diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fa651db..4269840 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,9 +4,48 @@ Dockerfiles useful for [chicken scheme](https://www.call-cc.org/)
 development. An optional custom `chicken-assemble` script is also
 provided, used to build projects in an opinionated, structured way.
 
+You may pick a flavour built on top of popular linux distros:
+
+```bash
+docker pull plotter/chicken-scheme:5.2.0-alpine
+docker pull plotter/chicken-scheme:5.2.0-debian
+docker pull plotter/chicken-scheme:5.2.0-ubuntu
+docker pull plotter/chicken-scheme:5.2.0-centos
+```
+
 ## How to use these images
 
-TODO write decent examples
+Mount your source code directory into a running container to access
+chicken's REPL and/or compiler:
+
+```bash
+docker run --rm -it --workdir /src -v $(pwd):/src plotter/chicken-scheme
+```
+
+For truly static builds, prefer the `alpine` base image and set the
+proper compiler and linker flags:
+
+```dockerfile
+FROM plotter/chicken-scheme:5.2.0-alpine
+WORKDIR /src
+COPY . .
+RUN csc ... TODO write proper compilation instruction
+ENTRYPOINT ["/src/main"]
+```
+
+You may also choose to build a barebones `scratch` image containing
+only the desired binary:
+
+```dockerfile
+FROM plotter/chicken-scheme:5.2.0-alpine as build
+WORKDIR /src
+COPY . .
+RUN csc ... TODO write proper compilation instruction
+
+FROM scratch
+COPY --from=build /src/app /bin/app
+ENTRYPOINT ["/bin/app"]
+```
 
 ## `chicken-assemble`-based projects
 
diff --git a/dockerfiles/alpine b/dockerfiles/alpine
deleted file mode 100644
index 69f7caf..0000000
--- a/dockerfiles/alpine
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-FROM alpine:3.11
-
-ENV CHICKEN_VERSION 5.1.0
-ENV PLATFORM linux
-
-RUN apk update && \
-    apk --no-cache --update add build-base && \
-    wget -qO- https://code.call-cc.org/releases/$CHICKEN_VERSION/chicken-$CHICKEN_VERSION.tar.gz | tar xzv && \
-    cd /chicken-$CHICKEN_VERSION && \
-    make PLATFORM=$PLATFORM && \
-    make PLATFORM=$PLATFORM install && \
-    make PLATFORM=$PLATFORM check && \
-    cd / && \
-    rm -rf /chicken-$CHICKEN_VERSION
-
-# install project assembly tool
-COPY chicken-assemble.scm /usr/bin/chicken-assemble
-RUN chicken-install clojurian:3 \
-                    records \
-                    srfi-1 \
-                    srfi-69 && \
-    chmod a+x /usr/bin/chicken-assemble
diff --git a/dockerfiles/alpine.Dockerfile b/dockerfiles/alpine.Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..53a6abc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dockerfiles/alpine.Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+FROM alpine:3.12
+
+ENV CHICKEN_VERSION 5.2.0
+ENV PLATFORM linux
+
+RUN set -eux; \
+    apk update; \
+    apk --no-cache --update add build-base; \
+    wget -qO- https://code.call-cc.org/releases/${CHICKEN_VERSION}/chicken-${CHICKEN_VERSION}.tar.gz | tar xzv; \
+    cd /chicken-${CHICKEN_VERSION}; \
+    make PLATFORM=${PLATFORM}; \
+    make PLATFORM=${PLATFORM} install; \
+    make PLATFORM=${PLATFORM} check; \
+    cd /; \
+    rm -rf /chicken-${CHICKEN_VERSION}
+
+# install project assembly tool
+COPY chicken-assemble.scm /usr/bin/chicken-assemble
+RUN chicken-install clojurian:3 \
+                    records \
+                    srfi-1 \
+                    srfi-69 && \
+    chmod a+x /usr/bin/chicken-assemble
diff --git a/dockerfiles/centos.Dockerfile b/dockerfiles/centos.Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3f80bfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dockerfiles/centos.Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+FROM centos:8
+
+ENV CHICKEN_VERSION 5.2.0
+ENV PLATFORM linux
+
+RUN set -eux; \
+    yum install -y gcc gcc-c++ make diffutils; \
+    yum clean all; \
+    curl -sS https://code.call-cc.org/releases/${CHICKEN_VERSION}/chicken-${CHICKEN_VERSION}.tar.gz | tar xzv; \
+    cd /chicken-${CHICKEN_VERSION}; \
+    make PLATFORM=${PLATFORM}; \
+    make PLATFORM=${PLATFORM} install; \
+    make PLATFORM=${PLATFORM} check; \
+    cd /; \
+    rm -rf /chicken-${CHICKEN_VERSION}
+
+# install project assembly tool
+COPY chicken-assemble.scm /usr/bin/chicken-assemble
+RUN chicken-install clojurian:3 \
+                    records \
+                    srfi-1 \
+                    srfi-69 && \
+    chmod a+x /usr/bin/chicken-assemble
diff --git a/dockerfiles/debian b/dockerfiles/debian.Dockerfile
similarity index 54%
rename from dockerfiles/debian
rename to dockerfiles/debian.Dockerfile
index 022ab7b..7a38c62 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/debian
+++ b/dockerfiles/debian.Dockerfile
@@ -1,16 +1,17 @@
 FROM debian:buster
 
