diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d65dbd5..4fc1d27 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -58,40 +58,56 @@ How to train CodeScholar:
 Refer to the [training README](./codescholar/representation/README.md) for a detailed description of how to train CodeScholar.
 
 
-How to run pre-trained CodeScholar:
+How to use CodeScholar:
 -----------------------
-    
-```bash
-# start an elasticsearch server (hosts programs)
-docker run --rm -p 9200:9200 -p 9300:9300 -e "xpack.security.enabled=false" -e "discovery.type=single-node" docker.elastic.co/elasticsearch/elasticsearch:8.7.0
-```
-
-```bash
-# start a redis server (hosts embeddings)
-docker run --rm -p 6379:6379 redis
-```
 
-```bash
-# index the dataset using /search/elastic_search.py
-cd codescholar/search
-python elastic_search.py --dataset <dataset_name>
-```
-
-> TODO: index all embeddings into redis; currently index happens before each search
-
-```bash
-# run the codescholar query (say np.mean) using /search/search.py
-python search.py --dataset <dataset_name> --seed np.mean
-```
-
-You can also use some arguments with the search query:
-```bash
---min_idiom_size <int> # minimum size of idioms to be saved
---max_idiom_size <int> # maximum size of idioms to be saved
---max_init_beams <int> # maximum beams to initialize search
---stop_at_equilibrium  # stop search when diversity = reusability of idioms
-```
-*note: see more configurations in [/search/search_config.py](./codescholar/search/search_config.py)*
+1. Starting services
+    ```bash
+    # start codescholar services (elasticsearch and redis)
+    ./services.sh start
+    ```
+    <details>
+        <summary>what does this do?</summary>
+
+        ```bash
+        # start an elasticsearch server (hosts programs) in a tmux session
+        docker run --rm -p 9200:9200 -p 9300:9300 -e "xpack.security.enabled=false" -e "discovery.type=single-node" docker.elastic.co/elasticsearch/elasticsearch:8.7.0
+        # start a redis server (hosts embeddings)
+        docker run --rm -p 6379:6379 redis
+        ```
+    </details>
+
+2. Indexing
+    ```bash
+    # index search space programs into elasticsearch
+    ./services.sh index <dataset_name>
+    ```
+    <details>
+        <summary>what does this do?</summary>
+
+        ```bash
+        # index the dataset using /search/elastic_search.py
+        cd codescholar/search
+        python elastic_search.py --dataset <dataset_name>
+        ```
+
+        > TODO: index all embeddings into redis; currently index happens before each search
+    </details>
+
+3. Searching
+    ```bash
+    # run the codescholar query (say np.mean) using /search/search.py
+    python search.py --dataset <dataset_name> --seed np.mean
+    ```
+
+    You can also use some arguments with the search query:
+    ```bash
+    --min_idiom_size <int> # minimum size of idioms to be saved
+    --max_idiom_size <int> # maximum size of idioms to be saved
+    --max_init_beams <int> # maximum beams to initialize search
+    --stop_at_equilibrium  # stop search when diversity = reusability of idioms
+    ```
+    *note: see more configurations in [/search/search_config.py](./codescholar/search/search_config.py)*
 
 How to run CodeScholar Streamlit App:
 ---------------------------
diff --git a/codescholar/services.sh b/codescholar/services.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..2b0100f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codescholar/services.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Function to check if a tmux session exists
+tmux_session_exists() {
+    tmux has-session -t "$1" 2>/dev/null
+}
+
+# Function to start Elasticsearch in a tmux session
+start_elasticsearch() {
+    if tmux_session_exists "elasticsearch"; then
+        echo "Elasticsearch tmux session already exists."
+    else
+        echo "Starting Elasticsearch in a tmux session..."
+        tmux new-session -d -s "elasticsearch" docker run --name codescholar-elasticsearch --rm -p 9200:9200 -p 9300:9300 -e "xpack.security.enabled=false" -e "discovery.type=single-node" docker.elastic.co/elasticsearch/elasticsearch:8.7.0
+    fi
+}
+
+# Function to start Redis in a tmux session
+start_redis() {
+    if tmux_session_exists "redis"; then
+        echo "Redis tmux session already exists."
+    else
+        echo "Starting Redis in a tmux session..."
+        tmux new-session -d -s "redis" docker run --name codescholar-redis --rm -p 6379:6379 redis
+    fi
+}
+
+# Function to stop a service running in a tmux session
+stop_service() {
+    if tmux_session_exists "$1"; then
+        echo "Stopping $1..."
+        tmux send-keys -t "$1" C-c
+        tmux kill-session -t "$1"
+    else
+        echo "No tmux session for $1 found."
+    fi
+}
+
+# Function to run the indexing script
+run_indexing() {
+    dataset_name="$1"
+    if [ -z "$dataset_name" ]; then
+        echo "Please provide a dataset name."
+        return 1
+    fi
+    echo "Running the indexing script for dataset: $dataset_name"
+    tmux new-session -d -s "indexing" "cd search && python elastic_search.py --dataset $dataset_name"
+}
+
+# Function to display the status of the indexing session
+show_indexing_status() {
+    if tmux_session_exists "indexing"; then
+        echo "Indexing session status:"
+        tmux capture-pane -p -t "indexing"
+    else
+        echo "No indexing session found."
+    fi
+}
+
+# Main logic based on the first argument
+case "$1" in
+    start)
+        start_elasticsearch
+        start_redis
+        ;;
+    stop)
+        stop_service "elasticsearch"
+        stop_service "redis"
+        ;;
+    killall)
+        stop_service "elasticsearch"
+        stop_service "redis"
+        stop_service "indexing"
+        ;;
+    index)
+        run_indexing "$2"
+        ;;
+    status)
+        show_indexing_status
+        ;;
+    *)
+        echo "Usage: $0 {start|stop|killall|index <dataset_name>}"
+        exit 1
+        ;;
+esac
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