diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0f73688
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+name: deploy to digitalOcean
+run-name: Deploy to DigitalOcean by @${{ github.actor }}
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+
+jobs:
+  deploy:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+       - name: Deploy Flask app
+         uses: appleboy/ssh-action@v0.1.2
+         with:
+           host: ${{secrets.SSH_HOST}} # IP address of the server you wish to ssh into
+           key: ${{secrets.SSH_KEY}} # Private or public key of the server
+           username: ${{ secrets.SSH_USERNAME }} # User of the server you want to ssh into
+           script: |
+             if ! [ -d "$HOME/waterlogged-prototype/" ]; then
+               echo 'repo does not exist!'
+               exit 1
+             fi
+
+             cd $HOME/waterlogged-prototype/
+
+             git pull
+             if [ $? != 0 ]; then
+               echo "git pull failed, check the server logs!"
+               exit 1
+             fi
+
+             ./deploy-rust.sh
+             if [ $? != 0 ]; then
+               echo "deploy-rust.sh failed, check the server logs!"
+               exit 1
+             fi
+
+             echo 'Deployment successful to digital ocean'
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index af21f17..b948f8f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ Similar advice is available from government sources on a subscription basis, mos
 
 # TODOs
 
-- [✓] Build a decent docker template for the rust API [KN 4/11/23]
-- [] Set up CI to deploy to digitalocean droplet using ssh and docker
+See https://github.com/nseymoursmith/waterlogged-prototype/issues
 
 # User flow
 
diff --git a/deploy-rust.sh b/deploy-rust.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..701d906
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deploy-rust.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+./stop-api.sh
+
+if ! [ -d "$HOME/waterlogged-prototype/dockerised-rust-api/" ]; then
+    echo 'docker app directory does not exist!'
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+cd $HOME/waterlogged-prototype/dockerised-rust-api/
+cargo build --release
+if [ $? != 0 ]; then
+    echo "cargo  build failed, check the server logs!"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+./target/release/api-example &
+
+# Capture PID of last executed command with `$!`
+# and use it to generate a kill script
+echo "kill $!" > ../stop-api.sh
+
+chmod +x ../stop-api.sh