diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0fc8e37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+.gradle/
+build/
+out/
+*.class
+
+.env
+.env.*
+!.env.example
+
+.idea/
+.vscode/
+
+.DS_Store
+
+logs/
+*.log
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.idea/compiler.xml b/.idea/compiler.xml
index 8f573d9..7156633 100644
--- a/.idea/compiler.xml
+++ b/.idea/compiler.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,16 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <project version="4">
+  <component name="CompilerConfiguration">
+    <annotationProcessing>
+      <profile name="Gradle Imported" enabled="true">
+        <outputRelativeToContentRoot value="true" />
+        <processorPath useClasspath="false">
+          <entry name="$USER_HOME$/.gradle/caches/modules-2/files-2.1/org.springframework.boot/spring-boot-configuration-processor/4.1.0/c3e27f93b579220e4e18fe941321525200eb36b/spring-boot-configuration-processor-4.1.0.jar" />
+        </processorPath>
+        <module name="orders.main" />
+      </profile>
+    </annotationProcessing>
+  </component>
   <component name="JavacSettings">
     <option name="ADDITIONAL_OPTIONS_OVERRIDE">
       <module name="orders" options="-parameters" />
diff --git a/.idea/misc.xml b/.idea/misc.xml
index 9c3faad..28f7d12 100644
--- a/.idea/misc.xml
+++ b/.idea/misc.xml
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <project version="4">
   <component name="ExternalStorageConfigurationManager" enabled="true" />
+  <component name="FrameworkDetectionExcludesConfiguration">
+    <file type="web" url="file://$PROJECT_DIR$/orders-backend" />
+  </component>
   <component name="KubernetesApiProvider"><![CDATA[{}]]></component>
   <component name="ProjectRootManager" version="2">
     <output url="file://$PROJECT_DIR$/out" />
diff --git a/.idea/modules.xml b/.idea/modules.xml
index 898c77a..e0b1987 100644
--- a/.idea/modules.xml
+++ b/.idea/modules.xml
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
     <modules>
       <module fileurl="file://$PROJECT_DIR$/.idea/cymelle.iml" filepath="$PROJECT_DIR$/.idea/cymelle.iml" />
       <module fileurl="file://$PROJECT_DIR$/.idea/modules/orders.iml" filepath="$PROJECT_DIR$/.idea/modules/orders.iml" />
+      <module fileurl="file://$PROJECT_DIR$/.idea/modules/orders.main.iml" filepath="$PROJECT_DIR$/.idea/modules/orders.main.iml" />
     </modules>
   </component>
 </project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/orders-backend/.env.example b/orders-backend/.env.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f92c178
--- /dev/null
+++ b/orders-backend/.env.example
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+DATABASE_URL=
+DATABASE_USERNAME=
+DATABASE_PASSWORD=
+
+LOW_STOCK_THRESHOLD=10
+
+FARE_BASE_FARE=100.00
+FARE_PER_KM_RATE=50.00
+FARE_MINIMUM_FARE=150.00
+FARE_DEFAULT_SURGE_MULTIPLIER=1.0
+FARE_CURRENCY=KES
+
+SEED_DATA=true
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/orders-backend/.gitignore b/orders-backend/.gitignore
index c2065bc..172dbf7 100644
--- a/orders-backend/.gitignore
+++ b/orders-backend/.gitignore
@@ -35,3 +35,4 @@ out/
 
 ### VS Code ###
 .vscode/
+.env
diff --git a/orders-backend/build.gradle.kts b/orders-backend/build.gradle.kts
index ebb9075..1a30e0e 100644
--- a/orders-backend/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/orders-backend/build.gradle.kts
@@ -14,14 +14,28 @@ java {
     }
 }
 
