diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5bb80a6..8d2aa11 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ __pycache__/
 *.py[cod]
 *$py.class
 *.log
+*.pid
+
 
 # Environments
 .env
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5802aa6..921d2aa 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -36,10 +36,19 @@ An automated, AI-powered media organizer with in-browser video streaming, multi-
 - CIFS/SMB share mounted or access to qBittorrent WebUI.
 
 ### 2. Start the Server
+
+**Foreground:**
 ```bash
 python3 server.py
 ```
 
+**Background (Silent Mode):**
+```bash
+./start.sh      # Start in background (logs to server.log)
+./stop.sh       # Stop running server
+./restart.sh    # Restart server
+```
+
 ### 3. Open in Browser
 Visit **`http://localhost:8000`** (or your machine's IP on port 8000).
 
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4530a7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Python Standard Library only
+# Requires Python >= 3.8
+# No external third-party packages required
diff --git a/restart.sh b/restart.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..1acfba4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/restart.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -e
+
+DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+
+"$DIR/stop.sh"
+sleep 1
+"$DIR/start.sh"
diff --git a/start.sh b/start.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..cfda8cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/start.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -e
+
+DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+cd "$DIR"
+
+PID_FILE="$DIR/server.pid"
+LOG_FILE="$DIR/server.log"
+
+if [ -f "$PID_FILE" ]; then
+    PID=$(cat "$PID_FILE")
+    if kill -0 "$PID" 2>/dev/null; then
+        echo "Server is already running with PID $PID."
+        exit 0
+    else
+        rm -f "$PID_FILE"
+    fi
+fi
+
+# Start server in detached session, redirecting output to log file
+setsid python3 -u server.py > "$LOG_FILE" 2>&1 < /dev/null &
+PID=$!
+echo $PID > "$PID_FILE"
+
+
+# Quick check if it started successfully
+sleep 0.5
+if kill -0 "$PID" 2>/dev/null; then
+    echo "Server started successfully (PID $PID)."
+    echo "Logs: $LOG_FILE"
+else
+    echo "Failed to start server. Check logs: $LOG_FILE"
+    rm -f "$PID_FILE"
+    exit 1
+fi
diff --git a/stop.sh b/stop.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..6523cc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stop.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -e
+
+DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+PID_FILE="$DIR/server.pid"
+
+if [ ! -f "$PID_FILE" ]; then
+    # Also check if any rogue server.py is running in this dir
+    PIDS=$(pgrep -f "python3.*server.py" || true)
+    if [ -z "$PIDS" ]; then
+        echo "Server is not running."
+        exit 0
+    else
+        echo "PID file not found, but found server process(es): $PIDS. Stopping..."
+        kill $PIDS 2>/dev/null || true
+        exit 0
+    fi
+fi
+
+PID=$(cat "$PID_FILE")
+
+if kill -0 "$PID" 2>/dev/null; then
+    echo "Stopping server (PID $PID)..."
+    kill "$PID" 2>/dev/null || true
+
+    # Wait up to 5 seconds for graceful shutdown
+    for i in {1..10}; do
+        if ! kill -0 "$PID" 2>/dev/null; then
+            break
+        fi
+        sleep 0.5
+    done
+
+    # Force kill if still alive
+    if kill -0 "$PID" 2>/dev/null; then
+        echo "Force killing server (PID $PID)..."
+        kill -9 "$PID" 2>/dev/null || true
+    fi
+
+    echo "Server stopped."
+else
+    echo "Server (PID $PID) was not running."
+fi
+
+rm -f "$PID_FILE"