diff --git a/server/auth/index.ts b/server/auth/index.ts
index d7880fd..68992d0 100644
--- a/server/auth/index.ts
+++ b/server/auth/index.ts
@@ -20,12 +20,25 @@ export default class AuthService {
             // not allowed to use email address that already exists
             const user = await UserInstance.getOneByEmail(data.email);
 
-            if (user) throw createError('409', 'Email already in use');
+            if (user) {
+                return new ControllerResponse(StatusCode.Conflict, "Email already in use", false);
+            }
+
+            // check that all required fields are populated
+            let missingFields = new Array<string>();
+            let requiredFields: Array<keyof IUser> = ['firstname', 'lastname', 'handle', 'email', 'isadmin', 'password'];
+            for (let field of requiredFields) {
+                if (!(field in data)) {
+                    missingFields.push(field as string);
+                }
+            }
+
+            if (missingFields.length) {
+                return new ControllerResponse(StatusCode.BadRequest, `Missing fields in output: ${missingFields.join(", ")}`, false);
+            }
 
             // hash password and create new user record
             const salt = await bcrypt.genSalt(12);
-            console.log(salt);
-            console.log(data.password);
 
             bcrypt.hash(data.password!, salt, (err, hash) => {
                 if (err) throw err;
@@ -37,7 +50,7 @@ export default class AuthService {
                 UserInstance.post(newData);
             })
 
-            return true;
+            return new ControllerResponse(StatusCode.NewContent, "registered successfully", true);
         } catch (e: any) {
             throw new Error(e);
         }
diff --git a/server/auth/middlewares.ts b/server/auth/middlewares.ts
index 231cb98..dd09d7c 100644
--- a/server/auth/middlewares.ts
+++ b/server/auth/middlewares.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,23 @@
-import e, { NextFunction, Request, Response } from "express"
-import ControllerResponse from "../util/ControllerResponse";
-import { StatusCode } from "../util/types";
+import { NextFunction, Request, Response } from "express"
+import dotenv from "dotenv";
+import { IUser } from "../schemas";
+
+dotenv.config();
 
 export function restrictAccess(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) {
     if (req.session.user == undefined) {
-        console.log("restricted")
-        res.send(undefined);
+        res.send("content restricted");
+    } else {
+        next();
+    }
+}
+
+export function requireSessionSecret(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) {
+    const secret = process.env.SESSIONSECRET;
+
+    if (!secret) {
+        res.sendStatus(500);
+        throw new Error("Express secret is undefined");
     } else {
         next();
     }
@@ -20,5 +32,11 @@ export function checkFriendStatus(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunctio
 }
 
 export function checkIsAdmin(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) {
-    
+    const user: IUser | undefined = req.user as IUser;
+
+    if (user.isadmin) {
+        next();
+    } else {
+        res.status(403).send("Unauthorized");
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/index.ts b/server/index.ts
index 902c8c2..9727fd8 100644
--- a/server/index.ts
+++ b/server/index.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,11 @@
 import express from 'express';
-import cors from 'cors';
 import dotenv from 'dotenv';
 import { loaders } from './loaders';
 
 dotenv.config();
 
-const port = 8080;
+const port = process.env.PORT || 8080;
 const app = express();
-app.use(cors());
 
 async function main() {
     await loaders(app);
diff --git a/server/loaders/express.ts b/server/loaders/express.ts
index 9537efd..f66098b 100644
--- a/server/loaders/express.ts
+++ b/server/loaders/express.ts
@@ -6,39 +6,31 @@ import cors from 'cors';
 import session from 'express-session';
 import pgSessionStore from '../db/sessionStore';
 import { IUser } from '../schemas';
+import { requireSessionSecret } from '../auth/middlewares';
 
