diff --git a/tests/README.md b/tests/README.md
index 2d515ce452..883e114d54 100644
--- a/tests/README.md
+++ b/tests/README.md
@@ -1,13 +1,83 @@
 # Using the Friendica tests
 
-## Install PHPUnit
+## Install Tools
 
-Please use [setup-phpunit.sh](https://github.com/friendica/friendica/bin/dev/setup-phpunit.sh) to install the necessary PHPUnit version.
-It will temporarily install the `phpunit` phar file into the `bin/` subdirectory 
+You need to install the following software:
 
+* PHP
+* MySQL or Mariadb (the latter is preferred)
 
-Currently, Friendica uses PHPUnit 8.
+For example in Ubuntu you can run:
 
-## Supported PHP versions of these tests
+```
+sudo apt install mariadb-server php
+```
 
-The Unit-Tests of Friendica requires at least PHP 7.2.
+## Install PHP extensions
+
+The following extensions must be installed:
+
+* MySQL
+* Curl
+* GD
+* XML
+* DOM
+* SimpleXML
+* Intl
+* Multi-precision
+* Multi-byte string
+
+For example in Ubuntu:
+
+```
+sudo apt install php-mysql php-curl php-gd php-xml php-intl php-gmp php-mbstring
+```
+
+## Create Local Database
+
+The default database name is `test`, username `friendica`, password
+`friendica`.  These can be overridden using environment variables
+`DATABASE_NAME`, `DATABASE_USER`, `DATABASE_HOST`, and
+`DATABASE_PASSWORD`.  Whatever settings you choose, you must give the
+corresponding user the necessary privileges to create and destroy the
+chosen database.
+
+```
+GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON test.* TO 'friendica'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'friendica' WITH GRANT OPTION;
+GRANT CREATE, DROP ON test.* TO 'friendica'@'localhost';
+```
+
+## Use Docker Database
+
+Instead of using a local database, you can also use a database running in a docker container.
+
+TODO this section needs to be filled in with working examples.
+
+## Running Tests
+
+You can then run the tests using the `autotest.sh` script.  You should
+specify the type of database as an argument, either `mysql` or
+`mariadb`:
+
+```
+bin/dev/autotest.sh mariadb
+```
+
+You can also run just one particular file of tests:
+
+```
+bin/dev/autotest.sh mariadb src/Util/ImagesTest.php
+```
+
+Example output of tests passing:
+
+```
+OK (2 tests, 2 assertions)
+```
+
+Failed tests look like this.  Examine the output before this to see which tests failed.
+
+```
+FAILURES!
+Tests: 2, Assertions: 2, Failures: 1.
+```