-ENV CHICKEN_VERSION 5.1.0
+ENV CHICKEN_VERSION 5.2.0
 ENV PLATFORM linux
 
-RUN apt-get update && \
-    apt-get install -y wget build-essential && \
-    wget -qO- https://code.call-cc.org/releases/${CHICKEN_VERSION}/chicken-${CHICKEN_VERSION}.tar.gz | tar xzv && \
-    cd /chicken-${CHICKEN_VERSION} && \
-    make PLATFORM=${PLATFORM} && \
-    make PLATFORM=${PLATFORM} install && \
-    make PLATFORM=${PLATFORM} check && \
-    cd / && \
+RUN set -eux; \
+    apt-get update; \
+    apt-get install -y wget build-essential; \
+    wget -qO- https://code.call-cc.org/releases/${CHICKEN_VERSION}/chicken-${CHICKEN_VERSION}.tar.gz | tar xzv; \
+    cd /chicken-${CHICKEN_VERSION}; \
+    make PLATFORM=${PLATFORM}; \
+    make PLATFORM=${PLATFORM} install; \
+    make PLATFORM=${PLATFORM} check; \
+    cd /; \
     rm -rf /chicken-${CHICKEN_VERSION}
 
 # install project assembly tool
diff --git a/dockerfiles/ubuntu.Dockerfile b/dockerfiles/ubuntu.Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e57643c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dockerfiles/ubuntu.Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+FROM ubuntu:focal
+
+ENV CHICKEN_VERSION 5.2.0
+ENV PLATFORM linux
+
+RUN set -eux; \
+    apt-get update; \
+    apt-get install -y wget build-essential; \
+    wget -qO- https://code.call-cc.org/releases/${CHICKEN_VERSION}/chicken-${CHICKEN_VERSION}.tar.gz | tar xzv; \
+    cd /chicken-${CHICKEN_VERSION}; \
+    make PLATFORM=${PLATFORM}; \
+    make PLATFORM=${PLATFORM} install; \
+    make PLATFORM=${PLATFORM} check; \
+    cd /; \
+    rm -rf /chicken-${CHICKEN_VERSION}
+
+# install project assembly tool
+COPY chicken-assemble.scm /usr/bin/chicken-assemble
+RUN chicken-install clojurian:3 \
+                    records \
+                    srfi-1 \
+                    srfi-69 && \
+    chmod a+x /usr/bin/chicken-assemble