-declare module "express-session" {
+const origin = process.env.ORIGIN || 'http://localhost:5173';
+const secret = process.env.SESSIONSECRET;
+
+declare module 'express-session' {
     interface SessionData {
-        user: IUser
+        user?: IUser
     }
 }
 
 export const expressLoader = async (app: Express) => {
-    app.use(cors({
-        origin: process.env.ORIGIN || 'http://localhost:5173',
-        credentials: true
-      }));
-
+    app.use(cors({ origin: origin }));
     app.use(bodyParser.json());
     app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true }));
     app.use(cookieParser());
-
-    // app.options("*", cors({ origin: 'http://localhost:5173', optionsSuccessStatus: 200 }));
-    // app.use(cors({ origin: "http://localhost:5173", optionsSuccessStatus: 200 }));
-
     app.use(morgan('tiny'));
-
-    app.get('/', (req, res) => {
-        res.cookie('name', 'express').send('cookie set');
-    })
-
-    const secret = process.env.SESSIONSECRET as string;
+    app.use(requireSessionSecret);
 
     app.use(session({
-        secret: secret,
+        secret: secret as string,
         cookie: {
             maxAge: 8 * 60 * 60 * 1000,
-            secure: false
+            secure: false,
+            httpOnly: false
         },
         resave: false,
         saveUninitialized: false,
diff --git a/server/loaders/index.ts b/server/loaders/index.ts
index 396365d..0b6837f 100644
--- a/server/loaders/index.ts
+++ b/server/loaders/index.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { passportLoader } from './passport';
 
 export const loaders = async (app: Express) => {
     const expressApp = await expressLoader(app);
-    const passportApp = await passportLoader(expressApp);
+    await passportLoader(expressApp);
     await swaggerLoader(expressApp);
-    await routes(expressApp, passportApp);
+    await routes(expressApp);
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/loaders/passport.ts b/server/loaders/passport.ts
index 92876f5..0bca409 100644
--- a/server/loaders/passport.ts
+++ b/server/loaders/passport.ts
@@ -1,32 +1,35 @@
-import { Strategy as LocalStrategy } from "passport-local";
 import passport from "passport";
 import { Express } from "express";
-import AuthService from "../auth";
-import { IUserAuth } from "../schemas";
-const AuthInstance = new AuthService();
+import { ExtractJwt, Strategy as JwtStrategy } from "passport-jwt";
 
 export const passportLoader = async (app: Express) => {
     app.use(passport.initialize());
     app.use(passport.session());
 
-    passport.serializeUser((user, done) => {
-        done(null, user);
+    passport.serializeUser((user: Express.User, done) => {
+        process.nextTick(() => {
+            done(null, user);
+        })
     })
 
-    passport.deserializeUser((user: IUserAuth, done) => {
-        done(null, user);
+    passport.deserializeUser((user: Express.User, done) => {
+        process.nextTick(() => {
+            done(null, user);
+        })
     })
 
-    // sign in method with passport local strategy
-    passport.use(new LocalStrategy({
-        usernameField: 'email',
-        passwordField: 'password'
-    }, async (email, password, done) => {
+    // config for jwt strategy
+    let opts = {
+        jwtFromRequest: ExtractJwt.fromAuthHeaderAsBearerToken(),
+        secretOrKey: 'secret'
+    }
+
+    // jwt strategy
+    passport.use(new JwtStrategy(opts, async (token, done) => {
         try {
-            const response = await AuthInstance.login({ email, password });
-            return done(null, response);
-        } catch (e: any) {
-            return done(e);
+            return done(null, token.user);
+        } catch (error) {
+            done(error);
         }
     }))
 
