diff --git a/data.json b/data.json
deleted file mode 100644
index a2c844f..0000000
--- a/data.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,121 +0,0 @@
-[
-    {
-    "_id": "682bab8c12155b00101732ce",
-    "message": "Berlin baby",
-    "hearts": 37,
-    "createdAt": "2025-05-19T22:07:08.999Z",
-    "__v": 0
-  },
-  {
-  "_id": "682e53cc4fddf50010bbe739",
-    "message": "My family!",
-    "hearts": 0,
-    "createdAt": "2025-05-22T22:29:32.232Z",
-    "__v": 0
-  },
-  {
-    "_id": "682e4f844fddf50010bbe738",
-    "message": "The smell of coffee in the morning....",
-    "hearts": 23,
-    "createdAt": "2025-05-22T22:11:16.075Z",
-    "__v": 0
-  },
-  {
-    "_id": "682e48bf4fddf50010bbe737",
-    "message": "Newly washed bedlinen, kids that sleeps through the night.. FINGERS CROSSED 🤞🏼\n",
-    "hearts": 6,
-    "createdAt": "2025-05-21T21:42:23.862Z",
-  "__v": 0
-  },
-  {
-    "_id": "682e45804fddf50010bbe736",
-    "message": "I am happy that I feel healthy and have energy again",
-    "hearts": 13,
-    "createdAt": "2025-05-21T21:28:32.196Z",
-    "__v": 0
-  },
-  {
-    "_id": "682e23fecf615800105107aa",
-    "message": "cold beer",
-    "hearts": 2,
-    "createdAt": "2025-05-21T19:05:34.113Z",
-    "__v": 0
-  },
-  {
-    "_id": "682e22aecf615800105107a9",
-    "message": "My friend is visiting this weekend! <3",
-    "hearts": 6,
-    "createdAt": "2025-05-21T18:59:58.121Z",
-    "__v": 0
-  },
-  {
-    "_id": "682cec1b17487d0010a298b6",
-    "message": "A god joke: \nWhy did the scarecrow win an award?\nBecause he was outstanding in his field!",
-    "hearts": 12,
-    "createdAt": "2025-05-20T20:54:51.082Z",
-  "__v": 0
-  },
-  {
-    "_id": "682cebbe17487d0010a298b5",
-    "message": "Tacos and tequila🌮🍹",
-    "hearts": 2,
-    "createdAt": "2025-05-19T20:53:18.899Z",
-    "__v": 0
-  },
-  {
-    "_id": "682ceb5617487d0010a298b4",
-    "message": "Netflix and late night ice-cream🍦",
-    "hearts": 1,
-    "createdAt": "2025-05-18T20:51:34.494Z",
-    "__v": 0
-  },
-  {
-    "_id": "682c99ba3bff2d0010f5d44e",
-    "message": "Summer is coming...",
-    "hearts": 2,
-    "createdAt": "2025-05-20T15:03:22.379Z",
-  "__v": 0
-  },
-  {
-    "_id": "682c706c951f7a0017130024",
-    "message": "Exercise? I thought you said extra fries! 🍟😂",
-    "hearts": 14,
-    "createdAt": "2025-05-20T12:07:08.185Z",
-    "__v": 0
-  },
-  {
-    "_id": "682c6fe1951f7a0017130023",
-    "message": "I’m on a seafood diet. I see food, and I eat it.",
-    "hearts": 4,
-    "createdAt": "2025-05-20T12:04:49.978Z",
-    "__v": 0
-  },
-  {
-    "_id": "682c6f0e951f7a0017130022",
-    "message": "Cute monkeys🐒",
-    "hearts": 2,
-    "createdAt": "2025-05-20T12:01:18.308Z",
-    "__v": 0
-  },
-  {
-    "_id": "682c6e65951f7a0017130021",
-    "message": "The weather is nice!",
-    "hearts": 0,
-    "createdAt": "2025-05-20T11:58:29.662Z",
-    "__v": 0
-  },
-  {
-    "_id": "682bfdb4270ca300105af221",
-    "message": "good vibes and good things",
-    "hearts": 3,
-    "createdAt": "2025-05-20T03:57:40.322Z",
-    "__v": 0
-  },
-  {
-    "_id": "682bab8c12155b00101732ce",
-    "message": "Berlin baby",
-    "hearts": 37,
-    "createdAt": "2025-05-19T22:07:08.999Z",
-    "__v": 0
-  }
-]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/middleware/authMiddleware.js b/middleware/authMiddleware.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..92f10f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/middleware/authMiddleware.js
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import { User } from "../models/user.js";
+
+export const authenticateUser = async (req, res, next) => {
+  try {
+    const accessToken = req.header("Authorization");
+    const user = await User.findOne({ accessToken });
+    if (user) {
+      req.user = user;
+      next();
+    } else {
+      res.status(401).json({
+        message: "Authentication missing or invalid.",
+        loggedOut: true
+      });
+    }
+  } catch (error) {
+    res.status(500).json({
+      message: "Internal server error",
+      error: error.message
+    });
+  }
+};
diff --git a/models/Thought.js b/models/Thought.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..26b8d69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/models/Thought.js
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import mongoose, { Schema } from "mongoose";
+
+const thoughtSchema = new mongoose.Schema({
+  message: {
+    type: String,
+    required: true,
+    minLength: 5,
+    maxLength: 140,
+  },
+  hearts: {
+    type: Number,
+    default: 0,
+    min: 0,
+  },
+  createdAt: {
+    type: Date,
+    default: Date.now,
+  },
+  user: {
+    type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId,
+    ref: "User",
+    required: true
+  }
+});
+
+export const Thought = mongoose.model("Thought", thoughtSchema);
+
diff --git a/models/user.js b/models/user.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4c39948
