diff --git a/.env b/.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c37007c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#database
+DB_NAME="canada_luggage"
+#Credentials
+DB_PASSWORD="13579,QsC"
+DB_USER="luggage"
+#Host Settings
+DB_PORT="3307"
+DB_HOST="192.168.1.74"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/db.py b/db.py
index 9a02e6c..7f528ac 100644
--- a/db.py
+++ b/db.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import mariadb
 import logging
 
 
-
 #Logging
 
 logging.basicConfig(
@@ -18,14 +17,14 @@ except Exception as e:
     logging.exception('An error occurred')
 
 
-def connect():
+def connect(db_user, db_psswd, db_host, db_port, db_name):
     try:
         global connection
-        connection = mariadb.connect(user="luggage",
-            password="13579,QsC",
-            host="192.168.1.74",
-            port=3307,
-            database="canada_luggage")
+        connection = mariadb.connect(user=db_user,
+            password=db_psswd,
+            host=db_host,
+            port=db_port,
+            database=db_name)
         print("Connected to MariaDB successfully!")
         logging.info("Connected to MariaDB successfully!")
         
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 94a07ec..1772342 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -3,10 +3,24 @@ import logging
 import time
 import os
 import sys
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+import os
+
+#using .env
+load_dotenv()
+db_name = os.getenv("DB_NAME")
+db_psswd = os.getenv("DB_PASSWORD")
+db_user = os.getenv("DB_USER")
+db_port = os.getenv("DB_PORT") or "3306"
+db_host = os.getenv("DB_HOST")
+if db_host == None:
+    logging.error("no hostname provided")
+    os._exit(1)
+
 
 print("loading")
 open("app.log", "w").close()
-db.connect()
+db.connect(db_user, db_psswd, db_host, int(db_port), db_name)
 #Logging
 logging.basicConfig(
     filename='app.log',  # Log to a file
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index d4af85e..9f55af5 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 mariadb == 1.1.14
+python-dotenv == 1.2.3
\ No newline at end of file