diff --git a/.github/workflows/backend.yaml b/.github/workflows/backend.yaml
index 8759c60c..4a6e1dce 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/backend.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/backend.yaml
@@ -14,6 +14,13 @@ on:
       - "backend/**"
       - ".github/workflows/backend.yaml"
 
+env:
+  # GCP/Deploy settings (used by deploy job)
+  GCP_PROJECT_ID: atomify-ee7b5
+  REGION: europe-west1
+  SERVICE_NAME: atomify-api
+  IMAGE_NAME: atomify-api
+
 jobs:
   test:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
@@ -52,5 +59,56 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: Build Docker image
-        run: docker build -t atomify-api:test ./backend
+        run: docker build -t ${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:test ./backend
+
+  deploy:
+    needs: [test, docker]
+    if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.event_name == 'push'
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      id-token: write
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Authenticate to Google Cloud
+        uses: google-github-actions/auth@v2
+        with:
+          credentials_json: ${{ secrets.GCP_SA_KEY }}
+
+      - name: Set up Cloud SDK
+        uses: google-github-actions/setup-gcloud@v2
+
+      - name: Configure Docker for GCR
+        run: gcloud auth configure-docker
+
+      - name: Build and push Docker image
+        run: |
+          IMAGE_TAG="gcr.io/${{ env.GCP_PROJECT_ID }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ github.sha }}"
+          docker build -t $IMAGE_TAG ./backend
+          docker push $IMAGE_TAG
+          echo "IMAGE_TAG=$IMAGE_TAG" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+      - name: Create env vars file
+        run: |
+          printf 'DATABASE_URL: "sqlite+aiosqlite:////data/atomify.db"\nFIREBASE_PROJECT_ID: "atomify-ee7b5"\nGCS_BUCKET_NAME: "atomify-user-files"\nCORS_ORIGINS: '\''["http://localhost:3000","https://andeplane.github.io"]'\''\n' > /tmp/env-vars.yaml
 
+      - name: Deploy to Cloud Run
+        run: |
+          gcloud run deploy ${{ env.SERVICE_NAME }} \
+            --image=${{ env.IMAGE_TAG }} \
+            --region=${{ env.REGION }} \
+            --platform=managed \
+            --execution-environment=gen2 \
+            --allow-unauthenticated \
+            --service-account=${{ secrets.GCP_SERVICE_ACCOUNT_EMAIL }} \
+            --env-vars-file=/tmp/env-vars.yaml \
+            --add-volume=name=db-volume,type=cloud-storage,bucket=atomify-db \
+            --add-volume-mount=volume=db-volume,mount-path=/data \
+            --memory=512Mi \
+            --cpu=1 \
+            --min-instances=0 \
+            --max-instances=10 \
+            --timeout=300 \
+            --port=8000
diff --git a/backend/.env b/backend/.env
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8cdadc8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/.env
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# API Settings
+API_HOST=0.0.0.0
+API_PORT=8000
+DEBUG=true
+
+# Database (SQLite)
+DATABASE_URL=sqlite+aiosqlite:///./atomify.db
+
+# Firebase
+FIREBASE_PROJECT_ID=atomify-ee7b5
+
+# Google Cloud credentials (for GCS and Firebase Admin)
+# Option 1: Use gcloud auth application-default login (no file needed)
+# Option 2: Point to a service account key file
+# GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS=./service-account.json
+
+# Google Cloud Storage
+GCS_BUCKET_NAME=atomify-user-files
+
+# CORS (JSON array format)
+CORS_ORIGINS=["http://localhost:3000","http://localhost:5173","https://andeplane.github.io"]
diff --git a/backend/.gitignore b/backend/.gitignore
index e0b75752..336968d5 100644
--- a/backend/.gitignore
+++ b/backend/.gitignore
@@ -12,7 +12,11 @@ venv/
 *.sqlite
 
 # Environment
-.env
+# .env.local  # Use for local overrides if needed
+
+# Service account keys (NEVER commit these)
+*-key.json
+service-account.json
 