+
 repositories {
     mavenCentral()
+    gradlePluginPortal()
 }
 
 dependencies {
-    implementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter")
+    implementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-web")
+    implementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-validation")
+    implementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-data-jpa")
+    annotationProcessor("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-configuration-processor")
+
+
+    runtimeOnly("com.h2database:h2")
+
     testImplementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-test")
+    testImplementation("org.mockito:mockito-core")
+    runtimeOnly("org.postgresql:postgresql")
     testRuntimeOnly("org.junit.platform:junit-platform-launcher")
+
+    // dotenv
+    implementation("io.github.cdimascio:dotenv-java:3.2.0")
 }
 
 tasks.withType<Test> {
diff --git a/orders-backend/src/main/java/com/andwati/orders/OrdersBackendApplication.java b/orders-backend/src/main/java/com/andwati/orders/OrdersBackendApplication.java
index 60ce07a..d1108f5 100644
--- a/orders-backend/src/main/java/com/andwati/orders/OrdersBackendApplication.java
+++ b/orders-backend/src/main/java/com/andwati/orders/OrdersBackendApplication.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package com.andwati.orders;
 
+import io.github.cdimascio.dotenv.Dotenv;
 import org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication;
 import org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.SpringBootApplication;
 
@@ -7,6 +8,9 @@ import org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.SpringBootApplication;
 public class OrdersBackendApplication {
 
     public static void main(String[] args) {
+
+        Dotenv dotenv = Dotenv.configure().ignoreIfMissing().systemProperties().load();
+
         SpringApplication.run(OrdersBackendApplication.class, args);
     }
 
diff --git a/orders-backend/src/main/resources/application-test.yaml b/orders-backend/src/main/resources/application-test.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3de64f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/orders-backend/src/main/resources/application-test.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+spring:
+  datasource:
+    url: jdbc:h2:mem:orderfaretestdb;DB_CLOSE_DELAY=-1;DB_CLOSE_ON_EXIT=FALSE
+    driver-class-name: org.h2.Driver
+    username: sa
+    password:
+
+  jpa:
+    hibernate:
+      ddl-auto: create-drop
+    open-in-view: false
+    show-sql: false
+
+inventory:
+  low-stock-threshold: 10
+
+fare:
+  base-fare: 100.00
+  per-km-rate: 50.00
+  minimum-fare: 150.00
+  default-surge-multiplier: 1.0
+  currency: KES
+
+app:
+  seed-data: false
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/orders-backend/src/main/resources/application.properties b/orders-backend/src/main/resources/application.properties
index 29c555a..a1e3f23 100644
--- a/orders-backend/src/main/resources/application.properties
+++ b/orders-backend/src/main/resources/application.properties
@@ -1 +1,23 @@
-spring.application.name=orders-backend
+server.port=8080
+
+spring.application.name=orders
+
+spring.datasource.url=${DATABASE_URL}
+spring.datasource.username=${DATABASE_USERNAME}
+spring.datasource.password=${DATABASE_PASSWORD}
+spring.datasource.driver-class-name=org.postgresql.Driver
+
+spring.jpa.hibernate.ddl-auto=update
+spring.jpa.open-in-view=false
+spring.jpa.properties.hibernate.format_sql=true
+spring.jpa.show-sql=false
+
+inventory.low-stock-threshold=${LOW_STOCK_THRESHOLD:10}
+
+fare.base-fare=${FARE_BASE_FARE:100.00}
+fare.per-km-rate=${FARE_PER_KM_RATE:50.00}
+fare.minimum-fare=${FARE_MINIMUM_FARE:150.00}
+fare.default-surge-multiplier=${FARE_DEFAULT_SURGE_MULTIPLIER:1.0}
+fare.currency=${FARE_CURRENCY:KES}
+
+app.seed-data=${SEED_DATA:true}
diff --git a/orders-frontend/vite.config.ts b/orders-frontend/vite.config.ts
index b2b8574..ef3e851 100644
--- a/orders-frontend/vite.config.ts
+++ b/orders-frontend/vite.config.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import babel from '@rolldown/plugin-babel'
 import tailwindcss from '@tailwindcss/vite'
 import { nitro } from 'nitro/vite'
 
+// @ts-ignore
 const config = defineConfig({
   plugins: [
     devtools(),