diff --git a/.idea/biome.xml b/.idea/biome.xml
index 76935e2..44f9974 100644
--- a/.idea/biome.xml
+++ b/.idea/biome.xml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <project version="4">
   <component name="BiomeSettings">
+    <option name="applySafeFixesOnSave" value="true" />
     <option name="configPath" value="\\wsl.localhost\Ubuntu-26.04\home\ewsgit\Dev\harmonychat" />
     <option name="enableLspFormat" value="true" />
     <option name="executablePath" value="$PROJECT_DIR$/node_modules/.bin/biome" />
diff --git a/.idea/harmonychat.iml b/.idea/harmonychat.iml
index c956989..d6ebd48 100644
--- a/.idea/harmonychat.iml
+++ b/.idea/harmonychat.iml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-<module type="WEB_MODULE" version="4">
-  <component name="NewModuleRootManager">
+<module type="JAVA_MODULE" version="4">
+  <component name="NewModuleRootManager" inherit-compiler-output="true">
+    <exclude-output />
     <content url="file://$MODULE_DIR$" />
     <orderEntry type="inheritedJdk" />
     <orderEntry type="sourceFolder" forTests="false" />
diff --git a/centralUserBackend/package.json b/centralUserBackend/package.json
index 7a22ae8..61811ce 100644
--- a/centralUserBackend/package.json
+++ b/centralUserBackend/package.json
@@ -13,8 +13,10 @@
     "@atproto/oauth-client-node": "^0.3.17",
     "@biomejs/biome": "^2.4.15",
     "@fastify/cookie": "^11.0.2",
+    "dotenv": "^17.4.2",
     "fastify": "^5.8.5",
     "fastify-type-provider-zod": "^6.1.0",
+    "postgres": "^3.4.9",
     "tsx": "^4.22.1",
     "zod": "^4.4.3"
   },
diff --git a/centralUserBackend/src/database.ts b/centralUserBackend/src/database.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..297e482
--- /dev/null
+++ b/centralUserBackend/src/database.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import postgres from "postgres";
+
+const sql = postgres({
+  db: process.env.HARMONY_CUB_DATABASE_NAME || "harmony_cub",
+  hostname: process.env.HARMONY_CUB_DATABASE_HOSTNAME || "localhost",
+  port: process.env.HARMONY_CUB_DATABASE_PORT || 5432,
+  user: process.env.HARMONY_CUB_DATABASE_USER || "postgres",
+  pass: process.env.HARMONY_CUB_DATABASE_PASS || "postgres",
+});
+
+export default sql;
diff --git a/centralUserBackend/src/index.ts b/centralUserBackend/src/index.ts
index 7f368c2..dee26e6 100644
--- a/centralUserBackend/src/index.ts
+++ b/centralUserBackend/src/index.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 import fastifyCookie from "@fastify/cookie";
+import dotenv from "dotenv";
 import Fastify from "fastify";
 import { serializerCompiler, validatorCompiler } from "fastify-type-provider-zod";
-import { activeUserSessions, getPDSOAuthClient, isValidUserSession, PDS_AUTH_SCOPE } from "./session";
+import { activeUserSessions, getPDSOAuthClient, isValidUserSession, PDS_AUTH_SCOPE, validateUserSessionMiddleware } from "./session";
+
+dotenv.config({ quiet: true });
 
 export const PUBLIC_FRONTEND_URL = "https://localhost";
 export const PUBLIC_CUB_URL = `${PUBLIC_FRONTEND_URL}/cub`;
@@ -107,96 +110,115 @@ app.get("/oauth/check", async (req, reply) => {
   const sessionToken = req.cookies.session_token;
 
   if (!did) {
-    return Response.json({ authenticated: false });
+    return reply.status(401).send({ authenticated: false });
   }
 
   if (!sessionToken) {
-    return Response.json({ authenticated: false });
+    return reply.status(401).send({ authenticated: false });
   }
 
   if (isValidUserSession(did, sessionToken)) {
-    return Response.json({ authenticated: true });
+    return reply.send({ authenticated: true });
   }
 
-  return Response.json({ authenticated: false });
+  return reply.status(401).send({ authenticated: false });
 });
 