 # IDE
 .idea/
diff --git a/backend/DEPLOYMENT.md b/backend/DEPLOYMENT.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f3024e83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/DEPLOYMENT.md
@@ -0,0 +1,176 @@
+# Backend Deployment Guide
+
+## Overview
+
+The backend is deployed to Google Cloud Run automatically via GitHub Actions when changes are pushed to `main`.
+
+## Hardcoded Values (in workflow)
+
+- **GCP Project ID**: `atomify-ee7b5`
+- **Firebase Project ID**: `atomify-ee7b5` (same as GCP)
+- **Region**: `europe-west1`
+- **Service Name**: `atomify-api`
+- **Database URL**: `sqlite+aiosqlite:////data/atomify.db` (SQLite file path)
+- **GCS Bucket Name**: `atomify-user-files`
+- **CORS Origins**: `http://localhost:3000,https://andeplane.github.io`
+
+## Required GitHub Secrets
+
+Set these in your GitHub repository: **Settings → Secrets and variables → Actions**
+
+### 1. `GCP_SA_KEY`
+- **Description**: Service account JSON key for CI/CD deployment
+- **Service account**: `github-actions@atomify-ee7b5.iam.gserviceaccount.com`
+- **Roles**:
+  - `Cloud Run Admin` — deploy services
+  - `Service Account User` — impersonate runtime SA
+  - `Storage Object Admin` — push Docker images to GCR
+
+### 2. `GCP_SERVICE_ACCOUNT_EMAIL`
+- **Description**: Email of the service account that Cloud Run uses at runtime
+- **Value**: `atomify-api@atomify-ee7b5.iam.gserviceaccount.com`
+- **Roles**:
+  - `Storage Object Admin` — access GCS buckets
+- **Note**: No Firebase role needed — token verification uses public keys
+
+## Cloud Run Setup
+
+### 1. Enable APIs
+
+```bash
+gcloud services enable \
+  run.googleapis.com \
+  cloudbuild.googleapis.com \
+  containerregistry.googleapis.com \
+  storage-api.googleapis.com
+```
+
+### 2. Create Service Account for Cloud Run
+
+```bash
+gcloud iam service-accounts create atomify-api \
+  --display-name="Atomify API Service Account"
+
+gcloud projects add-iam-policy-binding atomify-ee7b5 \
+  --member="serviceAccount:atomify-api@atomify-ee7b5.iam.gserviceaccount.com" \
+  --role="roles/storage.objectAdmin"
+```
+
+### 3. Create GCS Bucket
+
+**Note**: Billing must be enabled for the project first.
+
+```bash
+gcloud storage buckets create gs://atomify-user-files \
+  --project=atomify-ee7b5 \
+  --location=europe-west1
+
+gcloud storage buckets add-iam-policy-binding gs://atomify-user-files \
+  --member="serviceAccount:atomify-api@atomify-ee7b5.iam.gserviceaccount.com" \
+  --role="roles/storage.objectAdmin"
+```
+
+### 4. Create Database Bucket (for SQLite persistence)
+
+SQLite is persisted via GCS FUSE mount:
+
+```bash
+# Create bucket for SQLite database
+gcloud storage buckets create gs://atomify-db \
+  --project=atomify-ee7b5 \
+  --location=europe-west1
+
+# Grant runtime service account access
+gcloud storage buckets add-iam-policy-binding gs://atomify-db \
+  --member="serviceAccount:atomify-api@atomify-ee7b5.iam.gserviceaccount.com" \
+  --role="roles/storage.objectAdmin"
+```
+
+The deploy command mounts this bucket at `/data` using Cloud Storage FUSE.
+
+## Database Migrations
+
+Migrations are **NOT** run automatically in the container startup to avoid race conditions.
+
+### Option 1: Manual Migration (Recommended)
+
+Before deploying, run migrations manually:
+
+```bash
+# Build and run migration container
+docker build -t atomify-api:migrate ./backend
+docker run --rm \
+  -e DATABASE_URL="$DATABASE_URL" \
+  atomify-api:migrate \
+  alembic upgrade head
+```
+
+### Option 2: Cloud Run Job
+
+Create a Cloud Run Job for migrations:
+
+```bash
+gcloud run jobs create atomify-api-migrate \
+  --image=gcr.io/atomify-ee7b5/atomify-api:latest \
+  --region=europe-west1 \
+  --set-env-vars="DATABASE_URL=$DATABASE_URL" \
+  --command="alembic" \
+  --args="upgrade,head"
+
+# Run before each deployment
+gcloud run jobs execute atomify-api-migrate --region=europe-west1 --wait
+```
+
+## Manual Deployment
+
+If you need to deploy manually:
+
+```bash
+# Build and push
+docker build -t gcr.io/atomify-ee7b5/atomify-api:latest ./backend
+docker push gcr.io/atomify-ee7b5/atomify-api:latest
+
+# Deploy
+gcloud run deploy atomify-api \
+  --image=gcr.io/atomify-ee7b5/atomify-api:latest \
+  --region=europe-west1 \
+  --platform=managed \
+  --execution-environment=gen2 \
+  --allow-unauthenticated \
+  --service-account=atomify-api@atomify-ee7b5.iam.gserviceaccount.com \
+  --set-env-vars="DATABASE_URL=sqlite+aiosqlite:////data/atomify.db,FIREBASE_PROJECT_ID=atomify-ee7b5,GCS_BUCKET_NAME=atomify-user-files,CORS_ORIGINS=http://localhost:3000,https://andeplane.github.io" \
+  --add-volume=name=db-volume,type=cloud-storage,bucket=atomify-db \
+  --add-volume-mount=volume=db-volume,mount-path=/data \
+  --memory=512Mi \
+  --cpu=1 \
+  --port=8000
+```
+
+## Monitoring
+
+- **Logs**: `gcloud run services logs read atomify-api --region=europe-west1`
+- **Metrics**: Google Cloud Console → Cloud Run → atomify-api
+- **Health Check**: `https://atomify-api-xxx.run.app/health`
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Service won't start
+- Check logs: `gcloud run services logs read atomify-api --region=europe-west1`
+- Verify environment variables are set correctly
+- Check service account permissions
+
+### Database connection fails
+- Verify `DATABASE_URL` is correct
+- For Cloud SQL: Ensure Cloud SQL Admin API is enabled
+- For SQLite volume: Ensure volume is mounted at `/data`
+
+### Firebase Auth fails
+- Verify `FIREBASE_PROJECT_ID` matches your Firebase project
+- Token verification uses public keys (no special permissions needed)
+- Ensure Firebase Admin SDK is initialized correctly
+
+### GCS access fails
+- Verify `GCS_BUCKET_NAME` exists
+- Check service account has `Storage Object Admin` role
+- Verify bucket IAM allows the service account
+