diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 35271eb..423c360 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -32,11 +32,13 @@ By completing the Vue.js Master Class, you will be able to land any Vue related
 Convinced? [Enroll now](https://vueschool.io/the-vuejs-master-class)
 
 
-
 ## Build Setup
 
 ``` bash
 # install dependencies
+npm install
+
+# if you've installed yarn instead
 yarn
 
 # serve with hot reload at localhost:8080
@@ -50,3 +52,26 @@ npm run build --report
 ```
 
 For a detailed explanation on how things work, check out the [guide](http://vuejs-templates.github.io/webpack/) and [docs for vue-loader](http://vuejs.github.io/vue-loader).
+
+## Firebase
+Later master classes shou how to move past read-only, to your own writeable
+database.
+
+- Create a free account at https://firebase.google.com/
+- Install firebase-cli
+  - Mac Homebrew: `brew install firebase-cli`
+  - (ToDo: community support for other OSes)
+- `npm install -g firebase-tools`   # optional
+- Log into your Firebase account
+- Create a Firebase project, as needed
+- Grab the project configuration
+  - Click the project, to open its dashboard
+  - Click the ( </> ) properties icon
+- Edit .env with your settings (in project root folder)
+- Edit .firebaserc
+
+`firebase login`
+`npm run db:seed`
+
+Follow steps in *Build Setup* to run / build
+Your empty page awaits!
diff --git a/build/setup.js b/build/setup.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1a46fae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/setup.js
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+"use strict";
+
+const fs = require('fs');
+if (! fs.existsSync('.env')) {
+  fs.createReadStream('.env.example').pipe(fs.createWriteStream('.env'));
+}
diff --git a/database.rules.json b/database.rules.json
index d2b8268..4ff5dd4 100644
--- a/database.rules.json
+++ b/database.rules.json
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 {
   "rules": {
     ".read": true,
-    ".write": true
+    ".write": true,
+    "users": {
+      ".indexOn": ["usernameLower", "email"]
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 84d7d31..185f3c3 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -8,13 +8,16 @@
     "dev": "node build/dev-server.js",
     "start": "npm run dev",
     "build": "node build/build.js",
+    "postinstall": "node build/setup.js",
     "lint": "eslint --ext .js,.vue src",
     "db:seed": "firebase database:set / src/data.json -y"
   },
   "dependencies": {
+    "@firebase/app": "^0.3.4",
     "dotenv": "^5.0.1",
-    "firebase": "^4.12.1",
+    "firebase": "^5.5.8",
     "moment": "^2.19.3",
+    "node-gyp": "^3.8.0",
     "nprogress": "^0.2.0",
     "vue": "^2.5.2",
     "vue-router": "^3.0.1",
@@ -55,9 +58,9 @@
     "ora": "^1.2.0",
     "portfinder": "^1.0.13",
     "rimraf": "^2.6.0",
-    "semver": "^5.3.0",
+    "semver": "^5.6.0",
     "shelljs": "^0.7.6",
-    "url-loader": "^0.5.8",
+    "url-loader": "^1.1.2",
     "vue-loader": "^13.3.0",
     "vue-style-loader": "^3.0.1",
     "vue-template-compiler": "^2.5.2",