diff --git a/ApplicationContext.cs b/ApplicationContext.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0b5dcfa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ApplicationContext.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+using GerbilManager.Models;
+using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
+
+public class ApplicationContext : DbContext
+{
+    public ApplicationContext(DbContextOptions options)
+        :base(options)
+    {
+    }
+    public DbSet<Gerbil> Gerbils { get; set; }
+}
+
diff --git a/GerbilManager.csproj b/GerbilManager.csproj
index 7429eed..d6fce08 100644
--- a/GerbilManager.csproj
+++ b/GerbilManager.csproj
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 
   <ItemGroup>
     <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.AspNetCore.OpenApi" Version="7.0.9" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore" Version="7.0.12" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer" Version="7.0.12" />
     <PackageReference Include="Swashbuckle.AspNetCore" Version="6.5.0" />
   </ItemGroup>
 
diff --git a/Program.cs b/Program.cs
index 8ad3f5f..e5bf8b1 100644
--- a/Program.cs
+++ b/Program.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 using GerbilManager.Repositories;
+using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
 
 var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
 
@@ -11,8 +12,11 @@ builder.Services.AddSwaggerGen();
 
 builder.Services.AddSingleton<IGerbilRepository, InMemGerbilRepository>();
 
+builder.Services.AddDbContext<ApplicationContext>(opts => opts.UseSqlServer(Configuration.GetConnectionString("sqlConnection")));
+
 var app = builder.Build();
 
+
 // Configure the HTTP request pipeline.
 if (app.Environment.IsDevelopment())
 {
diff --git a/appsettings.Development.json b/appsettings.Development.json
index ff66ba6..138e433 100644
--- a/appsettings.Development.json
+++ b/appsettings.Development.json
@@ -4,5 +4,8 @@
       "Default": "Information",
       "Microsoft.AspNetCore": "Warning"
     }
+  },
+  "ConnectionStrings": {
+    "sqlConnection": "server=.; database=GerbilManagerDebug; Integrated Security=true" 
   }
 }
diff --git a/appsettings.json b/appsettings.json
index 4d56694..77b42a0 100644
--- a/appsettings.json
+++ b/appsettings.json
@@ -5,5 +5,8 @@
       "Microsoft.AspNetCore": "Warning"
     }
   },
+  "ConnectionStrings": {
+    "sqlConnection": "server=.; database=GerbilManager; Integrated Security=true" 
+  },
   "AllowedHosts": "*"
 }