diff --git a/server/package.json b/server/package.json
index 8870e6b..97cd52c 100644
--- a/server/package.json
+++ b/server/package.json
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   "main": "dist/index.js",
   "scripts": {
     "build": "bash util/build.sh",
-    "seed": "npm run build && ts-node-dev db/seed.ts",
+    "seed": "npm run build && ts-node --files db/seed.ts",
     "dev": "bash util/dev.sh",
     "prod": "npm run build && node dist/index.js",
     "test": "jest --coverage",
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
   "author": "",
   "license": "ISC",
   "dependencies": {
-    "@types/cookie-parser": "^1.4.3",
     "bcrypt": "^5.1.0",
     "body-parser": "^1.20.1",
     "connect-pg-simple": "^8.0.0",
@@ -28,8 +27,10 @@
     "helmet": "^6.0.0",
     "http-errors": "^2.0.0",
     "js-yaml": "^4.1.0",
+    "jsonwebtoken": "^9.0.0",
     "morgan": "^1.10.0",
     "passport": "^0.6.0",
+    "passport-jwt": "^4.0.1",
     "passport-local": "^1.0.0",
     "pg": "^8.8.0",
     "pg-promise": "^10.15.0",
@@ -38,16 +39,18 @@
   "devDependencies": {
     "@types/bcrypt": "^5.0.0",
     "@types/connect-pg-simple": "^7.0.0",
+    "@types/cookie-parser": "^1.4.3",
     "@types/cors": "^2.8.12",
     "@types/dotenv": "^8.2.0",
     "@types/express": "^4.17.14",
-    "@types/express-session": "^1.17.5",
+    "@types/express-session": "^1.17.6",
     "@types/http-errors": "^2.0.1",
     "@types/jest": "^29.2.4",
     "@types/js-yaml": "^4.0.5",
     "@types/morgan": "^1.9.3",
     "@types/node": "^18.11.9",
     "@types/passport": "^1.0.11",
+    "@types/passport-jwt": "^3.0.8",
     "@types/passport-local": "^1.0.34",
     "@types/pg": "^8.6.5",
     "@types/pg-promise": "^5.4.3",
@@ -57,6 +60,7 @@
     "nodemon": "^2.0.20",
     "supertest": "^6.3.3",
     "ts-jest": "^29.0.3",
+    "ts-node": "^10.9.1",
     "ts-node-dev": "^2.0.0",
     "tslint": "^6.1.3",
     "typescript": "^4.9.3"
diff --git a/server/routes/auth.ts b/server/routes/auth.ts
index 775d88c..73fe157 100644
--- a/server/routes/auth.ts
+++ b/server/routes/auth.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-import { Express, Request, Router } from "express"
+import { Express, Router } from "express"
 import { PassportStatic } from "passport";
+import jwt from "jsonwebtoken";
 import { IUser, IUserAuth } from "../schemas";
 import AuthService from "../auth";
 import { UserCtl } from "../controllers";
@@ -12,18 +13,9 @@ const UserInstance = new UserCtl();
 
 const router = Router();
 
-export const authRoute = (app: Express, passport: PassportStatic) => {
+export const authRoute = (app: Express) => {
     app.use('/auth', router);
 
-    // router.use((req, res, next) => {
-    //     console.log(req.isAuthenticated());
-    //     console.log(req.session.user);
-    //     console.log(req.cookies);
-    //     console.log();
-
-    //     next();
-    // })
-
     router.use((req, res, next) => {
         console.log(req.session);
         next();
@@ -49,7 +41,7 @@ export const authRoute = (app: Express, passport: PassportStatic) => {
         res.status(200).send({ message: "Cool restricted content!" });
     })
 
-    router.post('/login', passport.authenticate('local'), async (req, res, next) => {
+    router.post('/login', async (req, res, next) => {
         try {
             const data: IUserAuth = req.body;
             console.log(data);
@@ -59,19 +51,27 @@ export const authRoute = (app: Express, passport: PassportStatic) => {
             if (response.ok) {
                 const user = response.data as IUser;
 
-                req.session.regenerate((err) => {
-                    if (err) next(err);
-                    req.session.user = user;
+                req.user = user;
+                req.session.user = user;
 
-                    req.session.save((err) => {
-                        if (err) return next(err);
-                    })
+                const safeUserData = {
+                    id: user.id,
+                    handle: user.handle,
+                    email: user.email,
+                    datecreated: user.datecreated,
+                    datemodified: user.datemodified
+                }
+
+                const token = jwt.sign({ user: safeUserData }, process.env.SESSIONSECRET as string);
+
+                req.session.save((err) => {
+                    return next(err);
                 })
 
-                res.cookie('userid', user.id, { maxAge: 1000 * 60 * 60 * 24 });
+                console.log(req.session);
 
-                res.send(response);
-                res.end();
+                res.cookie('token', token, { httpOnly: true });
+                res.json({ token });
             } else {
                 res.status(401).send({ message: "Login unsuccessful" });
             }
@@ -82,10 +82,11 @@ export const authRoute = (app: Express, passport: PassportStatic) => {
 
     router.post('/register', async (req, res, next) => {
         try {
-            const data = req.body;
+            const data: IUser = req.body;
             const response = await AuthInstance.register(data);
-            if (!response) res.status(400).send({ ok: false });
-            res.status(200).send({ ok: true });
+            response.represent();
+            
+            res.status(response.code).send({ ok: response.ok, message: response.data });
         } catch(e) {
             next(e);
         }
@@ -93,11 +94,9 @@ export const authRoute = (app: Express, passport: PassportStatic) => {
 
