diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index fe019eb..57d5da0 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # backend
 backend/env
 backend/.env
+backend/db
+backend/redis_data
 
 # frontend
 interfaces/nativeapp/node_modules
diff --git a/backend/.env b/backend/.env
index 6530144..3dc3cfd 100644
--- a/backend/.env
+++ b/backend/.env
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
-POSTGRES_USER = "maia"
-POSTGRES_PASSWORD = "maia"
+DB_HOST = "db"
+DB_USER = "maia"
+DB_PASSWORD = "maia"
+DB_NAME = "maia"
 PEPPER = "LsD7%"
 JWT_SECRET_KEY="1c8cf3ca6972b365f8108dad247e61abdcb6faff5a6c8ba00cb6fa17396702bf"
 GOOGLE_API_KEY="AIzaSyBrte_mETZJce8qE6cRTSz_fHOjdjlShBk"
diff --git a/backend/alembic.ini b/backend/alembic.ini
index 64ceafc..34f435e 100644
--- a/backend/alembic.ini
+++ b/backend/alembic.ini
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ version_path_separator = os
 # output_encoding = utf-8
 
 # sqlalchemy.url = postgresql://user:pass@localhost/dbname
-sqlalchemy.url = postgresql://maia:maia@db:5432/maia
+# sqlalchemy.url = postgresql://maia:maia@db:5432/maia
 
 [post_write_hooks]
 # post_write_hooks defines scripts or Python functions that are run
diff --git a/backend/alembic/env.py b/backend/alembic/env.py
index f78bcd6..2e5bbd5 100644
--- a/backend/alembic/env.py
+++ b/backend/alembic/env.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from logging.config import fileConfig
 
 from sqlalchemy import engine_from_config
 from sqlalchemy import pool
+from sqlalchemy import create_engine  # Add create_engine import
 
 from alembic import context
 
@@ -25,6 +26,29 @@ config = context.config
 if config.config_file_name is not None:
     fileConfig(config.config_file_name)
 
+# --- Construct DB URL from environment variables ---
+# Use environment variables similar to docker-compose
+db_user = os.getenv("POSTGRES_USER", "maia")  # Default to 'maia' if not set
+db_password = os.getenv("POSTGRES_PASSWORD", "maia")  # Default to 'maia' if not set
+db_host = os.getenv("DB_HOST", "db")  # Default to 'db' service name
+db_port = os.getenv("DB_PORT", "5432")  # Default to '5432'
+db_name = os.getenv("DB_NAME", "maia")  # Default to 'maia'
+
+# Construct the URL, falling back to alembic.ini if needed
+url = os.getenv("DB_URL")
+if not url:
+    # Try constructing from parts if DB_URL isn't set
+    url = f"postgresql://{db_user}:{db_password}@{db_host}:{db_port}/{db_name}"
+    # As a final fallback, use the URL from alembic.ini
+    config_url = config.get_main_option("sqlalchemy.url")
+    if not url and config_url:
+        url = config_url
+
+# Update the config object so engine_from_config can potentially use it,
+# though we'll primarily use the constructed 'url' directly.
+config.set_main_option("sqlalchemy.url", url)
+# ----------------------------------------------------
+
 # add your model's MetaData object here
 # for 'autogenerate' support
 # from myapp import mymodel
@@ -51,9 +75,8 @@ def run_migrations_offline() -> None:
     script output.
 
     """
-    url = config.get_main_option("sqlalchemy.url")
     context.configure(
-        url=url,
+        url=url,  # Use the constructed URL
         target_metadata=target_metadata,
         literal_binds=True,
         dialect_opts={"paramstyle": "named"},
@@ -70,11 +93,14 @@ def run_migrations_online() -> None:
     and associate a connection with the context.
 
