diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
diff --git a/config/app.php b/config/app.php
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
diff --git a/config/database.php b/config/database.php
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index e69de29..9257e2c
--- a/config/database.php
+++ b/config/database.php
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+<?php
+
+return [
+	'enabled' => true,
+	'path' => ROOT . '/storage/database.sqlite'
+];
diff --git a/config/routes.php b/config/routes.php
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 8dde48c..f9e1b06
--- a/config/routes.php
+++ b/config/routes.php
@@ -1,16 +1,13 @@
 <?php
-
 return [
 	'GET' => [
-		'/'       => 'home.php',
-		'/about'  => 'about.php',
+		'/' => 'home.php',
+		'/about' => 'about.php',
+		'/sqlite' => 'sqlite.php',
+		'/api/test' => 'api/example.php'
 	],
-	/* Some Examples
+
 	'POST' => [
-		'/contact' => 'contact.php',
+		'/api/test' => 'api/example.php'
 	],
-	'DELETE' => [
-		'/api/todo' => 'delete_todo.php',
-	],
-	 */
 ];
diff --git a/index.php b/index.php
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
diff --git a/public/css/app.css b/public/css/app.css
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..0d400a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/css/app.css
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+body {
+	font-family: system-ui, sans-serif;
+	max-width:960px;
+	margin:0 auto;
+	padding:2rem;
+}
diff --git a/public/js/app.js b/public/js/app.js
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..9012239
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/js/app.js
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+'use strict';
+console.log('miniPHP loaded');
diff --git a/src/api/example.php b/src/api/example.php
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..83241a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/api/example.php
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+<?php
+
+header('Content-Type: application/json');
+echo json_encode(['success'=>true,'message'=>'API working']);
diff --git a/src/bootstrap.php b/src/bootstrap.php
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 0d459d9..3608da7
--- a/src/bootstrap.php
+++ b/src/bootstrap.php
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 <?php declare(strict_types=1);
 
-// Add the helpers globally
-require_once ROOT . '/src/helpers.php';
+require_once ROOT.'/src/helpers.php';
+require_once ROOT.'/src/database.php';
diff --git a/src/database.php b/src/database.php
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index e69de29..c6d1d87
--- a/src/database.php
+++ b/src/database.php
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+<?php declare(strict_types=1);
+
+function db(): PDO
+{
+	static $pdo=null;
+	if ($pdo instanceof PDO) { return $pdo; }
+
+	$config = get_config('database');
+
+	if (!($config['enabled']??false)) {
+		throw new RuntimeException('Database is disabled.');
+	}
+
+	$pdo = new PDO('sqlite:'.$config['path']);
+	$pdo->setAttribute(PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE,PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION);
+	$pdo->setAttribute(PDO::ATTR_DEFAULT_FETCH_MODE,PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);
+
+	return $pdo;
+}
diff --git a/src/helpers.php b/src/helpers.php
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index f8dd042..d745d00
--- a/src/helpers.php
+++ b/src/helpers.php
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 <?php declare(strict_types=1);
 
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Escape user-controlled output before rendering HTML.
+// Prevents XSS by converting special characters into HTML entities.
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 function escape_string(string $value): string
 {
 	return htmlspecialchars(
@@ -8,3 +12,76 @@ function escape_string(string $value): string
 		'UTF-8'
 	);
 }
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Dump a variable and terminate execution.
+// Useful when debugging requests, database results, configuration, etc.
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+function debugx(mixed $value): never
+{
+	echo '<pre>';
+	print_r($value);
+	echo '</pre>';
+	exit;
+}
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Dump a variable without terminating execution.
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+function debug(mixed $value): void
+{
+	echo '<pre>';
+	print_r($value);
+	echo '</pre>';
+}
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Load a configuration file from /config.
+// Config files are cached for the lifetime of the request to avoid
+// repeatedly requiring the same file.
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+function get_config(string $file): array
+{
+	static $cache = [];
+
+	if (isset($cache[$file])) {
+		return $cache[$file];
+	}
+
+	$path = ROOT . '/config/' . $file . '.php';
+
+	if (!is_file($path)) {
+		throw new RuntimeException("Config file not found: {$file}");
+	}
+
+	$config = require $path;
+
+	if (!is_array($config)) {
+		throw new RuntimeException("Config file must return an array: {$file}");
+	}
+
+	return $cache[$file] = $config;
+}
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Render a reusable partial view.
+// Variables passed via $data become available inside the partial.
+// partial('head', [ 'title' => 'Home', ]);
+// Loads: src/views/partials/head.php
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+function partial(string $name, array $data = []): void
+{
+	$file = ROOT . '/src/views/partials/' . $name . '.php';
+
+	if (!is_file($file)) {
+		throw new RuntimeException(
+			"Partial not found: {$name}"
+		);
+	}
+
+	// Extract provided variables into the local scope while preventing
+	// accidental overwriting of existing variables.
+	extract($data, EXTR_SKIP);
+
+	require $file;
+}
diff --git a/src/router.php b/src/router.php
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 5023fa1..93d49c4
--- a/src/router.php
+++ b/src/router.php
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <?php declare(strict_types=1);
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Parse request URI
+// Parse Request URI
 // Examples:
 // /           => /
 // /about      => /about
@@ -18,47 +18,22 @@ $uri = rtrim($uri, '/');
 $uri = $uri ?: '/';
 
