diff --git a/Justfile b/Justfile
index b97956c..784511e 100644
--- a/Justfile
+++ b/Justfile
@@ -17,4 +17,9 @@ wait-for-pg:
   ./scripts/wait_for_pg.sh
 
 test:
-  SNAP_CHECK=1 cargo test
\ No newline at end of file
+  SNAP_CHECK=1 cargo test
+
+setup-archive-db:
+  just get-mainnet-archive-db
+  just pg
+  just wait-for-pg
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e65b187..9b59b58 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -22,24 +22,71 @@ The binary will be available at:
 target/debug/mina_mesh
 ```
 
-## Testing
+## Running
+
+Mina Mesh requires access to a PostgreSQL Archive database and a Mina GraphQL endpoint. By default,
+the configuration points to the mainnet, making it easy to get started. You can override the
+configuration by either passing arguments or setting environment variables via a `.env` file (an
+example is provided as `.env.example`).
+
+### Quick Start with Mainnet
+
+1. **Set up the PostgreSQL Archive Database**
+
+Use the predefined `just` commands to set up and start the PostgreSQL database:
+
+```bash
+just setup-archive-db
+```
+
+> Note: This process sets up the PostgreSQL docker using the latest mainnet archive database.
+
+2. **Run the Mina Mesh Server**
+
+To start the server with default settings (mainnet configuration):
+
+```bash
+target/debug/mina_mesh serve
+```
+
+The server will listen on `0.0.0.0:3000` by default.
+
+### Playground Mode
+
+You can enable a playground mode, which provides a simplified testing interface, by adding the
+`--playground` flag:
+
+```bash
+cargo run -- serve --playground
+```
+
+When enabled, you can access the playground at the root URL (`/`).
 
-### Setup PostgreSQL with Latest Mainnet Archive DB
+### Configuration
 
-To set up the testing environment with a working PostgreSQL database, use the predefined `just`
-steps:
+Mina Mesh can be configured through command-line options or by using environment variables. For
+convenience, you can use a `.env` file. To get started, copy the provided `.env.example`:
 
 ```bash
-just get-mainnet-archive-db
-just pg
-just wait-for-pg
+cp .env.example .env
 ```
 
-> Note: This process sets up the environment using the latest mainnet archive database.
+Then modify the `.env` file to suit your environment. The available configurations include:
 
-### Run Tests
+- **Mina GraphQL Endpoint**: `MINA_PROXY_URL` (default:
+  `https://mainnet.minaprotocol.network/graphql`)
+- **PostgreSQL Archive Database URL**: `MINA_ARCHIVE_DATABASE_URL` (default:
+  `postgres://mina:whatever@localhost:5432/archive`)
+- **Genesis Block Identifier**: `MINA_GENESIS_BLOCK_IDENTIFIER_HEIGHT`,
+  `MINA_GENESIS_BLOCK_IDENTIFIER_STATE_HASH`
+
+> You can also pass these options as arguments to `mina_mesh serve` to override the defaults.
+
+## Testing
 
-Once the setup is complete, run the tests with:
+Running the tests requires having Archive database available [see:
+[Quick Start with Mainnet](#quick-start-with-mainnet)]. Once the setup is complete you can run tests
+using:
 
 ```bash
 just test
diff --git a/src/bin/mina_mesh.rs b/src/bin/mina_mesh.rs
index 2f1d944..b43b0bb 100644
--- a/src/bin/mina_mesh.rs
+++ b/src/bin/mina_mesh.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ enum Command {
 
 #[tokio::main]
 async fn main() -> Result<()> {
-  dotenv::dotenv()?;
+  dotenv::dotenv().ok();
   match Command::parse() {
     Command::Serve(cmd) => cmd.run().await,
     Command::FetchGenesisBlockIdentifier(cmd) => cmd.run().await,
diff --git a/src/commands/serve.rs b/src/commands/serve.rs
index 10029a9..e858273 100644
--- a/src/commands/serve.rs
+++ b/src/commands/serve.rs
@@ -23,10 +23,9 @@ pub struct ServeCommand {
   host: String,
   #[arg(default_value = "3000")]
   port: u16,
-  #[arg(env, long)]
+  /// Whether to enable the playground.
+  #[arg(env = "PLAYGROUND", long)]
   playground: bool,
-  #[arg(env = "RUST_ENV", long)]
-  rust_env: String,
 }
 
 impl ServeCommand {
@@ -52,7 +51,7 @@ impl ServeCommand {
       .route("/network/options", post(handle_network_options))
       .route("/network/status", post(handle_network_status))
       .with_state(Arc::new(mina_mesh));
-    if self.rust_env == "development" || self.playground {
+    if self.playground {
       router = router.route("/", get(handle_playground));
     }
     let listener = TcpListener::bind(format!("{}:{}", self.host, self.port)).await?;