     """
-    connectable = engine_from_config(
-        config.get_section(config.config_ini_section, {}),
-        prefix="sqlalchemy.",
-        poolclass=pool.NullPool,
-    )
+    # Create engine directly using the constructed URL
+    connectable = create_engine(url, poolclass=pool.NullPool)
+    # Original approach using engine_from_config:
+    # connectable = engine_from_config(
+    #     config.get_section(config.config_ini_section, {}),
+    #     prefix="sqlalchemy.",
+    #     poolclass=pool.NullPool,
+    # )
 
     with connectable.connect() as connection:
         context.configure(connection=connection, target_metadata=target_metadata)
diff --git a/backend/alembic/versions/a34d847510da_add_all_day_column_to_calendar_events.py b/backend/alembic/versions/a34d847510da_add_all_day_column_to_calendar_events.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..71e9dd9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/alembic/versions/a34d847510da_add_all_day_column_to_calendar_events.py
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+"""Add all_day column to calendar_events
+
+Revision ID: a34d847510da
+Revises: 9a82960db482
+Create Date: 2025-04-26 11:09:35.400748
+
+"""
+from typing import Sequence, Union
+
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+from sqlalchemy.dialects import postgresql
+
+# revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
+revision: str = 'a34d847510da'
+down_revision: Union[str, None] = '9a82960db482'
+branch_labels: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+depends_on: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    """Upgrade schema."""
+    # ### commands auto generated by Alembic - please adjust! ###
+    op.drop_table('calendar_events')
+    op.drop_table('users')
+    op.drop_index('ix_todos_id', table_name='todos')
+    op.drop_index('ix_todos_task', table_name='todos')
+    op.drop_table('todos')
+    op.drop_table('token_blacklist')
+    op.drop_index('ix_chat_messages_id', table_name='chat_messages')
+    op.drop_index('ix_chat_messages_user_id', table_name='chat_messages')
+    op.drop_table('chat_messages')
+    # ### end Alembic commands ###
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+    """Downgrade schema."""
+    # ### commands auto generated by Alembic - please adjust! ###
+    op.create_table('chat_messages',
+    sa.Column('id', sa.INTEGER(), autoincrement=True, nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('user_id', sa.INTEGER(), autoincrement=False, nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('sender', postgresql.ENUM('USER', 'AI', name='messagesender'), autoincrement=False, nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('text', sa.TEXT(), autoincrement=False, nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('timestamp', postgresql.TIMESTAMP(timezone=True), server_default=sa.text('now()'), autoincrement=False, nullable=True),
+    sa.ForeignKeyConstraint(['user_id'], ['users.id'], name='chat_messages_user_id_fkey'),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('id', name='chat_messages_pkey')
+    )
+    op.create_index('ix_chat_messages_user_id', 'chat_messages', ['user_id'], unique=False)
+    op.create_index('ix_chat_messages_id', 'chat_messages', ['id'], unique=False)
+    op.create_table('token_blacklist',
+    sa.Column('id', sa.INTEGER(), autoincrement=True, nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('token', sa.VARCHAR(), autoincrement=False, nullable=True),
+    sa.Column('expires_at', postgresql.TIMESTAMP(), autoincrement=False, nullable=True),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('id', name='token_blacklist_pkey'),
