diff --git a/backend/.gitignore b/backend/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7354a1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+# Created by https://www.toptal.com/developers/gitignore/api/node
+# Edit at https://www.toptal.com/developers/gitignore?templates=node
+
+### Node ###
+# Logs
+logs
+*.log
+npm-debug.log*
+yarn-debug.log*
+yarn-error.log*
+lerna-debug.log*
+.pnpm-debug.log*
+
+# Diagnostic reports (https://nodejs.org/api/report.html)
+report.[0-9]*.[0-9]*.[0-9]*.[0-9]*.json
+
+# Runtime data
+pids
+*.pid
+*.seed
+*.pid.lock
+
+# Directory for instrumented libs generated by jscoverage/JSCover
+lib-cov
+
+# Coverage directory used by tools like istanbul
+coverage
+*.lcov
+
+# nyc test coverage
+.nyc_output
+
+# Grunt intermediate storage (https://gruntjs.com/creating-plugins#storing-task-files)
+.grunt
+
+# Bower dependency directory (https://bower.io/)
+bower_components
+
+# node-waf configuration
+.lock-wscript
+
+# Compiled binary addons (https://nodejs.org/api/addons.html)
+build/Release
+
+# Dependency directories
+node_modules/
+jspm_packages/
+
+# Snowpack dependency directory (https://snowpack.dev/)
+web_modules/
+
+# TypeScript cache
+*.tsbuildinfo
+
+# Optional npm cache directory
+.npm
+
+# Optional eslint cache
+.eslintcache
+
+# Microbundle cache
+.rpt2_cache/
+.rts2_cache_cjs/
+.rts2_cache_es/
+.rts2_cache_umd/
+
+# Optional REPL history
+.node_repl_history
+
+# Output of 'npm pack'
+*.tgz
+
+# Yarn Integrity file
+.yarn-integrity
+
+# dotenv environment variables file
+.env
+.env.test
+.env.production
+
+# parcel-bundler cache (https://parceljs.org/)
+.cache
+.parcel-cache
+
+# Next.js build output
+.next
+out
+
+# Nuxt.js build / generate output
+.nuxt
+dist
+
+# Gatsby files
+.cache/
+# Comment in the public line in if your project uses Gatsby and not Next.js
+# https://nextjs.org/blog/next-9-1#public-directory-support
+# public
+
+# vuepress build output
+.vuepress/dist
+
+# Serverless directories
+.serverless/
+
+# FuseBox cache
+.fusebox/
+
+# DynamoDB Local files
+.dynamodb/
+
+# TernJS port file
+.tern-port
+
+# Stores VSCode versions used for testing VSCode extensions
+.vscode-test
+
+# yarn v2
+.yarn/cache
+.yarn/unplugged
+.yarn/build-state.yml
+.yarn/install-state.gz
+.pnp.*
+
+# End of https://www.toptal.com/developers/gitignore/api/node
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/app.js b/backend/app.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..662bcc9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/app.js
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+var createError = require('http-errors');
+var express = require('express');
+var path = require('path');
+var cookieParser = require('cookie-parser');
+var logger = require('morgan');
+
+var indexRouter = require('./routes/index');
+var usersRouter = require('./routes/users');
+
+var app = express();
+
+// view engine setup
+app.set('views', path.join(__dirname, 'views'));
+app.set('view engine', 'jade');
+
+app.use(logger('dev'));
+app.use(express.json());
+app.use(express.urlencoded({ extended: false }));
+app.use(cookieParser());
+app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, 'public')));
+
+app.use('/', indexRouter);
+app.use('/users', usersRouter);
+
+// catch 404 and forward to error handler
+app.use(function(req, res, next) {
+  next(createError(404));
+});
+
+// error handler
+app.use(function(err, req, res, next) {
+  // set locals, only providing error in development
+  res.locals.message = err.message;
+  res.locals.error = req.app.get('env') === 'development' ? err : {};
+
+  // render the error page
+  res.status(err.status || 500);
+  res.render('error');
+});
+
+module.exports = app;
diff --git a/backend/bin/www b/backend/bin/www
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..192c6f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/bin/www
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+
+/**
+ * Module dependencies.
+ */
+
+var app = require('../app');
+var debug = require('debug')('backend:server');
+var http = require('http');
+
+/**
+ * Get port from environment and store in Express.
+ */
+
+var port = normalizePort(process.env.PORT || '3000');
+app.set('port', port);
+
+/**
+ * Create HTTP server.
+ */
+
+var server = http.createServer(app);
+
+/**
+ * Listen on provided port, on all network interfaces.
+ */
+
+server.listen(port);
+server.on('error', onError);
+server.on('listening', onListening);
+
+/**
+ * Normalize a port into a number, string, or false.
+ */
+
+function normalizePort(val) {
+  var port = parseInt(val, 10);
+
+  if (isNaN(port)) {
+    // named pipe
+    return val;
+  }
+
+  if (port >= 0) {
+    // port number
+    return port;
+  }
+
+  return false;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Event listener for HTTP server "error" event.
+ */
+
+function onError(error) {
+  if (error.syscall !== 'listen') {
+    throw error;
+  }
+
+  var bind = typeof port === 'string'
+    ? 'Pipe ' + port
+    : 'Port ' + port;
+
+  // handle specific listen errors with friendly messages
+  switch (error.code) {
+    case 'EACCES':
+      console.error(bind + ' requires elevated privileges');
+      process.exit(1);
+      break;
+    case 'EADDRINUSE':
+      console.error(bind + ' is already in use');
+      process.exit(1);
+      break;
+    default:
+      throw error;
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Event listener for HTTP server "listening" event.
+ */
+
+function onListening() {
+  var addr = server.address();
+  var bind = typeof addr === 'string'
+    ? 'pipe ' + addr
+    : 'port ' + addr.port;
+  debug('Listening on ' + bind);
+}
diff --git a/backend/package.json b/backend/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a7b967f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+{
+  "name": "backend",
+  "version": "0.0.0",
+  "private": true,
+  "scripts": {
+    "start": "node ./bin/www"
+  },
+  "dependencies": {
+    "cookie-parser": "~1.4.4",
+    "debug": "~2.6.9",
+    "express": "~4.16.1",
+    "http-errors": "~1.6.3",
+    "jade": "~1.11.0",
+    "morgan": "~1.9.1"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/backend/routes/index.js b/backend/routes/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ecca96a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/routes/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+var express = require('express');
+var router = express.Router();
+
+/* GET home page. */
+router.get('/', function(req, res, next) {
+  res.render('index', { title: 'Express' });
+});
+
+module.exports = router;
diff --git a/backend/routes/users.js b/backend/routes/users.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..623e430
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/routes/users.js
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+var express = require('express');
+var router = express.Router();
+
+/* GET users listing. */
+router.get('/', function(req, res, next) {
+  res.send('respond with a resource');
+});
+
+module.exports = router;