver schema YYYY.0M.Micro (see also https://calver.org/#scheme)
+
+__version__ = "2025.03.1"
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index cd657dd..80cba80 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,3 +1,16 @@
+[project]
+name = "teilchensammler"
+description = "Build a list of parts in a pile to help sorting and categorization"
+readme = "README.md"
+dynamic = [
+  "version",
+]
+requires-python = ">= 3.12"
+# dependencies are in folder .dependencies/*.in
+authors = [
+  { name = "bronsen", email = "kontakt+teilchensammler@nrrd.de" },
+]
+
 [tool.pytest.ini_options]
 pythonpath = "."
 python_files = [
@@ -10,3 +23,11 @@ addopts = [
   "--capture=sys",
 ]
 
+[build-system]
+requires = [
+  "pdm-backend",
+]
+build-backend = "pdm.backend"
+[tool.pdm.version]
+source = "file"
+path = "VERSION.py"