diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ad437cf..f8be39e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -61,32 +61,29 @@ Download and run the interactive installer from the [Official PostgreSQL Downloa
    ```
    *(On macOS/Windows, open your terminal/command prompt and run `psql postgres` or use a graphical tool like PgAdmin).*
 
-2. Create a new database named `brew`:
-   ```sql
-   CREATE DATABASE brew;
-   ```
-
-3. Create a database user with a secure password:
+2. Create a database user with a secure password:
    ```sql
    CREATE USER brew_user WITH PASSWORD 'your_secure_password';
    ```
 
-4. Grant all privileges on the database to your new user:
+3. Create the database and set its owner to `brew_user`. Setting the owner guarantees that the user has full table creation privileges on the default `public` schema:
    ```sql
-   GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE brew TO brew_user;
+   CREATE DATABASE brew OWNER brew_user;
    ```
 
-5. (For PostgreSQL 15+) Connect to the database and grant schema permissions:
-   ```sql
-   \c brew
-   GRANT ALL ON SCHEMA public TO brew_user;
-   ```
-
-6. Exit the PostgreSQL shell:
+4. Exit the PostgreSQL shell:
    ```sql
    \q
    ```
 
+> [!TIP]
+> **Troubleshooting "Permission denied for schema public" (PostgreSQL 15+):**
+> If you already created the database without setting `brew_user` as the owner and encounter this error, log in as the superuser (`postgres`), connect to the `brew` database, and explicitly grant the schema privileges:
+> ```sql
+> \c brew
+> GRANT ALL ON SCHEMA public TO brew_user;
+> ```
+
 > [!NOTE]
 > Database tables (such as `users`) are initialized automatically when you start the backend server, as defined in [server/db.js](file:///home/sortedcord/Projects/brew/server/db.js).
 
diff --git a/src/AuthContext.jsx b/src/AuthContext.jsx
index 0a05bec..69d1288 100644
--- a/src/AuthContext.jsx
+++ b/src/AuthContext.jsx
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }) {
 
   const verifyToken = useCallback(async (tkn) => {
     try {
-      const res = await fetch('http://localhost:5000/api/verify-token', {
+      const res = await fetch('/api/verify-token', {
         headers: { 'Authorization': `Bearer ${tkn}` }
       });
       if (res.ok) {
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }) {
 
   const login = async (email, password) => {
     try {
-      const res = await fetch('http://localhost:5000/api/login', {
+      const res = await fetch('/api/login', {
         method: 'POST',
         headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
         body: JSON.stringify({ email, password })
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }) {
 
   const register = async (username, email, password) => {
     try {
-      const res = await fetch('http://localhost:5000/api/register', {
+      const res = await fetch('/api/register', {
         method: 'POST',
         headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
         body: JSON.stringify({ username, email, password })
diff --git a/vite.config.js b/vite.config.js
index 8b0f57b..f61a064 100644
--- a/vite.config.js
+++ b/vite.config.js
@@ -4,4 +4,12 @@ import react from '@vitejs/plugin-react'
 // https://vite.dev/config/
 export default defineConfig({
   plugins: [react()],
+  server: {
+    proxy: {
+      '/api': {
+        target: 'http://localhost:5000',
+        changeOrigin: true,
+      }
+    }
+  }
 })