diff --git a/check_services.sh b/check_services.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f68365fad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/check_services.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+echo "########## time to check the services, this script must be run with an user able to manage services, someone with sudo rights for example"
+sudo service postgresql status
+sudo service mastodon-* status
+echo "########## run:
+sudo service mastodon-* restart
+
+and check that everything is working fine
+
+sudo journalctl -feu mastodon-*
+
+"
diff --git a/update_dev.sh b/update_dev.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f5a25c596
--- /dev/null
+++ b/update_dev.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+## script must be run with the mastodon user
+
+echo "ruby version is":
+ruby -v
+echo "needed version is":
+cat .ruby-version
+echo "########## time to update mastodon. you need to pull your git branch before running this script."
+git remote -v
+git pull origin master
+echo "########## install back end updates "
+bundle install
+bundle exec rake db:migrate
+echo "########## install front end updates "
+bundle exec rails assets:precompile
+echo "########## check the services "
+echo "########## now time to restart web services "
+foreman start
diff --git a/update_prod.sh b/update_prod.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..04c585af7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/update_prod.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+## script must be run with the mastodon user
+cd /home/mastodon/live/
+echo "ruby version is":
+ruby -v
+echo "needed version is":
+cat .ruby-version
+echo "########## time to update mastodon. you need to pull your git branch before running this script."
+git remote -v
+echo "########## install back end updates "
+RAILS_ENV=production bundle install
+RAILS_ENV=production bundle exec rake db:migrate
+echo "########## install front end updates "
+RAILS_ENV=production bundle exec rails assets:precompile
+echo "########## check the services "
+echo "########## now time to restart web services "