-/*
-    "/oauth/logout": {
-      // destroy a session token
-      POST: validateUserSessionMiddleware(({did, sessionToken}) => {
-        activeUserSessions.set(
-          did,
-          (activeUserSessions.get(did) || []).filter((session) => session.sessionToken !== sessionToken),
-        );
-
-        return Response.json({ success: true });
-      }),
-    },
-    "/user/profiles/detailed": {
-      // return an array of a user's profiles with profile data
-      GET(request) {
-        return Response.json({ no: true });
-      },
-    },
-    "/user/profiles": {
-      // return a string array of all the profile IDs that the user owns
-      GET(request) {
-        return Response.json({ no: true });
-      },
-    },
-    "/user/profile": {
-      // get a user profile by its PID (Profile ID)
-      GET(request) {
-        return Response.json({ no: true });
-      },
-      // create a new user profile
-      POST(request) {
-        return Response.json({ no: true });
-      },
-      // update a user profile
-      PUT(request) {
-        return Response.json({ no: true });
-      },
-      // delete a user profile
-      DELETE(request) {
-        return Response.json({ no: true });
-      },
-    },
-    "/user/avatar": {
-      // get the avatar
-      GET(request) {
-        return Response.json({ no: true });
-      },
-      // set the avatar
-      PUT(request) {
-        return Response.json({ no: true });
-      },
-      // set the avatar to a default
-      DELETE(request) {
-        return Response.json({ no: true });
-      },
-    },
-    "/user/communities": {
-      // list of community IDs
-      GET(request) {
-        return Response.json({ no: true });
-      },
-    },
-    "/user/join-community": {
-      // join the community
-      POST(request) {
-        return Response.json({ no: true });
-      },
-    },
-    "/user/community": {
-      // leave the community
-      DELETE(request) {
-        return Response.json({ no: true });
-      },
-    },
-  },
-});*/
+app.post(
+  "/oauth/logout",
+  validateUserSessionMiddleware(({ reply, did, sessionToken }) => {
+    activeUserSessions.set(
+      did,
+      (activeUserSessions.get(did) || []).filter((session) => session.sessionToken !== sessionToken),
+    );
+
+    return reply.send({ success: true });
+  }),
+);
+
+app.get(
+  "/user/profiles/detailed",
+  validateUserSessionMiddleware(({ reply }) => {
+    return reply.send({ no: true });
+  }),
+);
+
+app.get(
+  "/user/profiles",
+  validateUserSessionMiddleware(({ reply }) => {
+    return reply.send({ no: true });
+  }),
+);
+
+app.get(
+  "/user/profile",
+  validateUserSessionMiddleware(({ reply }) => {
+    return reply.send({ no: true });
+  }),
+);
+
+app.post(
+  "/user/profile",
+  validateUserSessionMiddleware(({ reply }) => {
+    return reply.send({ no: true });
+  }),
+);
+
+app.put(
+  "/user/profile",
+  validateUserSessionMiddleware(({ reply }) => {
+    return reply.send({ no: true });
+  }),
+);
+
+app.delete(
+  "/user/profile",
+  validateUserSessionMiddleware(({ reply }) => {
+    return reply.send({ no: true });
+  }),
+);
+
+app.get(
+  "/user/avatar",
+  validateUserSessionMiddleware(({ reply }) => {
+    return reply.send({ no: true });
+  }),
+);
+
+app.put(
+  "/user/avatar",
+  validateUserSessionMiddleware(({ reply }) => {
+    return reply.send({ no: true });
+  }),
+);
+
+app.delete(
+  "/user/avatar",
+  validateUserSessionMiddleware(({ reply }) => {
+    return reply.send({ no: true });
+  }),
+);
+
+app.get(
+  "/user/communities",
+  validateUserSessionMiddleware(({ reply }) => {
+    return reply.send({ no: true });
+  }),
+);
+
+app.post(
+  "/user/join-community",
+  validateUserSessionMiddleware(({ reply }) => {
+    return reply.send({ no: true });
+  }),
+);
+
+app.delete(
+  "/user/community",
+  validateUserSessionMiddleware(({ reply }) => {
+    return reply.send({ no: true });
+  }),
+);
 
 await app.listen({ port: 3000 });
 console.log(`HarmonyChat Central User Backend listening at ${app.listeningOrigin}`);
diff --git a/centralUserBackend/src/session.ts b/centralUserBackend/src/session.ts
index 87bf5aa..b47d370 100644
--- a/centralUserBackend/src/session.ts
+++ b/centralUserBackend/src/session.ts
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ export function isValidUserSession(did: string, sessionToken: string): boolean {
 }
 