+    sa.UniqueConstraint('token', name='token_blacklist_token_key')
+    )
+    op.create_table('todos',
+    sa.Column('id', sa.INTEGER(), autoincrement=True, nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('task', sa.VARCHAR(), autoincrement=False, nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('date', postgresql.TIMESTAMP(), autoincrement=False, nullable=True),
+    sa.Column('remind', sa.BOOLEAN(), autoincrement=False, nullable=True),
+    sa.Column('complete', sa.BOOLEAN(), autoincrement=False, nullable=True),
+    sa.Column('owner_id', sa.INTEGER(), autoincrement=False, nullable=True),
+    sa.ForeignKeyConstraint(['owner_id'], ['users.id'], name='todos_owner_id_fkey'),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('id', name='todos_pkey')
+    )
+    op.create_index('ix_todos_task', 'todos', ['task'], unique=False)
+    op.create_index('ix_todos_id', 'todos', ['id'], unique=False)
+    op.create_table('users',
+    sa.Column('id', sa.INTEGER(), server_default=sa.text("nextval('users_id_seq'::regclass)"), autoincrement=True, nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('uuid', sa.VARCHAR(), autoincrement=False, nullable=True),
+    sa.Column('username', sa.VARCHAR(), autoincrement=False, nullable=True),
+    sa.Column('name', sa.VARCHAR(), autoincrement=False, nullable=True),
+    sa.Column('role', postgresql.ENUM('ADMIN', 'USER', name='userrole'), autoincrement=False, nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('hashed_password', sa.VARCHAR(), autoincrement=False, nullable=True),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('id', name='users_pkey'),
+    sa.UniqueConstraint('username', name='users_username_key'),
+    sa.UniqueConstraint('uuid', name='users_uuid_key'),
+    postgresql_ignore_search_path=False
+    )
+    op.create_table('calendar_events',
+    sa.Column('id', sa.INTEGER(), autoincrement=True, nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('title', sa.VARCHAR(), autoincrement=False, nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('description', sa.VARCHAR(), autoincrement=False, nullable=True),
+    sa.Column('start', postgresql.TIMESTAMP(), autoincrement=False, nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('end', postgresql.TIMESTAMP(), autoincrement=False, nullable=True),
+    sa.Column('location', sa.VARCHAR(), autoincrement=False, nullable=True),
+    sa.Column('tags', postgresql.JSON(astext_type=sa.Text()), autoincrement=False, nullable=True),
+    sa.Column('color', sa.VARCHAR(), autoincrement=False, nullable=True),
+    sa.Column('user_id', sa.INTEGER(), autoincrement=False, nullable=False),
+    sa.ForeignKeyConstraint(['user_id'], ['users.id'], name='calendar_events_user_id_fkey'),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('id', name='calendar_events_pkey')
+    )
+    # ### end Alembic commands ###
diff --git a/backend/core/__pycache__/config.cpython-312.pyc b/backend/core/__pycache__/config.cpython-312.pyc
index 7ed7cd5..bf23a90 100644
Binary files a/backend/core/__pycache__/config.cpython-312.pyc and b/backend/core/__pycache__/config.cpython-312.pyc differ
diff --git a/backend/core/__pycache__/database.cpython-312.pyc b/backend/core/__pycache__/database.cpython-312.pyc
index 3fd3b46..cded6e3 100644
Binary files a/backend/core/__pycache__/database.cpython-312.pyc and b/backend/core/__pycache__/database.cpython-312.pyc differ
diff --git a/backend/core/config.py b/backend/core/config.py
index eee5bff..dce8491 100644
--- a/backend/core/config.py
+++ b/backend/core/config.py
@@ -6,8 +6,14 @@ DOTENV_PATH = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "../.env")
 
