diff --git a/.env-example b/.env-example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2eba09e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env-example
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+DB_URL=jdbc:postgresql://localhost:5432/todo_db
+DB_USERNAME=todo_dev
+DB_PASSWORD=todo-123
+DB_NAME=todo_db
+PGADMIN_MAIL=todo@gmail.com
+PGADMIN_PASSWORD=todo123
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 9e429cb..bef0298 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -2,12 +2,14 @@
 <project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
          xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 https://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
+
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
         <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-parent</artifactId>
         <version>3.2.2</version>
         <relativePath/> <!-- lookup parent from repository -->
     </parent>
+
     <groupId>com.pedro</groupId>
     <artifactId>rest</artifactId>
     <version>0.0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
@@ -16,6 +18,7 @@
     <properties>
         <java.version>21</java.version>
     </properties>
+
     <dependencies>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
@@ -39,11 +42,17 @@
             <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-data-jpa</artifactId>
         </dependency>
 
-<!--        <dependency>-->
-<!--            <groupId>com.h2database</groupId>-->
-<!--            <artifactId>h2</artifactId>-->
-<!--            <scope>runtime</scope>-->
-<!--        </dependency>-->
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>org.postgresql</groupId>
+            <artifactId>postgresql</artifactId>
+        </dependency>
+
+        <!-- Local Database (Development only) -->
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>com.h2database</groupId>
+            <artifactId>h2</artifactId>
+            <scope>test</scope>
+        </dependency>
 
         <!-- Metrics -->
         <dependency>
@@ -51,23 +60,23 @@
             <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-actuator</artifactId>
         </dependency>
 
-<!--        <dependency>-->
-<!--            <groupId>com.wavefront</groupId>-->
-<!--            <artifactId>wavefront-spring-boot-starter</artifactId>-->
-<!--            <version>3.0.1</version>-->
-<!--        </dependency>-->
+        <!--        <dependency>-->
+        <!--            <groupId>com.wavefront</groupId>-->
+        <!--            <artifactId>wavefront-spring-boot-starter</artifactId>-->
+        <!--            <version>3.0.1</version>-->
+        <!--        </dependency>-->
 
-<!--        <dependency>-->
-<!--            <groupId>io.micrometer</groupId>-->
-<!--            <artifactId>micrometer-registry-wavefront</artifactId>-->
-<!--            <scope>runtime</scope>-->
-<!--        </dependency>-->
+        <!--        <dependency>-->
+        <!--            <groupId>io.micrometer</groupId>-->
+        <!--            <artifactId>micrometer-registry-wavefront</artifactId>-->
+        <!--            <scope>runtime</scope>-->
+        <!--        </dependency>-->
 
         <!-- Tracing -->
-<!--        <dependency>-->
-<!--            <groupId>io.micrometer</groupId>-->
-<!--            <artifactId>micrometer-tracing-bridge-otel</artifactId>-->
-<!--        </dependency>-->
+        <!--        <dependency>-->
+        <!--            <groupId>io.micrometer</groupId>-->
+        <!--            <artifactId>micrometer-tracing-bridge-otel</artifactId>-->
+        <!--        </dependency>-->
     </dependencies>
 
     <build>
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/pedro/rest/configuration/Properties.java b/src/main/java/com/pedro/rest/configuration/Properties.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..211378b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/pedro/rest/configuration/Properties.java
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+package com.pedro.rest.configuration;
+
+import jakarta.annotation.PostConstruct;
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Value;
+import org.springframework.stereotype.Component;
+
+@Component
+public class Properties {
+
+    @Value("${DB_URL}")
+    private String dbUrl;
+
+    @Value("${DB_USERNAME}")
+    private String dbUsername;
+
+    @Value("${DB_PASSWORD}")
+    private String dbPassword;
+
+    @Value("${DB_NAME}")
+    private String dbName;
+
+    @Value("${PGADMIN_MAIL}")
+    private String pgAdminMail;
+
+    @Value("${PGADMIN_PASSWORD}")
+    private String pgAdminPassord;
+
+    @PostConstruct
+    public void printProperties() {
+        System.out.println("#### [App Properties] ####");
+        System.out.println("DB_URL: " + dbUrl);
+        System.out.println("DB_USERNAME: " + dbUsername);
+        System.out.println("DB_PASSWORD: " + dbPassword);
+        System.out.println("DB_NAME: " + dbName);
+        System.out.println("PGADMIN_MAIL: " + pgAdminMail);
+        System.out.println("PGADMIN_PASSWORD: " + pgAdminPassord);
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/pedro/rest/model/Employee.java b/src/main/java/com/pedro/rest/model/Employee.java
index aadd8ae..8a2c0de 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/pedro/rest/model/Employee.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/pedro/rest/model/Employee.java
@@ -4,10 +4,11 @@
 import jakarta.persistence.GeneratedValue;
 import jakarta.persistence.Id;
 
+import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.Objects;
 
 @Entity
-public class Employee {
+public class Employee implements Serializable {
     @Id
     @GeneratedValue
     private Long id;
@@ -15,7 +16,8 @@ public class Employee {
     private String lastName;
     private String role;
 
-    Employee() {
+    // no-args constructor required by JPA spec
+    protected Employee() {
     }
 
     public Employee(String firstName, String lastName, String role) {
diff --git a/src/main/resources/application.properties b/src/main/resources/application.properties
index f99a52a..9bbf851 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/application.properties
+++ b/src/main/resources/application.properties
@@ -1,14 +1,21 @@
+# Debug Spring Framework
+# logging.level.org.springframework.boot=DEBUG
+
 # Database
+# Check IDE (eclipse/intellij) configuration to set .env file path
 spring.datasource.url=${DB_URL}
 spring.datasource.username=${DB_USERNAME}
 spring.datasource.password=${DB_PASSWORD}
 
+spring.jpa.hibernate.ddl-auto=create-drop
+
 # Enable SQL logging
 spring.datasource.log-statement=true
+logging.level.org.hibernate.SQL=DEBUG
 
 # Hibernate specific: Show SQL with formatted parameters
-spring.jpa.show-sql=true
-spring.jpa.properties.hibernate.format_sql=true
+#spring.jpa.show-sql=true
+#spring.jpa.properties.hibernate.format_sql=true
 
 # Observability
 # management.wavefront.application.name=rest
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/pedro/rest/service/impl/EmployeeServiceIntegrationTest.java b/src/test/java/com/pedro/rest/service/impl/EmployeeServiceIntegrationTest.java
index 070d727..3a77062 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/pedro/rest/service/impl/EmployeeServiceIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/pedro/rest/service/impl/EmployeeServiceIntegrationTest.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 import org.springframework.boot.test.mock.mockito.MockBean;
 import org.springframework.hateoas.CollectionModel;
 import org.springframework.hateoas.EntityModel;
+import org.springframework.test.context.ActiveProfiles;
 
 import java.util.List;
 
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
 
 @SpringBootTest
+@ActiveProfiles("test")
 public class EmployeeServiceIntegrationTest {
     @Autowired
     private EmployeeServiceImpl service;
diff --git a/src/test/resources/application-test.properties b/src/test/resources/application-test.properties
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0b67994
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/resources/application-test.properties
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+spring.datasource.url=jdbc:h2:mem:rest_db
+spring.datasource.username=sa
+spring.datasource.password=
+spring.h2.console.enabled=true
\ No newline at end of file