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Request method
+// Request Method
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 $method = strtoupper($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] ?? 'GET');
 
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Load route configuration
-// config/routes.php:
-// return [
-//     'GET' => [
-//         '/'      => 'home.php',
-//         '/about' => 'about.php',
-//     ],
-// ];
+// Load Routes
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-$routes = require ROOT . '/config/routes.php';
-
-if (!is_array($routes)) {
-    error_log('Router: routes.php must return an array');
-    http_response_code(500);
-    exit;
-}
+$routes = get_config('routes');
 
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Find matching route
+// Find Route
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 $route = $routes[$method][$uri] ?? null;
 
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Base directory containing all page files
-// Every routed file MUST live inside this directory.
-// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-$base = realpath(ROOT . '/src/views/pages');
-
-if ($base === false) {
-    error_log('Router: pages directory not found');
-    http_response_code(500);
-    exit;
-}
-
-// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Route not found
+// Route Not Found
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 if ($route === null) {
     http_response_code(404);
@@ -66,33 +41,56 @@ if ($route === null) {
 }
 
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Resolve requested file
+// Determine Base Directory
+//
+// Routes beginning with:
+// api/
+// are loaded from:
+// src/api/
+// Everything else is loaded from:
+// src/views/pages/
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+if (str_starts_with($route, 'api/')) {
+    $base = realpath(ROOT . '/src/api');
+    $file = substr($route, 4);
+} else {
+    $base = realpath(ROOT . '/src/views/pages');
+    $file = $route;
+}
+
+if ($base === false) {
+    error_log('Router: base directory not found');
+    http_response_code(500);
+    exit;
+}
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Resolve File
 // realpath() converts:
 // home.php
 // ../home.php
 // ../../etc/passwd
 // into an absolute canonical path.
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-$real = realpath($base . '/' . $route);
+$real = realpath($base . '/' . $file);
 
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Path traversal protection
-// Only allow files that resolve inside:
-// src/views/pages/
+// Path Traversal Protection
 //
-// This blocks attempts such as:
+// Ensures the resolved file stays inside the expected base directory.
+// Examples blocked:
 // ../../etc/passwd
 // ../../../secret.php
-// even if they somehow end up in the route table.
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-if ($real === false || !str_starts_with($real, $base . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR)) {
+if ($real === false || !str_starts_with( $real, $base . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR)) {
     error_log("Router: invalid route target [$route]");
     http_response_code(403);
     exit;
 }
 
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Dispatch request
+// Dispatch
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 require $real;
diff --git a/src/views/pages/404.php b/src/views/pages/404.php
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index e69de29..d415ffc
--- a/src/views/pages/404.php
+++ b/src/views/pages/404.php
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<p>404</p>
diff --git a/src/views/pages/about.php b/src/views/pages/about.php
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 86c62fe..2b3a95a
--- a/src/views/pages/about.php
+++ b/src/views/pages/about.php
@@ -1 +1,6 @@
-<p>about</p>
+<?php partial('head', [ 'title' => 'About', ]); ?>
+
+<h1>About</h1>
+<p>random stuff</p>
+
+<?php partial('footer'); ?>
diff --git a/src/views/pages/home.php b/src/views/pages/home.php
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 0a88878..d66fb9f
--- a/src/views/pages/home.php
+++ b/src/views/pages/home.php
@@ -1 +1,7 @@
-<p>home</p>
+<?php partial('head', [ 'title' => 'Home', ]); ?>
+
+<h1>Home</h1>
+
+<p>Hello world.</p>
+
+<?php partial('footer'); ?>
diff --git a/src/views/pages/sqlite.php b/src/views/pages/sqlite.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d3fb401
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/views/pages/sqlite.php
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+<?php
+
+$db = db();
+
+$db->exec("
+    CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS users (
+        id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
+        name TEXT NOT NULL
+    )
+");
+
+$db->exec(" INSERT INTO users (name) VALUES ('Jason') ");
+$users = $db ->query('SELECT * FROM users') ->fetchAll();
+
+debugx($users);
diff --git a/src/views/partials/footer.php b/src/views/partials/footer.php
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..a6ef893
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/views/partials/footer.php
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+	<script src="/public/js/app.js"></script>
+	</body>
+</html>
diff --git a/src/views/partials/head.php b/src/views/partials/head.php
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..62363c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/views/partials/head.php
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+<!doctype html>
+<html>
+	<head>
+		<meta charset="utf-8">
+		<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1">
+		<title><?php echo escape_string($title ?? 'miniPHP') ?></title>
+		<link rel="stylesheet" href="/public/css/app.css">
+	</head>
+	<body>
diff --git a/storage/.gitkeep b/storage/.gitkeep
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/storage/database.sqlite b/storage/database.sqlite
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4994547
Binary files /dev/null and b/storage/database.sqlite differ