diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 093fd9b..4711059 100755
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 # .env files
 .env
+.env*
 
 # code-server directories
 configs/code-server/.config/code-server/*
diff --git a/config.sh b/config.sh
index b76e6de..a935d1a 100755
--- a/config.sh
+++ b/config.sh
@@ -23,37 +23,157 @@ ENV_FILE="$SCRIPT_DIR/.env"
 
 echo "Looking for .env file at: $ENV_FILE"
 
-# Check if .env file exists
+# Initialize a new .env file if it doesn't exist
 if [ ! -f "$ENV_FILE" ]; then
-  echo "Error: .env file not found at $ENV_FILE"
-  echo "Creating a backup plan - searching for .env in current directory..."
-  
-  if [ -f ".env" ]; then
-    ENV_FILE=".env"
-    echo "Found .env in current directory. Using: $ENV_FILE"
-  else
-    echo "Still no .env file found. Please make sure the .env file exists."
-    exit 1
-  fi
+  echo "No .env file found. Creating a new one from scratch."
+  touch "$ENV_FILE"
+  initialize_env_file
+else
+  echo "Found existing .env file. Will update values."
+  # Create a backup of the existing file
+  backup_env_file
 fi
 
 # Function to create a timestamped backup of the .env file
 backup_env_file() {
-  local timestamp=$(date +"%Y%m%d_%H%M%S")
-  local backup_file="$ENV_FILE.backup_$timestamp"
-  
-  echo "Creating backup of current .env file to: $backup_file"
-  if cp "$ENV_FILE" "$backup_file"; then
-    echo "Backup created successfully!"
-    return 0
-  else
-    echo "Failed to create backup file. Proceeding with caution..."
-    return 1
+  if [ -f "$ENV_FILE" ]; then
+    local timestamp=$(date +"%Y%m%d_%H%M%S")
+    local backup_file="$ENV_FILE.backup_$timestamp"
+    
+    echo "Creating backup of current .env file to: $backup_file"
+    if cp "$ENV_FILE" "$backup_file"; then
+      echo "Backup created successfully!"
+      return 0
+    else
+      echo "Failed to create backup file. Proceeding with caution..."
+      return 1
+    fi
   fi
 }
 
