diff --git a/backend/.env b/backend/.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6b53e44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/.env
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+DB_PATH=./db.sqlite
+API_KEY=p123
diff --git a/backend/.gitignore b/backend/.gitignore
index ea8c4bf..4648120 100644
--- a/backend/.gitignore
+++ b/backend/.gitignore
@@ -1 +1,25 @@
-/target
+.env
+*.sqlite
+
+### Rust template
+# Generated by Cargo
+# will have compiled files and executables
+debug/
+target/
+
+# Remove Cargo.lock from gitignore if creating an executable, leave it for libraries
+# More information here https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/guide/cargo-toml-vs-cargo-lock.html
+#Cargo.lock
+
+# These are backup files generated by rustfmt
+**/*.rs.bk
+
+# MSVC Windows builds of rustc generate these, which store debugging information
+*.pdb
+
+# RustRover
+#  JetBrains specific template is maintained in a separate JetBrains.gitignore that can
+#  be found at https://github.com/github/gitignore/blob/main/Global/JetBrains.gitignore
+#  and can be added to the global gitignore or merged into this file.  For a more nuclear
+#  option (not recommended) you can uncomment the following to ignore the entire idea folder.
+.idea/
diff --git a/backend/Cargo.lock b/backend/Cargo.lock
index 5490b96..8f6fb34 100644
--- a/backend/Cargo.lock
+++ b/backend/Cargo.lock
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ dependencies = [
  "dotenv",
  "rocket",
  "rusqlite",
+ "serde",
+ "serde_json",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -960,6 +962,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "rocket_codegen",
  "rocket_http",
  "serde",
+ "serde_json",
  "state",
  "tempfile",
  "time",
diff --git a/backend/Cargo.toml b/backend/Cargo.toml
index b0fa34a..4202620 100644
--- a/backend/Cargo.toml
+++ b/backend/Cargo.toml
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ version = "0.1.0"
 edition = "2024"
 
 [dependencies]
-rocket = "0.5.1"
+rocket = { version = "0.5.0-rc.2", features = ["json"] }
 dotenv = "0.15.0"
 rusqlite = { version = "0.35.0", features = ["bundled"] }
+serde = { version = "1.0.147", features = ["derive"] }
+serde_json = "1.0.88"
diff --git a/backend/src/auth.rs b/backend/src/auth.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bb25561
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/auth.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+use rocket::Response;
+use rocket::http::Status;
+use rocket::request::{FromRequest, Outcome, Request};
+use serde::Serialize;
+use serde_json::json;
+use std::io::Cursor;
+
+pub struct ApiKey {}
+
+#[derive(Serialize)]
+pub struct GenericResponse {
+    pub message: String,
+}
+
+#[rocket::async_trait]
+impl<'r> FromRequest<'r> for ApiKey {
+    type Error = Response<'r>;
+
+    async fn from_request(req: &'r Request<'_>) -> Outcome<Self, Response<'r>> {
+        fn is_valid(key: &str) -> bool {
+            key == dotenv::var("API_KEY").unwrap()
+        }
+
+        match req.headers().get_one("Authorization") {
+            None => {
+                let body = json!(GenericResponse {
+                    message: "auth token not found".to_string()
+                })
+                .to_string();
+
+                Outcome::Error((
+                    Status::Unauthorized,
+                    Response::build()
+                        .status(Status::Unauthorized)
+                        .sized_body(body.len(), Cursor::new(body))
+                        .finalize(),
+                ))
+            }
+            Some(key) if is_valid(key) => Outcome::Success(ApiKey {}),
+            Some(_) => {
+                let body = json!(GenericResponse {
+                    message: "invalid auth token".to_string()
+                })
+                .to_string();
+
+                Outcome::Error((
+                    Status::Unauthorized,
+                    Response::build()
+                        .status(Status::Unauthorized)
+                        .sized_body(body.len(), Cursor::new(body))
+                        .finalize(),
+                ))
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/backend/src/main.rs b/backend/src/main.rs
index f219dd6..11498e2 100644
--- a/backend/src/main.rs
+++ b/backend/src/main.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 mod db;
+mod auth;
 
 use dotenv;
+use auth::ApiKey;
 
 #[macro_use]
 extern crate rocket;
@@ -10,11 +12,17 @@ async fn index() -> &'static str {
     "Hello World!"
 }
 
+#[get("/hi")]
+async fn hello(api_key: ApiKey) -> &'static str {
+    "Hi!"
+}
+
 #[launch]
 fn rocket() -> _ {
     dotenv::dotenv().ok();
     let db_path = dotenv::var("DB_PATH").expect("DB_PATH is not set");
+    dotenv::var("API_KEY").expect("API_KEY is not set");
     let db = db::Conn::new(&db_path);
 
-    rocket::build().mount("/", routes![index])
+    rocket::build().mount("/", routes![index, hello])
 }