diff --git a/src/app/api/users/[id]/route.ts b/src/app/api/users/[id]/route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f5bded6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/api/users/[id]/route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import connectDB from "@/database/db";
+import { NextResponse, NextRequest } from "next/server";
+import User from "@/database/userSchema";
+import mongoose from "mongoose";
+
+// Get a specific user, finding the user by their userID
+export async function GET(_req: NextRequest, { params }: { params: { id: string } }) {
+  try {
+    const { id } = params;
+    if (!mongoose.Types.ObjectId.isValid(id)) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: "Invalid user id" }, { status: 400 });
+    }
+    await connectDB();
+
+    const user = await User.findById(id).lean();
+    if (!user) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: "User not found" }, { status: 404 });
+    }
+    return NextResponse.json(user, { status: 200 });
+  } catch (err: any) {
+    console.error("Caught an error", err);
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: err.message }, { status: 500 });
+  }
+}
+
+// Update a specific user, finding the user by their userID
+export async function PUT(req: NextRequest, { params }: { params: { id: string } }) {
+  try {
+    const { id } = params;
+    const changes = await req.json();
+    if (!mongoose.Types.ObjectId.isValid(id)) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: "Invalid user id" }, { status: 400 });
+    }
+    await connectDB();
+
+    const updatedUser = await User.findByIdAndUpdate(id, { $set: changes }, { new: true, runValidators: true }).lean();
+    if (!updatedUser) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: "User not found" }, { status: 404 });
+    }
+
+    return NextResponse.json(updatedUser, { status: 200 });
+  } catch (err: any) {
+    console.error("Caught an error", err);
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: err.message }, { status: 400 });
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/app/api/users/route.ts b/src/app/api/users/route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ea7de63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/api/users/route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import connectDB from "@/database/db";
+import { NextResponse, NextRequest } from "next/server";
+import User from "@/database/userSchema";
+
+// CREATE a user with the parameters that are passed in, catching any server connection or bad requestst that may occur
+export async function POST(req: NextRequest) {
+  try {
+    await connectDB();
+
+    const body = await req.json();
+    const user = await User.create(body);
+    return NextResponse.json(user, { status: 201 });
+  } catch (err: any) {
+    console.error("Caught an error", err);
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: err.message }, { status: 400 });
+  }
+}
+
+// RETRIEVE all users from the database, catching any errors that may occur
+export async function GET() {
+  try {
+    await connectDB();
+
+    const retrieved_users = await User.find({}).lean();
+    return NextResponse.json(retrieved_users, { status: 200 });
+  } catch (err: any) {
+    console.error("Caught an error", err);
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: err.message }, { status: 400 });
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/database/db.ts b/src/database/db.ts
index c54cfb5..de6318d 100644
--- a/src/database/db.ts
+++ b/src/database/db.ts
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ let connection: typeof mongoose;
 const connectDB = async () => {
   if (!connection) {
     // uncomment this line once you have the MONGO_URI set up
-    // connection = await mongoose.connect(url);
-    connection = "remove me" as any; // remove me
+    connection = await mongoose.connect(url);
+    console.log("DATABASE CONNECTED");
     return connection;
   }
 };
diff --git a/src/database/userSchema.ts b/src/database/userSchema.ts
index 166f887..6e84619 100644
--- a/src/database/userSchema.ts
+++ b/src/database/userSchema.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 import mongoose, { Schema } from "mongoose";
 
-//! Example user schema. Not guaranteed to work
+// Updated UserSchema to match specifications
 const UserSchema = new Schema({
-  email: { type: String, required: true, unique: true },
-  password: { type: String, required: true },
+  name: { type: String, required: true, trim: true },
+  username: { type: String, required: true, trim: true },
+  role: { type: String, required: true, trim: true },
+  email: { type: String, required: true, trim: true },
 });
 
-export default mongoose.models.User || mongoose.model("User", UserSchema);
+// Added "users" at the end to ensure that it maps to the users schema that is in the Atlas Validator
+export default mongoose.models.User || mongoose.model("User", UserSchema, "users");