--- /dev/null
+++ b/models/user.js
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import mongoose from "mongoose";
+
+const userSchema = new mongoose.Schema({
+  username: {
+    type: String,
+    required: true,
+    unique: true,
+    trim: true,
+    minlength: 3,
+    maxlength: 10
+  },
+  password: {
+    type: String,
+    required: true,
+    minlength: 6
+  },
+  accessToken: {
+    type: String,
+    default: null
+  }
+});
+
+export const User = mongoose.model("User", userSchema);
+
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index bf25bb6..5b7bb32 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -12,8 +12,14 @@
     "@babel/core": "^7.17.9",
     "@babel/node": "^7.16.8",
     "@babel/preset-env": "^7.16.11",
+    "bcrypt": "^6.0.0",
     "cors": "^2.8.5",
+    "dotenv": "^16.5.0",
     "express": "^4.17.3",
-    "nodemon": "^3.0.1"
+    "express-list-endpoints": "^7.1.1",
+    "jsonwebtoken": "^9.0.2",
+    "mongodb": "^6.17.0",
+    "mongoose": "^8.15.1",
+    "nodemon": "^3.1.10"
   }
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/routes/auth.js b/routes/auth.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..789d6bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/routes/auth.js
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+import express from "express";
+import bcrypt from "bcrypt";
+import crypto from "crypto";
+import { User } from "../models/user.js";
+
+const router = express.Router();
+
+// Helper to generate a random access token
+const generateAccessToken = () => crypto.randomBytes(32).toString("hex");
+
+// Register endpoint
+router.post("/register", async (req, res) => {
+  const { username, password } = req.body;
+  if (!username || !password) {
+    return res.status(400).json({ error: "Username and password are required." });
+  }
+  try {
+    const existingUser = await User.findOne({ username });
+    if (existingUser) {
+      return res.status(400).json({ error: "Username already exists." });
+    }
+    const hashedPassword = await bcrypt.hash(password, 10);
+    const accessToken = generateAccessToken();
+    const user = new User({ username, password: hashedPassword, accessToken });
+    await user.save();
+    res.status(201).json({ message: "User registered successfully.", accessToken, username: user.username });
+  } catch (error) {
+    res.status(500).json({ error: "Failed to register user.", details: error.message });
+  }
+});
+
+// Login endpoint
+router.post("/login", async (req, res) => {
+  const { username, password } = req.body;
+  if (!username || !password) {
+    return res.status(400).json({ error: "Username and password are required." });
+  }
+  try {
+    const user = await User.findOne({ username });
+    if (!user) {
+      return res.status(401).json({ error: "Invalid username or password." });
+    }
+    const passwordMatch = await bcrypt.compare(password, user.password);
+    if (!passwordMatch) {
+      return res.status(401).json({ error: "Invalid username or password." });
+    }
+    // Generate a new accessToken on login
+    user.accessToken = generateAccessToken();
+    await user.save();
+    res.status(200).json({ accessToken: user.accessToken, username: user.username });
+  } catch (error) {
+    res.status(500).json({ error: "Failed to log in.", details: error.message });
+  }
+});
+
+export default router; 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index f47771b..126b192 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -1,22 +1,147 @@
-import cors from "cors"
-import express from "express"
+import cors from "cors";
+import express from "express";
+import listEndpoints from "express-list-endpoints";
 
-// Defines the port the app will run on. Defaults to 8080, but can be overridden
-// when starting the server. Example command to overwrite PORT env variable value:
-// PORT=9000 npm start
-const port = process.env.PORT || 8080
-const app = express()
+import mongoose from "mongoose";
+import dotenv from "dotenv";
+import { Thought } from "./models/Thought.js"; // Adjust the import path as necessary
+import authRouter from "./routes/auth.js";
+import { authenticateUser } from "./middleware/authMiddleware.js";
 
-// Add middlewares to enable cors and json body parsing
-app.use(cors())
-app.use(express.json())
+dotenv.config();
 
-// Start defining your routes here
+const mongoUrl = process.env.MONGO_URL || "mongodb://localhost:27017/happy-thoughts-api";
+mongoose.connect(mongoUrl);
+
+mongoose.connection.on("error", (error) => {
+  console.error("MongoDB connection error:", error);
+});
+
+mongoose.connection.once("open", () => {
+  console.log("Connected to MongoDB");
+});
+
+const port = process.env.PORT || 8080;
+const app = express();
+
+app.use(cors());
+app.use(express.json());
+
+
+// Endpoint to get API documentation
 app.get("/", (req, res) => {
-  res.send("Hello Technigo!")
