diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index c4e86f4..e4cc1a3 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ RUN npm install --production
 # Copy built files from builder stage
 COPY --from=builder /app/dist ./dist
 COPY --from=builder /app/frontend/build ./frontend/build
+COPY --from=builder /app/database.sqlite ./database.sqlite
 
 # Expose port
 EXPOSE 3000
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 28fc1bb..7081eb2 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -13,23 +13,7 @@ services:
       - /app/node_modules
     environment:
       - NODE_ENV=development
-      - DB_HOST=mysql
-      - DB_USER=root
-      - DB_PASSWORD=password
-      - DB_NAME=rsvp_db
-    depends_on:
-      - mysql
-
-  mysql:
-    container_name: rsvp_manager_db
-    image: mysql:8.0
-    ports:
-      - "3306:3306"
-    environment:
-      - MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=password
-      - MYSQL_DATABASE=rsvp_db
-    volumes:
-      - mysql_data:/var/lib/mysql
+    restart: unless-stopped
 
 volumes:
   mysql_data: 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 14e94d6..d811754 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -11,14 +11,16 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "express": "^4.18.2",
-    "mysql2": "^3.6.5",
     "cors": "^2.8.5",
-    "dotenv": "^16.3.1"
+    "dotenv": "^16.3.1",
+    "sqlite3": "^5.1.7",
+    "sqlite": "^5.0.3"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@types/express": "^4.17.17",
     "@types/node": "^20.8.2",
     "@types/cors": "^2.8.13",
+    "@types/sqlite3": "^3.1.11",
     "ts-node-dev": "^2.0.0",
     "typescript": "^4.9.5",
     "jest": "^29.7.0",
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 56df558..9f2f0c3 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import express from 'express';
 import cors from 'cors';
-import mysql from 'mysql2/promise';
+import sqlite3 from 'sqlite3';
+import { open } from 'sqlite';
 import dotenv from 'dotenv';
 import path from 'path';
 
@@ -14,26 +15,27 @@ app.use(cors());
 app.use(express.json());
 
 // Database connection
-const pool = mysql.createPool({
-  host: process.env.DB_HOST || 'mysql',
-  user: process.env.DB_USER || 'root',
-  password: process.env.DB_PASSWORD || 'password',
-  database: process.env.DB_NAME || 'rsvp_db',
-  waitForConnections: true,
-  connectionLimit: 10,
-  queueLimit: 0
-});
-
-// Test database connection
-async function testDatabaseConnection() {
+let db;
+async function initializeDatabase() {
   try {
-    const connection = await pool.getConnection();
-    console.log('Database connection successful');
-    connection.release();
-    return true;
+    db = await open({
+      filename: './database.sqlite',
+      driver: sqlite3.Database
+    });
+
+    await db.exec(`
+      CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS events (
+        id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
+        title TEXT NOT NULL,
+        description TEXT,
+        date TEXT NOT NULL,
+        location TEXT,
+        created_at TEXT DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
+      )
+    `);
+    console.log('Database initialized successfully');
   } catch (error) {
-    console.error('Database connection failed:', error);
-    return false;
+    console.error('Error initializing database:', error);
   }
 }
 
@@ -43,11 +45,7 @@ app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, '../frontend/build')));
 // API Routes
 app.get('/api/events', async (req, res) => {
   try {
-    const isConnected = await testDatabaseConnection();
-    if (!isConnected) {
-      throw new Error('Database connection failed');
-    }
-    const [rows] = await pool.query('SELECT * FROM events');
+    const rows = await db.all('SELECT * FROM events');
     console.log('Fetched events:', rows);
     res.json(rows);
   } catch (error) {
@@ -61,13 +59,9 @@ app.get('/api/events', async (req, res) => {
 
 app.post('/api/events', async (req, res) => {
   try {
-    const isConnected = await testDatabaseConnection();
-    if (!isConnected) {
-      throw new Error('Database connection failed');
-    }
     const { title, description, date, location } = req.body;
     console.log('Creating event with data:', { title, description, date, location });
-    const [result] = await pool.query(
+    const result = await db.run(
       'INSERT INTO events (title, description, date, location) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?)',
       [title, description, date, location]
     );
@@ -87,29 +81,6 @@ app.get('*', (req, res) => {
   res.sendFile(path.join(__dirname, '../frontend/build/index.html'));
 });
 
-// Initialize database tables
-async function initializeDatabase() {
-  try {
-    const isConnected = await testDatabaseConnection();
-    if (!isConnected) {
-      throw new Error('Database connection failed');
-    }
-    await pool.query(`
-      CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS events (
-        id INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
-        title VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
-        description TEXT,
-        date DATETIME NOT NULL,
-        location VARCHAR(255),
-        created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
-      )
-    `);
-    console.log('Database initialized successfully');
-  } catch (error) {
-    console.error('Error initializing database:', error);
-  }
-}
-
 // Start server
 app.listen(port, () => {
   console.log(`Server running on port ${port}`);