diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 04cbeb6..f9c1d84 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 BACKEND_CONTAINER_NAME=python_backend
 
-.PHONY: docker/start docker/start-build docker/clean backend/test backend/migrate backend/upgrade
+.PHONY: docker/start docker/start-build docker/clean backend/test backend/migrate backend/upgrade backend/init
 
 # Docker commands:
 
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ docker/clean:
 
 # Backend commands:
 
+backend/init:
+	docker compose exec $(BACKEND_CONTAINER_NAME) python3 -m flask --app main db init
+
 backend/migrate:
 	@if [ "$(message)" = "" ]; then \
 		echo "Please provide a migration message. Usage: make migrate message='Your migration message'"; \
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3348031..63dcac5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ Frontend Application (React): Provides a user-friendly interface for browsing an
 
 2. To start the services run `make docker/start`
 
+3. After starting the services, run the following make commands to setup the database and schemas: `backend/init`, `backend/migration`, `backend/upgrade`
+
 ### Makefile Commands
 
 This Makefile provides convenient targets to automate common development tasks.
@@ -47,6 +49,8 @@ This Makefile provides convenient targets to automate common development tasks.
 
 - **docker/clean**: Remove volumes and delete all images associated with the containers defined in the `docker-compose.yml` file.
 
+- **backend/init**: Inits Flask migration folder.
+
 - **backend/migrate**: Runs Flask migration with a specified message.
 
 - **backend/upgrade**: Upgrades the database schema using Flask.
diff --git a/backend/.gitignore b/backend/.gitignore
index e1c5f70..02b404d 100644
--- a/backend/.gitignore
+++ b/backend/.gitignore
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ var/
 *.egg-info/
 .installed.cfg
 *.egg
-
 # PyInstaller
 #  Usually these files are written by a python script from a template
 #  before PyInstaller builds the exe, so as to inject date/other infos into it.
@@ -90,4 +89,5 @@ ENV/
 # Rope project settings
 .ropeproject
 
-*.code-workspace
\ No newline at end of file
+*.code-workspace
+migrations/
\ No newline at end of file