diff --git a/docs/development/start_and_debug_locally_de.md b/docs/development/start_and_debug_locally_de.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4af74e65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/development/start_and_debug_locally_de.md
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# Smeagol lokal starten
+Im folgenden wird beschrieben, wie Smeagol lokal ausgeführt werden kann.
+Dennoch ist dafür ein lokales EcoSystem mit einem lauffähigen SCM-Manager notwendig.
+Außerdem muss der CAS in die development-Stage gebracht werden.
+Dafür folgendes ausführen: `etcdctl set config/_global/stage development && docker restart cas`
+
+
+## 1. Frontend starten
+* Sicherstellen dass die installierte Node-Version kleiner als 18 ist. Mit Node 16 wurde es erfolgreich getestet.
+* Aus dem Root-Ordner des Repositories folgendes ausführen: `node src/main/scripts/start.js`
+
+
+## 2. Backend starten
+* Beim SCM-Manager ein API-Token erstellen: `https://192.168.56.2/scm/me/settings/apiKeys`
+* Den API-Key kopieren und in die application.yml unter `src/main/resources` eintragen
+
+Beispiel:
+```
+scm:
+  url: https://192.168.56.2/scm
+  accessKey: eyJhcGlLZXlJZCI6IjVFVFp5ZUNlckEiLCJ1c2VyIjoiYWRtaW4iLCJwYXNzcGhyYXNlIjoieDFodXliWkhIaWpuTnNoNFlqQngifQ
+```
+
+* Mit `./mvwnw spring-boot:run` bzw `mvn spring-boot:run` Smeagol starten - Applikation läuft nun.
+* Alternativ kann Smeagol auch einfach über die IDE gestartet werden. Die Konfiguration dafür sollte automatisch angelegt worden sein.
+
diff --git a/docs/development/start_and_debug_locally_en.md b/docs/development/start_and_debug_locally_en.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cc645f48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/development/start_and_debug_locally_en.md
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# Start Smeagol locally
+The following describes how to run Smeagol locally.
+However, this requires a local EcoSystem with a running SCM manager.
+In addition, the CAS must be brought into the development stage.
+To do this, execute the following: `etcdctl set config/_global/stage development && docker restart cas`.
+
+
+## 1. start frontend
+* Make sure that the installed node version is lower than 18. With Node 16 it was tested successfully.
+* From the root folder of the repository execute: `node src/main/scripts/start.js`.
+
+
+## 2. start backend
+* Create an API token at the SCM manager: `https://192.168.56.2/scm/me/settings/apiKeys`.
+* Copy the API key and add it to the application.yml under `src/main/resources`.
+
+Example:
+```
+scm:
+  url: https://192.168.56.2/scm
+  accessKey: eyJhcGlLZXlJZCI6IjVFVFp5ZUNlckEiLCJ1c2VyIjoiYWRtaW4iLCJwYXNzcGhyYXNlIjoieDFodXliWkhIaWpuTnNoNFlqQngifQ
+```
+
+* Start Smeagol with `./mvwnw spring-boot:run` or `mvn spring-boot:run` - application is now running.
+* Alternatively, Smeagol can also be started simply via the IDE. The configuration for this should have been created automatically.
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/cloudogu/smeagol/AccountService.java b/src/main/java/com/cloudogu/smeagol/AccountService.java
index b30f1e97..db699ab0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/cloudogu/smeagol/AccountService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/cloudogu/smeagol/AccountService.java
@@ -39,14 +39,20 @@ public class AccountService {
     private final String scmUrl;
     private final RestTemplate scmRestTemplate;
 
+    // For local development purposes only
+    private final String accessKey;
+
     private static final String ACCESS_TOKEN_ENDPOINT = "/api/v2/cas/auth/";
 
     @Autowired
     public AccountService(ObjectFactory<HttpServletRequest> requestFactory, RestTemplateBuilder restTemplateBuilder,
+                          @Value("${scm.accessKey:#{null}}") String accessKey,
                           @Value("${scm.url}") String scmUrl, Stage stage) {
         this.scmRestTemplate = createRestTemplate(restTemplateBuilder, stage, scmUrl);
         this.requestFactory = requestFactory;
         this.scmUrl = scmUrl;
+        // For local development purposes only
+        this.accessKey = accessKey;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -98,6 +104,12 @@ private Account getNewAccount(HttpServletRequest request) {
     }
 
     private String getAccessToken(AttributePrincipal principal) {
+        // Should be used in local development only
+        if (this.accessKey != null){
+            String accessKey = this.accessKey;
+            return accessKey;
+        }
+
         String accessTokenEndpointURL = getAccessTokenEndpoint();
         String pt = principal.getProxyTicketFor(accessTokenEndpointURL);
         if (Strings.isNullOrEmpty(pt)) {
diff --git a/src/main/resources/application.yml b/src/main/resources/application.yml
index 27325db9..ca4e2ec0 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/application.yml
+++ b/src/main/resources/application.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ ui:
 
 scm:
   url: https://192.168.56.2/scm
+  accessKey: eyJhcGlLZXlJZCI6IjVFVFp5ZUNlckEiLCJ1c2VyIjoiYWRtaW4iLCJwYXNzcGhyYXNlIjoieDFodXliWkhIaWpuTnNoNFlqQngifQ
+
 
 cas:
   url: https://192.168.56.2/cas