diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a65b277..1cab208 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ docker-run-clean:
 	docker run --rm $(DOCKER_RUN_FLAGS) $(IMAGE_NAME)
 
 dev-docker:
-	python scripts/start_dev_docker.py
+	python scripts/start_api_docker.py
 
 docker-stop:
 	-@docker stop studyforge-api && echo Stopped Docker container. || echo No running container to stop.
diff --git a/scripts/start_api_docker.py b/scripts/start_api_docker.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eddf5a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/start_api_docker.py
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import os
+
+CONTAINER_NAME = "studyforge-api"
+IMAGE_NAME = "studyforge-api"
+DOCKER_RUN_FLAGS = ["-p", "8000:8000"]
+ENV_VARS = ["COHERE_API_KEY"]
+
+
+def build_env_flags():
+    """Convert env vars into -e KEY=VAL flags."""
+    flags = []
+    for key in ENV_VARS:
+        val = os.getenv(key)
+        if val:
+            flags.extend(["-e", f"{key}={val}"])
+    return flags
+
+
+def start_container():
+    print("[Docker] Starting container...")
+    cmd = [
+        "docker", "run", "-d", "--rm",
+        "--name", CONTAINER_NAME,
+        *DOCKER_RUN_FLAGS,
+        *build_env_flags(),
+        IMAGE_NAME
+    ]
+    subprocess.run(cmd, check=True)
+
+
+def stop_container():
+    print("[Docker] Stopping container...")
+    try:
+        subprocess.run(["docker", "stop", CONTAINER_NAME], stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, check=True)
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+        print("[Warning] Failed to stop container (it may not be running).")
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        print("[Error] Docker is not installed or not found in PATH.")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    start_container()
+    print(f"[Docker] Container '{CONTAINER_NAME}' is running.")
\ No newline at end of file