     router.delete('/logout', async (req, res, next) => {
         try {
-            req.session.destroy((err) => {
-                if (err) throw err;
-            })
-            res.clearCookie('userid');
-            res.status(204).send({ ok: true });
+            res.clearCookie('connect.sid').clearCookie('token');
+            res.status(204).send("logout successful");
+            res.end();
         } catch(e) {
             next(e);
         }
diff --git a/server/routes/collection.ts b/server/routes/collection.ts
index 28c62b1..8654504 100644
--- a/server/routes/collection.ts
+++ b/server/routes/collection.ts
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 import { Express, Router } from "express";
-import { restrictAccess } from "../auth/middlewares";
+import { checkIsAdmin, restrictAccess } from "../auth/middlewares";
 import CollectionCtl from "../controllers/CollectionCtl";
 const CollectionInstance = new CollectionCtl();
 
 const router = Router();
 
 export const collectionRoute = (app: Express) => {
-    app.use('/collection', router);
+    app.use('/app/collection', router);
 
-    router.get('/:id', restrictAccess, async (req, res, next) => {
+    router.get('/:id', async (req, res, next) => {
         const { id } = req.params;
         try {
             const { code, data } = await CollectionInstance.getOne(id);
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export const collectionRoute = (app: Express) => {
     })
 
     // implement is admin on this route
-    router.get('/', restrictAccess, async (req, res, next) => {
+    router.get('/', checkIsAdmin, async (req, res, next) => {
         try {
             const { code, data } = await CollectionInstance.getAll();
             res.status(code).send(data);
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ export const collectionRoute = (app: Express) => {
         }
     })
 
-    router.post('/', restrictAccess, async (req, res, next) => {
+    router.post('/', async (req, res, next) => {
         const data = req.body;
         console.log(data);
 
diff --git a/server/routes/course.ts b/server/routes/course.ts
index 5882e2f..a8066dd 100644
--- a/server/routes/course.ts
+++ b/server/routes/course.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ const CourseInstance = new CourseCtl();
 const router = Router();
 
 export const courseRouter = (app: Express) => {
-    app.use('/course', router);
+    app.use('/app/course', router);
 
     router.get('/', async (req, res, next) => {
         try {
diff --git a/server/routes/friend.ts b/server/routes/friend.ts
index f1d6353..42037a0 100644
--- a/server/routes/friend.ts
+++ b/server/routes/friend.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ const UserInstance = new UserCtl();
 const router = Router();
 
 export const friendRouter = (app: Express) => {
-    app.use('/friend', router);
+    app.use('/app/friend', router);
 
     router.use((req, res, next) => {
         let test = req.session.user;
diff --git a/server/routes/groceryList.ts b/server/routes/groceryList.ts
index b5da130..6dcf2a7 100644
--- a/server/routes/groceryList.ts
+++ b/server/routes/groceryList.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ const groceryinstance = new GroceryListCtl();
 const router = Router();
 
 export const groceryListRoute = (app: Express) => {
-    app.use('/grocery-list', router);
+    app.use('/app/grocery-list', router);
 
     router.get('/', async (req, res, next) => {
         const userid = req.query.userid as string;
diff --git a/server/routes/index.ts b/server/routes/index.ts
index 1a82f7e..a971eb3 100644
--- a/server/routes/index.ts
+++ b/server/routes/index.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
+import jwt from "jsonwebtoken";
+import dotenv from 'dotenv';
 import { Express } from "express"
-import { PassportStatic } from "passport";
 import { userRoute } from "./users";
 import { recipeRoute } from "./recipe";
 import { collectionRoute } from "./collection";
@@ -11,14 +12,38 @@ import { friendRouter } from "./friend";
 import { cuisineRouter } from "./cuisine";
 import { courseRouter } from "./course";
 
