diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
deleted file mode 100644
index 935c012..0000000
--- a/.gitignore
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-__pycache__
-.venv
-test.py 
-data.json
-.streamlit/secrets.toml
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 63d791e..3bd023e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -94,10 +94,27 @@ GitHub Contribution Tracker is a **Streamlit** web application that visualizes G
 
 ## Usage
 
-1. Enter your **GitHub Username**.
-2. Provide a **GitHub Personal Access Token** (with `read:user` and `repo` scopes for GraphQL API access).
+1. Enter your credentials into `.stremlit/secrets.toml`.
+2. Provide a **GitHub Personal Access Token** (with `read:user` and `repo` scopes for GraphQL API access), your **GitHub username**, and set **autoload** to `true` or `false` _(`true` recommended)_.
+
+  `secrets.toml` example:
+  ```
+  token = "github_pat_..."
+  username = "my-github-username"
+  autoload = true
+  ```
+
 3. View detailed stats, visualizations, and achievements based on your contribution data.
 
+### Control browser auto-open via server config 
+
+If you don't want your browser to automatically open the dashboard everytime you run `streamlit run app.py`, just add the following two lines to your `config.toml` in `.streamlit` folder:
+
+```
+[server]
+headless = true
+```
+
 ### How to Generate a GitHub Personal Access Token
 
 1. Go to [GitHub Developer Settings](https://github.com/settings/tokens).
diff --git a/utils/streamlit_ui.py b/utils/streamlit_ui.py
index 129611f..e4df691 100644
--- a/utils/streamlit_ui.py
+++ b/utils/streamlit_ui.py
@@ -2,7 +2,11 @@
 from streamlit import session_state as sst
 from utils.fetch_github_data import fetch_star_count
 
-TOKEN = st.secrets["token"]
+# Read secrets with fallback for local/dev usage.
+# Keep `token` required in deployed environments.
+TOKEN = st.secrets.get("token", "") if hasattr(st, "secrets") else ""
+DEFAULT_USERNAME = st.secrets.get("username", "") if hasattr(st, "secrets") else ""
+AUTOLOAD = st.secrets.get("autoload", False) if hasattr(st, "secrets") else False
 
 def base_ui():
     """
@@ -24,9 +28,12 @@ def base_ui():
     # Title and input
     title_bar()
 
-    with st.sidebar:
+    with st.sidebar.expander("Controls", expanded=not AUTOLOAD):
         form() # Streamlit Form
 
+        if AUTOLOAD and sst.username and sst.token:
+            sst.button_pressed = True
+
         if sst.username and sst.token and sst.button_pressed:
             nav_ui() # Sidebar navigation menu
 
@@ -75,13 +82,25 @@ def initialize_sst():
 
     # Initializing session state
     if 'username' not in sst:
-        sst.username = ''
+        sst.username = DEFAULT_USERNAME
     if 'user_token' not in sst:
         sst.user_token = ''
     if 'token_present' not in sst:
         sst.token_present = False
     if 'button_pressed' not in sst:
         sst.button_pressed = False
+    if 'token' not in sst:
+        sst.token = TOKEN
+
+    # If we have a username in secrets, prefill the input and mark the button state
+    if DEFAULT_USERNAME and not sst.username:
+        sst.username = DEFAULT_USERNAME
+    # If a token is present in secrets and user has not manually provided one, use it
+    if TOKEN and not sst.user_token:
+        sst.user_token = TOKEN
+        sst.token = TOKEN
+        sst.token_present = False
+
 
 def title_bar():
     """