diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 77e711f..444ba05 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -20,3 +20,6 @@
 
 #ruby version and gem
 .ruby-*
+
+#configs
+config/database.yml
diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 8c9f838..407b394 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -3,7 +3,13 @@ source 'https://rubygems.org'
 ruby '2.2.3'
 
 gem 'rack-fiber_pool',  :require => 'rack/fiber_pool'
+
 gem 'grape'
 gem 'grape-swagger'
+gem 'grape-activerecord'
+
+gem 'rake'
+gem 'mysql2'
+
 gem 'pry'
 gem 'awesome_print'
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index 3fae940..b4e358f 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -1,12 +1,20 @@
 GEM
   remote: https://rubygems.org/
   specs:
+    activemodel (4.2.5)
+      activesupport (= 4.2.5)
+      builder (~> 3.1)
+    activerecord (4.2.5)
+      activemodel (= 4.2.5)
+      activesupport (= 4.2.5)
+      arel (~> 6.0)
     activesupport (4.2.5)
       i18n (~> 0.7)
       json (~> 1.7, >= 1.7.7)
       minitest (~> 5.1)
       thread_safe (~> 0.3, >= 0.3.4)
       tzinfo (~> 1.1)
+    arel (6.0.3)
     awesome_print (1.6.1)
     axiom-types (0.1.1)
       descendants_tracker (~> 0.0.4)
@@ -29,6 +37,10 @@ GEM
       rack-accept
       rack-mount
       virtus (>= 1.0.0)
+    grape-activerecord (1.1.2)
+      activerecord (~> 4.0)
+      grape (~> 0.1)
+      hashie-forbidden_attributes (~> 0.1.1)
     grape-entity (0.4.8)
       activesupport
       multi_json (>= 1.3.2)
@@ -36,6 +48,8 @@ GEM
       grape (>= 0.8.0)
       grape-entity
     hashie (3.4.3)
+    hashie-forbidden_attributes (0.1.1)
+      hashie (>= 3.0)
     i18n (0.7.0)
     ice_nine (0.11.1)
     json (1.8.3)
@@ -43,6 +57,7 @@ GEM
     minitest (5.8.3)
     multi_json (1.11.2)
     multi_xml (0.5.5)
+    mysql2 (0.4.1)
     pry (0.10.3)
       coderay (~> 1.1.0)
       method_source (~> 0.8.1)
@@ -53,6 +68,7 @@ GEM
     rack-fiber_pool (0.9.3)
     rack-mount (0.8.3)
       rack (>= 1.0.0)
+    rake (10.4.2)
     slop (3.6.0)
     thread_safe (0.3.5)
     tzinfo (1.2.2)
@@ -69,9 +85,12 @@ PLATFORMS
 DEPENDENCIES
   awesome_print
   grape
+  grape-activerecord
   grape-swagger
+  mysql2
   pry
   rack-fiber_pool
+  rake
 
 BUNDLED WITH
    1.10.6
diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ecc6f0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+require "bundler/setup"
+require "grape/activerecord/rake"
+
+namespace :db do
+  # Some db tasks require your app code to be loaded, or at least your gems
+  task :environment do
+    require_relative "app/core"
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/api/notes.rb b/app/api/notes.rb
index 1cf0729..dc05865 100644
--- a/app/api/notes.rb
+++ b/app/api/notes.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 class Notes < Grape::API
 
   version 'v1', using: :header, vendor: 'tonymadbrain'
-    format :json
+  format :json
 
   resource 'notes' do
 
diff --git a/app/core.rb b/app/core.rb
index 746ce77..1315b8f 100644
--- a/app/core.rb
+++ b/app/core.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+RACK_ENV = (ENV['RACK_ENV'] || 'development').to_sym
 require 'rubygems'
 require 'bundler'
 Bundler.require
diff --git a/config.ru b/config.ru
index b9aae53..3979266 100644
--- a/config.ru
+++ b/config.ru
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ require 'grape'
 require './app/core'
 require './app/api/notes'
 
+use ActiveRecord::ConnectionAdapters::ConnectionManagement
+
 run Notes
 
 use Rack::Static,
diff --git a/config/database-sample.yml b/config/database-sample.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5f44b31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/database-sample.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+# MySQL.  Versions 5.0+ are recommended.
+#
+# Install the MYSQL driver
+#   gem install mysql2
+#
+# Ensure the MySQL gem is defined in your Gemfile
+#   gem 'mysql2'
+#
+# And be sure to use new-style password hashing:
+#   http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/old-client.html
+#
+default: &default
+  adapter: mysql2
+  encoding: utf8
+  pool: 5
+  username: root
+  password:
+  host: 127.0.0.1
+  port: 3306
+  socket: /tmp/mysql.sock
+
+development:
+  <<: *default
+  database: grape_rack_swagger_development
+
+# Warning: The database defined as "test" will be erased and
+# re-generated from your development database when you run "rake".
+# Do not set this db to the same as development or production.
+test:
+  <<: *default
+  database: grape_rack_swagger_test
+
+# Avoid production credentials in the repository,
+# instead read the configuration from the environment.
+#
+# Example:
+#   mysql2://myuser:mypass@localhost/somedatabase
+#
+production:
+  url: <%= ENV["DATABASE_URL"] %>