 
 class Settings(BaseSettings):
-    # Database settings - reads DB_URL from environment or .env
-    DB_URL: str = "postgresql://maia:maia@localhost:5432/maia"
+    # Database settings - reads from environment or .env
+    DB_PORT: int = 5432
+    DB_NAME: str = "maia"
+    DB_HOST: str
+    DB_USER: str
+    DB_PASSWORD: str
+
+    DB_URL: str = ""
 
     # Redis settings - reads REDIS_URL from environment or .env, also used for Celery.
     REDIS_URL: str = "redis://localhost:6379/0"
diff --git a/backend/core/database.py b/backend/core/database.py
index 396734e..3425083 100644
--- a/backend/core/database.py
+++ b/backend/core/database.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ Base = declarative_base()  # Used for models
 _engine = None
 _SessionLocal = None
 
+settings.DB_URL = f"postgresql://{settings.DB_USER}:{settings.DB_PASSWORD}@{settings.DB_HOST}:{settings.DB_PORT}/{settings.DB_NAME}"
 
 def get_engine():
     global _engine
diff --git a/backend/docker-compose.yml b/backend/docker-compose.yml
index f834afc..223e02a 100644
--- a/backend/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/backend/docker-compose.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 # docker-compose.yml
+
+###################
+### DEV COMPOSE ###
+###################
 services:
   # ----- Backend API (Uvicorn/FastAPI/Django etc.) -----
   api:
@@ -11,9 +15,6 @@ services:
       - .:/app
     ports:
       - "8000:8000"
-    environment:
-      - DB_URL=postgresql://${POSTGRES_USER}:${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}@db:5432/maia
-      - REDIS_URL=redis://redis:6379/0
     depends_on:
       - db
       - redis
@@ -32,9 +33,6 @@ services:
     command: celery -A core.celery_app worker --loglevel=info
     volumes:
       - .:/app
-    environment:
-      - DB_URL=postgresql://${POSTGRES_USER}:${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}@db:5432/maia
-      - REDIS_URL=redis://redis:6379/0
     depends_on:
       - db
       - redis
@@ -49,11 +47,11 @@ services:
     image: postgres:15 # Use a specific version
     container_name: MAIA-DB
     volumes:
-      - postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data # Persist data using a named volume
+      - ./db:/var/lib/postgresql/data # Persist data using a named volume
     environment:
-      - POSTGRES_USER=${POSTGRES_USER}
-      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}
-      - POSTGRES_DB=maia
+      - POSTGRES_USER=${DB_USER}
+      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=${DB_PASSWORD}
+      - POSTGRES_DB=${DB_NAME}
     env_file:
       - ./.env
     networks:
@@ -65,16 +63,11 @@ services:
     image: redis:7 # Use a specific version
     container_name: MAIA-Redis
     volumes:
-      - redis_data:/data
+      - ./redis_data:/data
     networks:
       - maia_network
     restart: unless-stopped
 
-# ----- Volumes Definition -----
-volumes:
-  postgres_data: # Define the named volume for PostgreSQL
-  redis_data:    # Define the named volume for Redis
-
 # ----- Network Definition -----
 networks:
   maia_network:   # Define a custom bridge network
diff --git a/backend/main.py b/backend/main.py
index 23523af..71d32c1 100644
--- a/backend/main.py
+++ b/backend/main.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ logging.getLogger("passlib").setLevel(logging.ERROR)  # fix bc package logging i
 
 
 def lifespan_factory() -> Callable[[FastAPI], _AsyncGeneratorContextManager[Any]]:
-
     @asynccontextmanager
     async def lifespan(app: FastAPI):
         # Base.metadata.drop_all(bind=get_engine())
@@ -29,6 +28,7 @@ app.add_middleware(
     CORSMiddleware,
     allow_origins=[
         "https://maia.depaoli.id.au",
+        "http://localhost:8081",
     ],
     allow_credentials=True,
     allow_methods=["*"],
diff --git a/backend/modules/admin/__pycache__/api.cpython-312.pyc b/backend/modules/admin/__pycache__/api.cpython-312.pyc
index 6587770..63ae70c 100644
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diff --git a/backend/modules/auth/__pycache__/dependencies.cpython-312.pyc b/backend/modules/auth/__pycache__/dependencies.cpython-312.pyc
index 29e52de..659d80c 100644
Binary files a/backend/modules/auth/__pycache__/dependencies.cpython-312.pyc and b/backend/modules/auth/__pycache__/dependencies.cpython-312.pyc differ
diff --git a/backend/modules/nlp/__pycache__/models.cpython-312.pyc b/backend/modules/nlp/__pycache__/models.cpython-312.pyc
index 515297e..06d2cd2 100644
Binary files a/backend/modules/nlp/__pycache__/models.cpython-312.pyc and b/backend/modules/nlp/__pycache__/models.cpython-312.pyc differ
diff --git a/interfaces/nativeapp/.env b/interfaces/nativeapp/.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2f6627c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/interfaces/nativeapp/.env
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL='http://localhost:8000/api'
\ No newline at end of file