-# Create a backup of the current .env file before making any changes
-backup_env_file
+# Function to initialize the .env file with default values
+initialize_env_file() {
+  echo "Initializing new .env file with default values..."
+  
+  # Create the new .env file with header
+  cat > "$ENV_FILE" << EOL
+# Never share this file publicly. It contains sensitive information.
+# This file is used to configure various applications and services.
+# Generated by Changemaker Config Wizard on $(date)
+
+# Domain Configuration
+DOMAIN=changeme.org
+BASE_DOMAIN=https://changeme.org
+
+# Listmonk Configuration
+LISTMONK_ADMIN_USER=admin
+LISTMONK_ADMIN_PASSWORD=strongpassword
+LISTMONK_PORT=9000
+LISTMONK_HOSTNAME=listmonk.changeme.org
+
+# Database Credentials
+POSTGRES_USER=listmonk
+POSTGRES_PASSWORD=$(generate_password 20)
+POSTGRES_DB=listmonk
+
+# Monica CRM Configuration
+MONICA_APP_KEY=base64:$(openssl rand -base64 32)
+MONICA_DB_USERNAME=monica
+MONICA_DB_PASSWORD=$(generate_password 20)
+MONICA_MYSQL_DATABASE=monica
+MONICA_MYSQL_USER=monica
+MONICA_MYSQL_PASSWORD=$(generate_password 20)
+
+# MkDocs Configuration
+USER_ID=1000
+GROUP_ID=1000
+MKDOCS_PORT=4000
+
+# Flatnotes Configuration
+FLATNOTES_PUID=1000
+FLATNOTES_PGID=1000
+FLATNOTES_AUTH_TYPE=password
+FLATNOTES_USERNAME=user
+FLATNOTES_PASSWORD=changeMe!
+FLATNOTES_SECRET_KEY=$(generate_password 32)
+FLATNOTES_PORT=8089
+
+# Gitea Configuration
+GITEA_DB_TYPE=mysql
+GITEA_DB_HOST=gitea-db:3306
+GITEA_DB_NAME=gitea
+GITEA_DB_USER=gitea
+GITEA_DB_PASSWD=$(generate_password 24)
+GITEA_DB_ROOT_PASSWORD=$(generate_password 24)
+GITEA_WEB_PORT=3030
+GITEA_SSH_PORT=2225
+GITEA_ROOT_URL=https://gitea.changeme.org
+GITEA_DOMAIN=gitea.changeme.org
+
+# Apache Answer Configuration
+ANSWER_APP_PORT=9080
+
+# Excalidraw Configuration
+EXCALIDRAW_PORT=3333
+EXCALIDRAW_LIBRARY_URL=https://libraries.excalidraw.com
+EXCALIDRAW_LIBRARY_BACKEND=https://us-central1-excalidraw-room-persistence.cloudfunctions.net/libraries
+EXCALIDRAW_PUBLIC_URL=https://excalidraw.changeme.org
+EXCALIDRAW_PUBLIC_SOCKET_URL=https://excalidraw.changeme.org
+
+# Code Server Configuration
+CODE_SERVER_PORT=8888
+USER_NAME=coder
+
+# Cloudflare Credentials
+CF_AUTH_EMAIL=
+CF_API_TOKEN=
+CF_ZONE_ID=
+CF_TUNNEL_ID=
+CF_DOMAIN=changeme.org
+
+# NocoDB Configuration
+NOCODB_PORT=8090
+NOCODB_JWT_SECRET=$(generate_password 32)
+NOCODB_DB_NAME=nocodb
+NOCODB_DB_USER=noco
+NOCODB_DB_PASSWORD=$(generate_password 20)
+
+# OpenWebUI Configuration
+OPEN_WEBUI_PORT=3005
+OPEN_WEBUI_URL=https://open-webui.changeme.org
+
+# N8N Configuration
+N8N_PORT=5678
+N8N_HOST=n8n.changeme.org
+N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY=$(generate_password 32)
+N8N_USER_EMAIL=admin@example.com
+N8N_USER_PASSWORD=changeMe
+GENERIC_TIMEZONE=UTC
+
+# ConvertX Configuration
+CONVERTX_PORT=3100
+CONVERTX_JWT_SECRET=$(generate_password 48)
+
+# Rocket.Chat Configuration
+ROCKETCHAT_IMAGE=registry.rocket.chat/rocketchat/rocket.chat
+ROCKETCHAT_RELEASE=latest
+ROCKETCHAT_PORT=3004
+ROCKETCHAT_CONTAINER_PORT=3000
+ROCKETCHAT_ROOT_URL=https://rocket.changeme.org
+ROCKETCHAT_DEPLOYMENT_ENVIRONMENT=changemaker
+ROCKETCHAT_MONGODB_VERSION=6.0
+ROCKETCHAT_MONGODB_HOST=mongodb-rocketchat
+ROCKETCHAT_MONGODB_PORT=27017
+ROCKETCHAT_MONGODB_DATABASE=rocketchat
+ROCKETCHAT_MONGODB_REPLICA_SET=rs0
+ROCKETCHAT_MONGODB_ENABLE_JOURNAL=true
+ROCKETCHAT_MONGODB_ALLOW_EMPTY_PASSWORD=yes
+
+# Additional Configuration
+EOL
+
+  echo "New .env file created with default values."
+}
 
 # Function to generate a random secure password
 generate_password() {
@@ -75,7 +195,6 @@ update_env_var() {
   local escaped_value=$(echo "$value" | sed 's/[\/&]/\\&/g')
   
   # Make a temporary backup of the .env file before modification
-  # Adding "_tmp" to distinguish from the main backup
   cp "$ENV_FILE" "$ENV_FILE.bak_tmp"
   
   if grep -q "^$key=" "$ENV_FILE"; then
@@ -116,6 +235,9 @@ update_env_var() {
   rm -f "$ENV_FILE.bak_tmp"
 }
 
+# Make sure the initialize_env_file function is available
+initialize_env_file
+
 echo -e "\n\nWelcome to Changemaker Config!\n"
 echo "This script will help you configure your Changemaker instance."
 echo "Please provide the following information:"