 export function validateUserSessionMiddleware<Request extends FastifyRequest, Reply extends FastifyReply>(
-  callback: (options: { request: Request; did: string; sessionToken: string }) => Reply,
+  callback: (options: { request: Request; reply: Reply; did: string; sessionToken: string }) => Reply,
 ) {
   return (request: Request, reply: Reply): Reply => {
     const did = request.cookies.did;
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ export function validateUserSessionMiddleware<Request extends FastifyRequest, Re
       return reply.status(401).send({ unauthorized: true });
     }
 
-    if (isValidUserSession(did, sessionToken)) return callback({ did, sessionToken, request });
+    if (isValidUserSession(did, sessionToken)) return callback({ did, sessionToken, request, reply });
 
     // @ts-ignore
     return reply.status(401).send({ unauthorized: true });
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index e026bb3..aa353a5 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -225,12 +225,18 @@ importers:
       '@fastify/cookie':
         specifier: ^11.0.2
         version: 11.0.2
+      dotenv:
+        specifier: ^17.4.2
+        version: 17.4.2
       fastify:
         specifier: ^5.8.5
         version: 5.8.5
       fastify-type-provider-zod:
         specifier: ^6.1.0
         version: 6.1.0(@fastify/swagger@9.7.0)(fastify@5.8.5)(openapi-types@12.1.3)(zod@4.4.3)
+      postgres:
+        specifier: ^3.4.9
+        version: 3.4.9
       tsx:
         specifier: ^4.22.1
         version: 4.22.1
@@ -243,7 +249,7 @@ importers:
     devDependencies:
       '@types/node':
         specifier: latest
-        version: 25.8.0
+        version: 25.9.0
 
   frontend:
     dependencies:
@@ -1686,6 +1692,9 @@ packages:
   '@types/node@25.8.0':
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-TCFSk8IZh+iLX1xtksoBVtdmgL+1IX0fC9BeU4QqFSuNdN/K+HUlhqOzEmSYYpZUVsLYcPqc9KX+60iDuninSQ==}
 
+  '@types/node@25.9.0':
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-AOQwYUNolgy3VosiRqXrACUXTN8nJUtPl7FJXMqZVyxiiCLhQuG3jXKvCS1ALr+Y2OmZhzzLVlYPEqJaiqkaJQ==}
+
   '@types/resolve@1.20.2':
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-60BCwRFOZCQhDncwQdxxeOEEkbc5dIMccYLwbxsS4TUNeVECQ/pBJ0j09mrHOl/JJvpRPGwO9SvE4nR2Nb/a4Q==}
 
@@ -2919,6 +2928,10 @@ packages:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-SoSL4+OSEtR99LHFZQiJLkT59C5B1amGO1NzTwj7TT1qCUgUO6hxOvzkOYxD+vMrXBM3XJIKzokoERdqQq/Zmg==}
     engines: {node: ^10 || ^12 || >=14}
 
+  postgres@3.4.9:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-GD3qdB0x1z9xgFI6cdRD6xu2Sp2WCOEoe3mtnyB5Ee0XrrL5Pe+e4CCnJrRMnL1zYtRDZmQQVbvOttLnKDLnaw==}
+    engines: {node: '>=12'}
+
   powershell-utils@0.1.0:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-dM0jVuXJPsDN6DvRpea484tCUaMiXWjuCn++HGTqUWzGDjv5tZkEZldAJ/UMlqRYGFrD/etByo4/xOuC/snX2A==}
     engines: {node: '>=20'}
@@ -5140,6 +5153,10 @@ snapshots:
     dependencies:
       undici-types: 7.24.6
 
+  '@types/node@25.9.0':
+    dependencies:
+      undici-types: 7.24.6
+
   '@types/resolve@1.20.2': {}
 
   '@types/unist@3.0.3': {}
@@ -6435,6 +6452,8 @@ snapshots:
       picocolors: 1.1.1
       source-map-js: 1.2.1
 
+  postgres@3.4.9: {}
+
   powershell-utils@0.1.0: {}
 
   pretty-bytes@7.1.0: {}