diff --git a/api/.gitignore b/api/.gitignore
index 01e74fd..1d9f974 100644
--- a/api/.gitignore
+++ b/api/.gitignore
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ bld/
 project.lock.json
 project.fragment.lock.json
 artifacts/
+[Mm]igrations/
 
 # NuGet Packages
 *.nupkg
diff --git a/api/Program.cs b/api/Program.cs
index d0e4ce9..302b215 100644
--- a/api/Program.cs
+++ b/api/Program.cs
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.HttpOverrides;
+using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
 
-using agologumApi.Stores;
+using agologumApi.Services;
 
 var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
 
+builder.Services.AddDbContext<AppDbContext>(options => 
+    options.UseNpgsql(builder.Configuration.GetConnectionString("DefaultConnection")));
+
 builder.Services.AddControllers();
-builder.Services.AddSingleton<UserStore>();
+builder.Services.AddScoped<UserService>();
 
 // configuration for behind my nginx proxy
 builder.Services.Configure<ForwardedHeadersOptions>(options =>
diff --git a/api/agologum-api.csproj b/api/agologum-api.csproj
index 525cfa3..77eaeef 100644
--- a/api/agologum-api.csproj
+++ b/api/agologum-api.csproj
@@ -9,6 +9,16 @@
 
   <ItemGroup>
     <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.AspNetCore.OpenApi" Version="10.0.3" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore" Version="10.0.5" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Design" Version="10.0.5">
+      <IncludeAssets>runtime; build; native; contentfiles; analyzers; buildtransitive</IncludeAssets>
+      <PrivateAssets>all</PrivateAssets>
+    </PackageReference>
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools" Version="10.0.5">
+      <IncludeAssets>runtime; build; native; contentfiles; analyzers; buildtransitive</IncludeAssets>
+      <PrivateAssets>all</PrivateAssets>
+    </PackageReference>
+    <PackageReference Include="Npgsql.EntityFrameworkCore.PostgreSQL" Version="10.0.1" />
     <PackageReference Include="Swashbuckle.AspNetCore" Version="10.1.5" />
   </ItemGroup>
 
diff --git a/api/appsettings.json b/api/appsettings.json
index 822760b..1059c4a 100644
--- a/api/appsettings.json
+++ b/api/appsettings.json
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@
       "Microsoft.AspNetCore": "Warning"
     }
   },
+  "ConnectionStrings": {
+    "DefaultConnection": "Host=localhost;Port=5432;Database=devTest1;Username=devuser;Password=admin5"
+  },
   "AllowedHosts": "*",
   "https_port": 443
 }
diff --git a/api/src/Controllers/UsersController.cs b/api/src/Controllers/UsersController.cs
index 38cb664..8e7ed76 100644
--- a/api/src/Controllers/UsersController.cs
+++ b/api/src/Controllers/UsersController.cs
@@ -1,40 +1,39 @@
 
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
 using agologumApi.Models;
-using agologumApi.Stores;
+using agologumApi.Services;
 
 [ApiController]
 [Route("api/[controller]")]
 public class UsersController : ControllerBase
 {
-    private readonly UserStore store_;
+    private readonly UserService service_;
 
-    public UsersController(UserStore store)
+    public UsersController(UserService service)
     {
-        store_ = store;
+        service_ = service;
     }
 
     [HttpGet]
-    public ActionResult<List<User>> getUsers()
+    public async Task<ActionResult<List<User>>> getUsers()
     {
-        return Ok(store_.getUsers());
+        return Ok(await service_.GetAll());
     }
 
     [HttpGet("{id:int}")]
-    public ActionResult<User> getUser(int id)
+    public async Task<ActionResult<User>> getUser(int id)
     {
-        var user = store_.getUser(id);
+        var user = await service_.Get(id);
 
-        if (user == null)
-            return NotFound();
+        if (user == null) return NotFound();
 
         return Ok(user);
     }
 
     [HttpPost]
-    public ActionResult<User> createUser(User user)
+    public async Task<ActionResult<User>> createUser(User user)
     {
-        var created = store_.createUser(user);
+        var created = await service_.Create(user);
 
         return CreatedAtAction(
             nameof(getUser),
@@ -44,23 +43,21 @@ public class UsersController : ControllerBase
     }
 
     [HttpPut("{id}")]
-    public ActionResult<User> updateUser(int id, User user)
+    public async Task<ActionResult<User>> updateUser(int id, User user)
     {
-        var updated = store_.updateUser(id, user);
+        var updated = await service_.Update(user);
 
-        if (updated == null)
-            return NotFound();
+        if (updated == null) return NotFound();
 
         return Ok(updated);
     }
 
     [HttpDelete("{id}")]
-    public ActionResult deleteUser(int id)
+    public async Task<ActionResult> deleteUser(int id)
     {
-        var success = store_.deleteUser(id);
+        var success = await service_.Delete(id);
 
-        if (!success)
-            return NotFound();
+        if (success) return NotFound();
 
         return NoContent();
     }
diff --git a/api/src/Stores/UserStore.cs b/api/src/Stores/UserStore.cs
deleted file mode 100644
index 456bf33..0000000
--- a/api/src/Stores/UserStore.cs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,46 +0,0 @@
-
-// temporary state management
-// this will eventually change into a service that uses EnitityFramework for database interactions
-
-using agologumApi.Models;
-
-namespace agologumApi.Stores;
-
-public class UserStore {
-
-    private readonly List<User> users_ = new();
-    private int nextId_ = 1;
-
-    public List<User> getUsers() {
-        return users_;
-    }
-
-    public User? getUser(int id) {
-        return users_.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Id == id);
-    }
-
-    public User createUser(User user) {
-        user.Id = nextId_++;
-        users_.Add(user);
-        return user;
-    }
-
-    public User? updateUser(int id, User updated) {
-        var existing = users_.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Id == id);
-        if(existing == null) return null;
-
-        existing.Name = updated.Name;
-        existing.Email = updated.Email;
-        
-        return existing;
-    }
-
-    public bool deleteUser(int id) {
-        var existing = users_.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Id == id);
-        if(existing == null) return false;
-
-        users_.Remove(existing);
-        return true;
-    }
-
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/client/src/App.vue b/client/src/App.vue
index efc0210..cd279a6 100644
--- a/client/src/App.vue
+++ b/client/src/App.vue
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@ import index from './pages/index.vue'
 
 <template>
   <router-view /> <!-- Routed components appear here -->
-</template>
\ No newline at end of file
+</template>