diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 98c70bf..64297fa 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 tailbone_theo.egg-info/
+dev/settings.ini
 machines/theo-server/.vagrant/
 machines/theo-server/fabenv.py
 machines/theo-server/fabric.yaml
diff --git a/dev/bootstrap.py b/dev/bootstrap.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4056851
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev/bootstrap.py
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8; -*-
+"""
+Bootstrap development for Theo
+"""
+
+import os
+import subprocess
+import sys
+
+
+here = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
+
+
+def bootstrap():
+
+    if not inside_virtualenv():
+        return
+
+    # install invoke, sphinx
+    subprocess.run(['pip', 'install', 'invoke', 'Sphinx'],
+                   check=True)
+
+    # run bootstrap task
+    os.chdir(here)
+    try:
+        completed = subprocess.run(['invoke', '--echo', 'bootstrap'])
+    except KeyboardInterrupt:
+        sys.exit(130)  # 128 + SIGINT
+    else:
+        sys.exit(completed.returncode)
+
+
+def inside_virtualenv():
+    if not (hasattr(sys, 'real_prefix') or
+            (hasattr(sys, 'base_prefix') and sys.base_prefix != sys.prefix)):
+        print("\nNot running inside a virtual environment!\n\n"
+              "Please create and activate that first, e.g. like:\n\n"
+              "    python -m venv /srv/envs/theo\n"
+              "    source /srv/envs/theo/bin/activate\n")
+        return False
+    return True
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    bootstrap()
diff --git a/dev/rattail.conf b/dev/rattail.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5cb4dec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev/rattail.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+
+############################################################
+#
+# Development config for Theo
+#
+############################################################
+
+
+##############################
+# rattail
+##############################
+
+[rattail]
+timezone.default = America/Chicago
+datadir = <ENVDIR>/app/data
+batch.files = <ENVDIR>/app/data/batch
+workdir = <ENVDIR>/app/work
+
+[rattail.config]
+# include = /etc/rattail/rattail.conf
+configure_logging = true
+usedb = true
+preferdb = true
+
+[rattail.db]
+default.url = postgresql://<DBUSER>:<DBPASS>@<DBHOST>/<DBNAME>
+versioning.enabled = true
+
+[rattail.mail]
+send_emails = false
+smtp.server = localhost
+templates = rattail:templates/mail
+default.prefix = [Rattail]
+default.from = rattail@localhost
+default.to = root@localhost
+# default.enabled = false
+
+[rattail.pod]
+pictures.gtin.root_url = https://rattailproject.org/pod/pictures/gtin
+
+[rattail.upgrades]
+files = <ENVDIR>/app/data/upgrades
+
+##############################
+# alembic
+##############################
+
+[alembic]
+script_location = rattail.db:alembic
+version_locations = rattail.db:alembic/versions
+
+
+##############################
+# logging
+##############################
+
+[loggers]
+keys = root, exc_logger, beaker, txn, sqlalchemy, django_db, flufl_bounce, requests
+
+[handlers]
+keys = file, console, email
+
+[formatters]
+keys = generic, console
+
+[logger_root]
+handlers = file, console
+level = DEBUG
+
+[logger_exc_logger]
+qualname = exc_logger
+handlers = email
+level = ERROR
+
+[logger_beaker]
+qualname = beaker
+handlers =
+level = INFO
+
+[logger_txn]
+qualname = txn
+handlers =
+level = INFO
+
+[logger_sqlalchemy]
+qualname = sqlalchemy.engine
+handlers =
+# handlers = file
+# level = INFO
+
+[logger_django_db]
+qualname = django.db.backends
+handlers =
+level = INFO
+# level = DEBUG
+
+[logger_flufl_bounce]
+qualname = flufl.bounce
+handlers =
+level = WARNING
+
+[logger_requests]
+qualname = requests
+handlers =
+# level = WARNING
+
+[handler_file]
+class = handlers.RotatingFileHandler
+args = ('<ENVDIR>/app/log/rattail.log', 'a', 1000000, 100, 'utf_8')
+formatter = generic
+
+[handler_console]
+class = StreamHandler
+args = (sys.stderr,)
+formatter = console
+# formatter = generic
+# level = INFO
+# level = WARNING
+
+[handler_email]
+class = handlers.SMTPHandler
+args = ('localhost', 'rattail@localhost', ['root@localhost'], "[Rattail] Logging")
+formatter = generic
+level = ERROR
+
+[formatter_generic]
+format = %(asctime)s %(levelname)-5.5s [%(name)s][%(threadName)s] %(funcName)s: %(message)s
+datefmt = %Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S
+
+[formatter_console]
+format = %(levelname)-5.5s [%(name)s][%(threadName)s] %(funcName)s: %(message)s
diff --git a/dev/tasks.py b/dev/tasks.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f00ce20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev/tasks.py
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8; -*-
+"""
+Development Tasks for Theo
+"""
+
+import os
+import configparser
+import shutil
+import sys
+
+from invoke import task
+from sphinx.util.console import bold
+from sphinx.cmd.quickstart import do_prompt
+
+from bootstrap import inside_virtualenv
+
+
+here = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
+
+
+@task
+def bootstrap(c):
+    """
+    Bootstrap a development environment.
+    """
+    if not inside_virtualenv():
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    envdir = sys.prefix
+    upgrade_pip(c)
+    install_app_package(c)
+    appdir = make_appdir(c, envdir)
+
+    info = collect_info()
+    make_configs(c, envdir, appdir, info)
+    check_db(c, envdir, appdir)
+    install_db_schema(c, envdir, appdir)
+    make_admin_user(c, envdir, appdir, info)
+
+    print()
+    print(bold("============================================================"))
+    print()
+    print(bold("  Okay, you should be ready to go!"))
