diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f739df2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+# Database Configuration
+# Use DATABASE_PATH for simple relative/absolute paths (e.g., "database/raggr.db" or "dev.db")
+# Or use DATABASE_URL for full connection strings (e.g., "sqlite://database/raggr.db")
+DATABASE_PATH=database/raggr.db
+# DATABASE_URL=sqlite://database/raggr.db
+
+# JWT Configuration
+JWT_SECRET_KEY=your-secret-key-here
+
+# Paperless Configuration
+PAPERLESS_TOKEN=your-paperless-token
+BASE_URL=192.168.1.5:8000
+
+# Ollama Configuration
+OLLAMA_URL=http://192.168.1.14:11434
+OLLAMA_HOST=http://192.168.1.14:11434
+
+# ChromaDB Configuration
+CHROMADB_PATH=/path/to/chromadb
+
+# OpenAI Configuration
+OPENAI_API_KEY=your-openai-api-key
+
+# Immich Configuration
+IMMICH_URL=http://192.168.1.5:2283
+IMMICH_API_KEY=your-immich-api-key
+SEARCH_QUERY=simba cat
+DOWNLOAD_DIR=./simba_photos
diff --git a/aerich_config.py b/aerich_config.py
index faa1c28..1f80157 100644
--- a/aerich_config.py
+++ b/aerich_config.py
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 import os
 
+# Database configuration with environment variable support
+# Use DATABASE_PATH for relative paths or DATABASE_URL for full connection strings
+DATABASE_PATH = os.getenv("DATABASE_PATH", "database/raggr.db")
+DATABASE_URL = os.getenv("DATABASE_URL", f"sqlite://{DATABASE_PATH}")
+
 TORTOISE_ORM = {
-    "connections": {"default": os.getenv("DATABASE_URL", "sqlite:///app/database/raggr.db")},
+    "connections": {"default": DATABASE_URL},
     "apps": {
         "models": {
             "models": [
diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index 2152fa8..2a8fac9 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -26,8 +26,11 @@ app.register_blueprint(blueprints.users.user_blueprint)
 app.register_blueprint(blueprints.conversation.conversation_blueprint)
 
 
+# Database configuration with environment variable support
+DATABASE_PATH = os.getenv("DATABASE_PATH", "database/raggr.db")
+
 TORTOISE_CONFIG = {
-    "connections": {"default": "sqlite://database/raggr.db"},
+    "connections": {"default": f"sqlite://{DATABASE_PATH}"},
     "apps": {
         "models": {
             "models": [