-})
+  res.json(listEndpoints(app));
+});
+
+
+// Endpoint to get all thoughts
+app.get("/thoughts", async (req, res) => {
+  try {
+    const thoughts = await Thought.find().sort({ createdAt: -1 }).limit(20);
+    res.status(200).json(thoughts);
+  } catch (error) {
+    res.status(500).json({ error: "Failed to fetch thoughts", details: error.message });
+  }
+});
+
+// Endpoint to create a new thought (authenticated)
+app.post("/thoughts", authenticateUser, async (req, res) => {
+  const { message } = req.body;
+  if (!message || message.length < 5 || message.length > 140) {
+    return res.status(400).json({ error: "Message must be between 5 and 140 characters" });
+  }
+  try {
+    const newThought = await new Thought({ message, user: req.user._id }).save();
+    res.status(201).json(newThought);
+  } catch (error) {
+    res.status(500).json({ error: "Failed to create thought", details: error.message });
+  }
+});
+
+// Endpoint to like a thought
+app.post("/thoughts/:id/like", async (req, res) => {
+  const { id } = req.params;
+
+  try {
+    const updatedThought = await Thought.findByIdAndUpdate(
+      id,
+      { $inc: { hearts: 1 } }, // Increment the hearts count
+      { new: true } // Return the updated document
+    );
+
+    if (!updatedThought) {
+      return res.status(404).json({ error: "Thought not found" });
+    }
+
+    res.status(200).json(updatedThought);
+  } catch (error) {
+    res.status(500).json({ error: "Failed to like the thought", details: error.message });
+  }
+});
+
+// Endpoint to delete a thought (authenticated, only owner)
+app.delete("/thoughts/:id", authenticateUser, async (req, res) => {
+  const { id } = req.params;
+  try {
+    const thought = await Thought.findById(id);
+    if (!thought) {
+      return res.status(404).json({ error: "Thought not found" });
+    }
+    if (String(thought.user) !== String(req.user._id)) {
+      return res.status(403).json({ error: "You are not authorized to delete this thought" });
+    }
+    await thought.deleteOne();
+    res.status(200).json({ message: "Thought deleted successfully" });
+  } catch (error) {
+    res.status(500).json({ error: "Failed to delete thought", details: error.message });
+  }
+});
+
+// Endpoint to get a single thought by ID
+app.get("/thoughts/:id", async (req, res) => {
+  const { id } = req.params;
+
+  try {
+    const thought = await Thought.findById(id);
+
+    if (!thought) {
+      return res.status(404).json({ error: "Thought not found" });
+    }
+
+    res.status(200).json(thought);
+  } catch (error) {
+    res.status(500).json({ error: "Failed to fetch the thought", details: error.message });
+  }
+});
+
+// Endpoint to update a thought (authenticated, only owner)
+app.put("/thoughts/:id", authenticateUser, async (req, res) => {
+  const { id } = req.params;
+  const { message } = req.body;
+  if (!message || message.length < 5 || message.length > 140) {
+    return res.status(400).json({ error: "Message must be between 5 and 140 characters" });
+  }
+  try {
+    const thought = await Thought.findById(id);
+    if (!thought) {
+      return res.status(404).json({ error: "Thought not found" });
+    }
+    if (String(thought.user) !== String(req.user._id)) {
+      return res.status(403).json({ error: "You are not authorized to update this thought" });
+    }
+    thought.message = message;
+    await thought.save();
+    res.status(200).json(thought);
+  } catch (error) {
+    res.status(500).json({ error: "Failed to update thought", details: error.message });
+  }
+});
+
+app.use("/auth", authRouter);
 
 // Start the server
 app.listen(port, () => {
-  console.log(`Server running on http://localhost:${port}`)
-})
+  console.log(`Server running on http://localhost:${port}`);
+});
+
+