diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3dba4aed5..f45f3234f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -6,27 +6,36 @@ found at [api.laji.fi](https://apitest.laji.fi/explorer/).
 This repo contains 3 main branches. Follow guidelines set in [wiki](http://wiki.helsinki.fi/display/luomusict/Laji.fi+front+kehitysohjeet) for developing.
 
 ## Development server
-```bash
 
-# clone branch
-git clone git@github.com:luomus/laji.git
-cd laji
+### Installation
+
+Make sure to use the correct node version marked in `.nvmrc`. You can use for example volta or nvm.
 
-# Install application dependencies
-# Redis and make sure that it's running
-# Python and maker sure that the python executable is in the path
+Install the dependencies:
 
-# Install js dependencies (node >= v14)
+```bash
 npm ci
+```
+
+### Running
 
-# Run the environment
+```bash
 npm start
+```
+
+Go with your browser to http://localhost:3000/
+
+### API proxy configuration
 
-# Go with your browser to http://localhost:3000/
+By default the app proxies api requests through https://dev.laji.fi/api. You can configure the api base and the access token with `.env` file:
+
+```
+API_BASE=https://apitest.laji.fi
+ACCESS_TOKEN=<Your access token>
 ```
 
 ## Running end-to-end tests
-1. Create an empty `.env` file at the root of the repository:
+1. Add the following to `.env` file at the root of the repository:
 ```
 E2E_PERSON_TOKEN=
 E2E_USER=
diff --git a/config.json b/config.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 20cd2e829..000000000
--- a/config.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "api_base": "https://apitest.laji.fi",
-  "access_token": "SBL3mE8FhECAWMIuJCPDQsFhLPoz4uhr9drid11nGsOMXECaAe7m5s9ptGo0UWzo"
-}
diff --git a/proxy.conf.js b/proxy.conf.js
index fbd25b730..574088dd8 100644
--- a/proxy.conf.js
+++ b/proxy.conf.js
@@ -1,21 +1,21 @@
-const config = require('./config');
+require('dotenv').config();
 
-module.exports = {
-  '/api/**': {
-    target: config.api_base,
-    changeOrigin: true,
-    xfwd: true,
-    secure: false,
-    pathRewrite: {
-      '^/api/': 'v0/'
-    },
-    headers: {
-      Authorization: config.access_token
-    },
-    rewrite: function(req) {
-      req.url = req.url.replace(/^\/api/, 'v0') +
-        (req.url.indexOf('?') === -1 ? '?' : '&' ) +
-        'access_token=' + config.access_token;
-    }
+const proxyConfig = {
+  target:  process.env.API_BASE || "https://dev.laji.fi/api",
+  changeOrigin: true,
+  xfwd: true,
+  secure: false,
+  pathRewrite: {
+    '^/api/': 'v0/'
+  }
+};
+
+if (process.env.ACCESS_TOKEN) {
+  proxyConfig.headers = {
+    Authorization: process.env.ACCESS_TOKEN
   }
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  '/api/**': proxyConfig
 };