-export const routes = async (app: Express, passport: PassportStatic) => {
+dotenv.config();
+
+export const routes = async (app: Express) => {
+    // unprotected routes
+    authRoute(app);
+
+    // middleware to check for auth on cookies on each request in protected routes
+    app.use('/app', async (req, res, next) => {
+        // pull jwt from request headers
+        const token = req.headers['authorization']?.split(" ")[1];
+        console.log(token);
+
+        if (!token) {
+            res.status(403).send("Unauthorized");
+        } else {
+            jwt.verify(token, process.env.SESSIONSECRET as string, (err, data) => {
+                if (err) {
+                    res.status(403).send(err);
+                } else {
+                    console.log(data);
+                    req.user = data;
+                    next();
+                }
+            })
+        }
+    })
+
+    // protected routes
     userRoute(app);
     friendRouter(app);
     recipeRoute(app);
     ingredientRoute(app);
-    
-    // to do: refactor for ctlresponse
-    authRoute(app, passport);
     collectionRoute(app);
     subscriptionRoute(app);
     groceryListRoute(app);
diff --git a/server/routes/ingredient.ts b/server/routes/ingredient.ts
index 220cb1a..3d8a010 100644
--- a/server/routes/ingredient.ts
+++ b/server/routes/ingredient.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ const IngredientInstance = new IngredientCtl();
 const router = Router();
 
 export const ingredientRoute = (app: Express) => {
-    app.use('/ingredient', router);
+    app.use('/app/ingredient', router);
 
     router.get('/', async (req, res, next) => {
         try {
diff --git a/server/routes/recipe.ts b/server/routes/recipe.ts
index 93fdc65..add3ea5 100644
--- a/server/routes/recipe.ts
+++ b/server/routes/recipe.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ const recipectl = new RecipeCtl();
 const router = Router();
 
 export const recipeRoute = (app: Express) => {
-    app.use('/recipe', router);
+    app.use('/app/recipe', router);
 
     router.get('/:id', async (req, res, next) => {
         const { id } = req.params;
diff --git a/server/routes/subscription.ts b/server/routes/subscription.ts
index 0ca65e3..d887154 100644
--- a/server/routes/subscription.ts
+++ b/server/routes/subscription.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ const CollectionInstance = new CollectionCtl();
 const router = Router();
 
 export const subscriptionRoute = (app: Express) => {
-    app.use('/subscription', router);
+    app.use('/app/subscription', router);
 
     router.get('/', async (req, res, next) => {
         // @ts-ignore
diff --git a/server/routes/users.ts b/server/routes/users.ts
index 417f3d0..ff64789 100644
--- a/server/routes/users.ts
+++ b/server/routes/users.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ const router = Router();
 const userCtl = new UserCtl();
 
 export const userRoute = (app: Express) => {
-    app.use('/users', router);
+    app.use('/app/users', router);
 
     // get all users
     router.get('/', async (req, res) => {
diff --git a/server/schemas/index.ts b/server/schemas/index.ts
index 03fc6f2..2546a8e 100644
--- a/server/schemas/index.ts
+++ b/server/schemas/index.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export interface IUser extends HasHistory, CanDeactivate {
     handle: string
     email: string
     isadmin: boolean
-    password?: string
+    password: string
 }
 
 export interface IUserAuth {
diff --git a/server/util/ControllerResponse.ts b/server/util/ControllerResponse.ts
index 7bdb4ee..c72fa98 100644
--- a/server/util/ControllerResponse.ts
+++ b/server/util/ControllerResponse.ts
@@ -8,10 +8,14 @@ export default class ControllerResponse<T> implements CtlResponse<T> {
     constructor(code: StatusCode, data: T | string, ok?: boolean) {
         this.code = code
         this.data = data
-        this.ok = ok || (this.data !== null)
+        this.ok = ok ?? (this.data !== null)
     }
 
     send() {
         return { ok: this.ok, code: this.code, data: this.data }
     }
+
+    represent() {
+        console.log({ ok: this.ok, code: this.code, data: this.data });
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/util/dev.sh b/server/util/dev.sh
index a633e84..1c9e33f 100644
--- a/server/util/dev.sh
+++ b/server/util/dev.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 #! /bin/bash
 
-rm -rf dist && mkdir -p dist && cp ./swagger.yaml ./dist && ./node_modules/.bin/tsc --project ./tsconfig.json --watch & ts-node-dev index.ts
+rm -rf dist && mkdir -p dist && cp ./swagger.yaml ./dist && ./node_modules/.bin/tsc --project ./tsconfig.json --watch & ts-node --files index.ts
diff --git a/server/util/types.ts b/server/util/types.ts
index 65efb6a..b3a6691 100644
--- a/server/util/types.ts
+++ b/server/util/types.ts
@@ -13,5 +13,6 @@ export enum StatusCode {
     Unauthorized = 401,
     Forbidden = 403,
     NotFound = 404,
+    Conflict = 409,
     ServerError = 500
 }
\ No newline at end of file