diff --git a/auth.py b/auth.py
index 590f4ee..7b13f3c 100644
--- a/auth.py
+++ b/auth.py
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ from fastapi import Depends, HTTPException, status
 from fastapi.security import HTTPBearer
 from jwt.exceptions import InvalidTokenError
 
+import queries
+
 ACCESS_TOKEN_EXPIRE_MINUTES = 30  # 30 minutes
 ALGORITHM = "HS256"
 JWT_SECRET_KEY = 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz'
@@ -47,19 +49,14 @@ def get_current_user(token: str = Depends(security)) -> dict:
     except InvalidTokenError:
         raise credentials_exception
 
-    with open('database/users.json', 'r') as f:
-        text = f.read()
-        if text:
-            data = json.loads(text)
-        else:
-            raise credentials_exception
 
-    user = [i for i in data if i['id']==user_id]
-    if not user:
+    user = queries.GET_USER_BY_ID({'user_id': user_id})
+
+    if user is None:
         raise credentials_exception
 
     cur_user = {'id': user_id}
-    cur_user['username'] = user[0]['username']
+    cur_user['username'] = user['username']
     cur_user['encryption_key'] = payload['key']
 
     return cur_user
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 962c4e4..c33aa89 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 import json
 from sqlite3 import IntegrityError
+from typing import Literal
 
 from fastapi import Depends, FastAPI, HTTPException, status
 from fastapi.encoders import jsonable_encoder
 from fastapi.middleware.cors import CORSMiddleware
-from fastapi.security import OAuth2PasswordBearer
 
 import queries
 from auth import Hasher, create_access_token, get_current_user
@@ -42,26 +42,23 @@ async def register(user: User):
     plain_text_password = user.password
     user.password = Hasher.get_password_hash(plain_text_password)
 
-    conn = queries.connect_db()
     try:
-        cur = conn.execute(queries.CREATE_USER_QUERY, jsonable_encoder(user))
-        user_id = cur.fetchall()[0][0]
-        conn.commit()
+        user = queries.CREATE_USER(user.model_dump())
+        user_id = user['id']
     except IntegrityError as e:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=400, detail="Username already in use")
 
     encryption_key = generate_random_encryption_key()
-
     salt, master_key = generate_user_passkey(plain_text_password)
 
     key = Key(
         user_id=user_id,
         encryption_key=fernet_encrypt(encryption_key, master_key).decode('utf-8'),
-        encryption_key_salt = serialize_bytes(salt)
+        encryption_key_salt=serialize_bytes(salt)
     )
 
     try:
-        conn.execute(queries.CREATE_KEY_QUERY, jsonable_encoder(key))
+        queries.CREATE_KEY(key.model_dump())
     except Exception as e:
         print('failed to create key', e)
 
@@ -72,30 +69,21 @@ async def register(user: User):
 async def login(user: UserLogin):
     """logs in the user"""
 
-    users = []
-    with open('database/users.json', 'r') as f:
-        text = f.read()
-        if text:
-            users.extend(json.loads(text))
+    login_exception = HTTPException(
+        status_code=status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST,
+        detail="username or password is incorrect"
+    )
 
-    cur_user = [i for i in users if i['username']==user.username]
-    if not cur_user:
-        raise HTTPException(
-            status_code=status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST,
-            detail="username or password is incorrect"
-        )
-    else:
-        cur_user = cur_user[0]
+    cur_user = queries.GET_USER_WITH_KEY(user.model_dump())
+    if cur_user is None:
+        raise login_exception
 
     password_match = Hasher.verify_password(user.password, cur_user['password'])
     if not password_match:
-        raise HTTPException(
-            status_code=status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST,
-            detail="username or password is incorrect"
-        )
+        raise login_exception
 
     encrypted_encryption_key = cur_user['encryption_key'].encode()
-    salt = deserialize_into_bytes(cur_user['salt'])
+    salt = deserialize_into_bytes(cur_user['encryption_key_salt'])
     _, master_key = generate_user_passkey(user.password, salt)
     encryption_key = fernet_decrypt(encrypted_encryption_key, master_key)
     access_token = create_access_token(subject=cur_user['id'], encryption_key=encryption_key)
@@ -114,27 +102,15 @@ async def create_secret(secret: Secret, current_user: dict = Depends(get_current
     Stores an encrypted secret for the user.
     """
 
-    data = []
-    with open('database/secrets.json', 'r') as f:
-        text = f.read()
-        if text:
-            data.extend(json.loads(text))
-
-    if data:
-        secret_id = max(i['id'] for i in data) + 1
-    else:
-        secret_id = 0
-    secret.id = secret_id
     secret.user_id = current_user['id']
     encryption_key = current_user['encryption_key'].encode()
 
     encrypted_data = fernet_encrypt(secret.data.encode(), encryption_key)
 
     secret.data = encrypted_data.decode('utf-8')
-    data.append(jsonable_encoder(secret))
 
-    with open('database/secrets.json', 'w') as f:
-        json.dump(data, f)
+    queries.CREATE_SECRET(secret.model_dump())
+
     return secret
 
 
@@ -176,16 +152,9 @@ async def update_secret(secret: Secret, current_user: dict = Depends(get_current
 async def list_secret(current_user: dict = Depends(get_current_user)):
     """Returns the encrypted secrets of the user."""
 
-    data = []
-    with open('database/secrets.json', 'r') as f:
-        text = f.read()
-        if text:
-            data.extend(json.loads(text))
-
-    user_id = current_user['id']
+    user_secrets = queries.GET_SECRETS({'user_id': current_user['id']})
     encryption_key = current_user['encryption_key'].encode()
 
-    user_secrets = [i for i in data if i['user_id']==user_id and i['active']]
     for secret in user_secrets:
         cur_data = secret['data']
         decrypted_data = fernet_decrypt(cur_data, encryption_key)
@@ -197,8 +166,7 @@ async def list_secret(current_user: dict = Depends(get_current_user)):
 @app.get('/validate-token')
 async def validate_token(current_user: dict = Depends(get_current_user)):
     user_id = current_user['id']
-    print("user_id: ", user_id)
-    if user_id is not None:
-        return {'message': 'authenticated'}
+    if user_id is None:
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED)
 
-    raise HTTPException(status_code=status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED)
\ No newline at end of file
+    return {'message': 'authenticated'}