+    print()
+    print(bold("============================================================"))
+    print()
+    print("start your development web app with this command:")
+    print()
+    print("    cd {}".format(envdir))
+    print("    bin/pserve --reload file+ini:app/web.conf")
+    print()
+    print("then check out your development web app at:")
+    print()
+    print("    http://localhost:9080")
+    print()
+
+
+def collect_info():
+    """
+    Collect misc. dev info from user
+    """
+    info = {}
+    print()
+    print(bold("Welcome to Theo, the order system."))
+
+    config = configparser.ConfigParser()
+    if config.read(os.path.join(here, 'settings.ini')):
+        if config.has_section('devbootstrap'):
+            info = dict(config.items('devbootstrap'))
+
+    try:
+        print()
+        print("Please enter the details for your Theo database.")
+        print()
+        info['dbhost'] = do_prompt('DB host',
+                                   default=info.get('dbhost', 'localhost'))
+        info['dbname'] = do_prompt('DB name',
+                                   default=info.get('dbname', 'theo'))
+        info['dbuser'] = do_prompt('DB user',
+                                   default=info.get('dbuser', 'rattail'))
+        info['dbpass'] = do_prompt('DB password',
+                                   default=info.get('dbpass'))
+
+        print()
+        print("Please enter the details for your Theo admin user.")
+        print()
+        info['theouser'] = do_prompt('Theo username',
+                                     default=info.get('theouser', 'admin'))
+        info['theopass'] = do_prompt('Theo password',
+                                     default=info.get('theopass'))
+
+    except (KeyboardInterrupt, EOFError):
+        print("\n[Interrupted.]")
+        sys.exit(130)  # 128 + SIGINT
+
+    return info
+
+
+def upgrade_pip(c):
+    """
+    Upgrade pip and friends
+    """
+    c.run('pip install -U pip')
+    c.run('pip install -U setuptools wheel')
+
+
+def install_app_package(c):
+    """
+    Install the Theo app package
+    """
+    project = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(here, os.pardir))
+    c.run('pip install -e {}'.format(project))
+    c.run('pip install tailbone-theo[app]')
+
+
+def make_appdir(c, envdir):
+    """
+    Create the 'app' dir for virtual env
+    """
+    appdir = os.path.join(envdir, 'app')
+    if not os.path.exists(appdir):
+        c.run('{} make-appdir'.format(os.path.join(envdir, 'bin', 'rattail')))
+    return appdir
+
+
+def make_configs(c, envdir, appdir, info):
+    """
+    Create app config files
+    """
+    # rattail.conf
+    if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(appdir, 'rattail.conf')):
+        with open('rattail.conf') as f:
+            contents = f.read()
+        contents = contents.replace('<ENVDIR>', envdir)
+        contents = contents.replace('<DBHOST>', info['dbhost'])
+        contents = contents.replace('<DBNAME>', info['dbname'])
+        contents = contents.replace('<DBUSER>', info['dbuser'])
+        contents = contents.replace('<DBPASS>', info['dbpass'])
+        with open(os.path.join(appdir, 'rattail.conf'), 'w') as f:
+            f.write(contents)
+
+    # quiet.conf
+    if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(appdir, 'quiet.conf')):
+        c.run('{}/bin/rattail make-config -T quiet -O {}'.format(envdir, appdir))
+
+    # web.conf
+    if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(appdir, 'web.conf')):
+        with open('web.conf') as f:
+            contents = f.read()
+        contents = contents.replace('<ENVDIR>', envdir)
+        with open(os.path.join(appdir, 'web.conf'), 'w') as f:
+            f.write(contents)
+
+
+def check_db(c, envdir, appdir):
+    """
+    Do basic sanity checks for Theo database
+    """
+    c.run('{}/bin/rattail -c {}/quiet.conf --no-versioning checkdb'.format(envdir, appdir))
+
+
+def install_db_schema(c, envdir, appdir):
+    """
+    Install the schema for Theo database
+    """
+    c.run('{}/bin/alembic -c {}/rattail.conf upgrade heads'.format(envdir, appdir))
+
+
+def make_admin_user(c, envdir, appdir, info):
+    """
+    Make an admin user in the Theo database
+    """
+    c.run('{}/bin/rattail -c {}/quiet.conf make-user --admin {} --password {}'.format(
+        envdir, appdir, info['theouser'], info['theopass']))
diff --git a/dev/web.conf b/dev/web.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a00b7e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev/web.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+
+############################################################
+#
+# Development web app config for Theo
+#
+############################################################
+
+
+##############################
+# rattail
+##############################
+
+[rattail.config]
+include = %(here)s/rattail.conf
+
+
+##############################
+# pyramid
+##############################
+
+[app:main]
+use = egg:Tailbone_Theo
+
+pyramid.reload_templates = true
+pyramid.debug_all = true
+pyramid.default_locale_name = en
+# you can enable this if you find it helpful
+#pyramid.includes = pyramid_debugtoolbar
+
+beaker.session.type = file
+beaker.session.data_dir = %(here)s/sessions/data
+beaker.session.lock_dir = %(here)s/sessions/lock
+# this secret should only be used in development!
+beaker.session.secret = b15zXlYNNIfzRjDjjyOL
+beaker.session.key = rattail
+
+exclog.extra_info = true
+
+rattail.config = %(__file__)s
+
+[server:main]
+use = egg:waitress#main
+# to bind to all interfaces, set host to 0.0.0.0
+host = 127.0.0.1
+port = 9080
+
+
+##############################
+# logging
+##############################
+
+[handler_console]
+level = INFO
+
+[handler_file]
+args = ('<ENVDIR>/app/log/web.log', 'a', 1000000, 100, 'utf_8')