diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e43b0f9..c9b3aca 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1 +1,6 @@
 .DS_Store
+.venv/
+__pycache__/
+*.pyc
+.env
+node_modules/
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/package-lock.json b/backend/package-lock.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..857dbd7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/package-lock.json
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+{
+  "name": "backend",
+  "lockfileVersion": 3,
+  "requires": true,
+  "packages": {
+    "": {
+      "dependencies": {
+        "dotenv": "^17.2.3"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/dotenv": {
+      "version": "17.2.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/dotenv/-/dotenv-17.2.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-JVUnt+DUIzu87TABbhPmNfVdBDt18BLOWjMUFJMSi/Qqg7NTYtabbvSNJGOJ7afbRuv9D/lngizHtP7QyLQ+9w==",
+      "license": "BSD-2-Clause",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=12"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "url": "https://dotenvx.com"
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/backend/package.json b/backend/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..800c2fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "dependencies": {
+    "dotenv": "^17.2.3"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/db/create-schema.sh b/db/create-schema.sh
index 3a2db62..49d29c7 100755
--- a/db/create-schema.sh
+++ b/db/create-schema.sh
@@ -1,14 +1,38 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-
 set -euo pipefail
 
+# Get the directory of this script
 SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd -- "$(dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" &> /dev/null && pwd)"
 
-source "$SCRIPT_DIR/../backend/.env"
+# Load environment variables from backend/.env
+if [ -f "$SCRIPT_DIR/../backend/.env" ]; then
+    source "$SCRIPT_DIR/../backend/.env"
+else
+    echo "❌ .env file not found in backend/"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Function to run psql (local or Docker)
+run_psql() {
+    if [[ "${POSTGRES_HOST:-127.0.0.1}" == "localhost" ]] || [[ "${POSTGRES_HOST:-127.0.0.1}" == "127.0.0.1" ]]; then
+        # Use local psql
+        echo "Using local psql..."
+        PGPASSWORD="$POSTGRES_PASSWORD" psql \
+            --dbname "${POSTGRES_DB:-postgres}" \
+            --file "${SCRIPT_DIR}/schema.sql" \
+            --host "${POSTGRES_HOST:-127.0.0.1}" \
+            --port "${POSTGRES_PORT:-5432}" \
+            --username "${POSTGRES_USER:-postgres}"
+    else
+        # Assume POSTGRES_HOST is a Docker container name
+        echo "Using Docker container '${POSTGRES_HOST}'..."
+        docker exec -i "$POSTGRES_HOST" psql \
+            -U "${POSTGRES_USER:-postgres}" \
+            -d "${POSTGRES_DB:-postgres}" < "${SCRIPT_DIR}/schema.sql"
+    fi
+}
+
+# Run it
+run_psql
 
-PGPASSWORD="$POSTGRES_PASSWORD" psql \
-  --dbname "${POSTGRES_DB:-postgres}" \
-  --file "${SCRIPT_DIR}/schema.sql" \
-  --host "${POSTGRES_HOST:-127.0.0.1}" \
-  --port "${POSTGRES_PORT:-5432}" \
-  --username "${POSTGRES_USER:-postgres}"
+echo "✅ Schema applied successfully!"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/front-end/lib/api.mjs b/front-end/lib/api.mjs
index f4b5339..99540c0 100644
--- a/front-end/lib/api.mjs
+++ b/front-end/lib/api.mjs
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ async function signup(username, password) {
 
 function logout() {
   state.destroyState();
+  window.location.href = "index.html"; // Added a redirect to home page after logout
   return {success: true};
 }