diff --git a/.github/copilot-instructions.md b/.github/copilot-instructions.md
index 86b8366..a8b014e 100644
--- a/.github/copilot-instructions.md
+++ b/.github/copilot-instructions.md
@@ -1,324 +1,21 @@
-# Costco Grocery List - AI Agent Instructions
+# Copilot Compatibility Instructions
 
-## Architecture Overview
+## Precedence
+- Source of truth: `PROJECT_INSTRUCTIONS.md` (repo root).
+- Agent workflow constraints: `AGENTS.md` (repo root).
+- Bugfix protocol: `DEBUGGING_INSTRUCTIONS.md` (repo root).
 
-This is a full-stack grocery list management app with **role-based access control (RBAC)**:
-- **Backend**: Node.js + Express + PostgreSQL (port 5000)
-- **Frontend**: React 19 + TypeScript + Vite (port 3000/5173)
-- **Deployment**: Docker Compose with separate dev/prod configurations
+If any guidance in this file conflicts with the root instruction files, follow the root instruction files.
 
-## Mobile-First Design Principles
+## Current stack note
+This repository is currently:
+- Backend: Express (`backend/`)
+- Frontend: React + Vite (`frontend/`)
 
-**CRITICAL**: All UI components MUST be designed for both mobile and desktop from the start.
+Apply architecture intent from `PROJECT_INSTRUCTIONS.md` using the current stack mapping in:
+- `docs/AGENTIC_CONTRACT_MAP.md`
 
-**Responsive Design Requirements**:
-- Use relative units (`rem`, `em`, `%`, `vh/vw`) over fixed pixels where possible
-- Implement mobile breakpoints: `480px`, `768px`, `1024px`
-- Test layouts at: 320px (small phone), 375px (phone), 768px (tablet), 1024px+ (desktop)
-- Avoid horizontal scrolling on mobile devices
-- Touch targets minimum 44x44px for mobile usability
-- Use `max-width` with `margin: 0 auto` for content containers
-- Stack elements vertically on mobile, use flexbox/grid for larger screens
-- Hide/collapse navigation into hamburger menus on mobile
-- Ensure modals/dropdowns work well on small screens
-
-**Common Patterns**:
-```css
-/* Mobile-first approach */
-.container {
-  padding: 1rem;
-  max-width: 100%;
-}
-
-@media (min-width: 768px) {
-  .container {
-    padding: 2rem;
-    max-width: 800px;
-    margin: 0 auto;
-  }
-}
-```
-
-### Key Design Patterns
-
-**Dual RBAC System** - Two separate role hierarchies:
-
-**1. System Roles** (users.role column):
-- `system_admin`: Access to Admin Panel for system-wide management (stores, users)
-- `user`: Regular system user (default for new registrations)
-- Defined in [backend/models/user.model.js](backend/models/user.model.js)
-- Used for Admin Panel access control
-
-**2. Household Roles** (household_members.role column):
-- `admin`: Can manage household members, change roles, delete household
-- `user`: Can add/edit items, mark as bought (standard member permissions)
-- Defined per household membership
-- Used for household-level permissions (item management, member management)
-
-**Important**: Always distinguish between system role and household role:
-- **System role**: From `AuthContext` or `req.user.role` - controls Admin Panel access
-- **Household role**: From `activeHousehold.role` or `household_members.role` - controls household operations
-
-**Middleware chain pattern** for protected routes:
-```javascript
-// System-level protection
-router.get("/stores", auth, requireRole("system_admin"), controller.getAllStores);
-
-// Household-level checks done in controller
-router.post("/lists/:householdId/items", auth, controller.addItem);
-```
-- `auth` middleware extracts JWT from `Authorization: Bearer <token>` header
-- `requireRole` checks system role only
-- Household role checks happen in controllers using `household.model.js` methods
-
-**Frontend route protection**:
-- `<PrivateRoute>`: Requires authentication, redirects to `/login` if no token
-- `<RoleGuard allowed={[ROLES.SYSTEM_ADMIN]}>`: Requires system_admin role for Admin Panel
-- Household permissions: Check `activeHousehold.role` in components (not route-level)
-- Example in [frontend/src/App.jsx](frontend/src/App.jsx)
-
-**Multi-Household Architecture**:
-- Users can belong to multiple households
-- Each household has its own grocery lists, stores, and item classifications
-- `HouseholdContext` manages active household selection
-- All list operations are scoped to the active household
-
-## Database Schema
-
-**PostgreSQL server runs externally** - not in Docker Compose. Connection configured in [backend/.env](backend/.env) via standard environment variables.
-
-**Core Tables**:
-
-**users** - System users
-- `id` (PK), `username`, `password` (bcrypt), `name`, `display_name`
-- `role`: `system_admin` | `user` (default: `viewer` - legacy)
-- System-level authentication and authorization
-
-**households** - Household entities
-- `id` (PK), `name`, `invite_code`, `created_by`, `created_at`
-- Each household is independent with own lists and members
-
-**household_members** - Junction table (users ↔ households)
-- `id` (PK), `household_id` (FK), `user_id` (FK), `role`, `joined_at`
-- `role`: `admin` | `user` (household-level permissions)
-- One user can belong to multiple households with different roles
-
-**items** - Master item catalog
-- `id` (PK), `name`, `default_image`, `default_image_mime_type`, `usage_count`
-- Shared across all households, case-insensitive unique names
-
-**stores** - Store definitions (system-wide)
-- `id` (PK), `name`, `default_zones` (JSONB array)
-- Managed by system_admin in Admin Panel
-
-**household_stores** - Stores available to each household
-- `id` (PK), `household_id` (FK), `store_id` (FK), `is_default`
-- Links households to stores they use
-
-**household_lists** - Grocery list items per household
-- `id` (PK), `household_id` (FK), `store_id` (FK), `item_id` (FK)
-- `quantity`, `bought`, `custom_image`, `custom_image_mime_type`
-- `added_by`, `modified_on`
-- Scoped to household + store combination
-
-**household_list_history** - Tracks quantity contributions
-- `id` (PK), `household_list_id` (FK), `quantity`, `added_by`, `added_on`
-- Multi-contributor tracking (who added how much)
-
-**household_item_classifications** - Item classifications per household/store
-- `id` (PK), `household_id`, `store_id`, `item_id`
-- `item_type`, `item_group`, `zone`, `confidence`, `source`
-- Household-specific overrides of global classifications
-
-**item_classification** - Global item classifications
-- `id` (PK), `item_type`, `item_group`, `zone`, `confidence`, `source`
-- System-wide defaults for item categorization
-
-**Legacy Tables** (deprecated, may still exist):
-- `grocery_list`, `grocery_history` - Old single-household implementation
-
-**Important patterns**:
-- No formal migration system - schema changes are manual SQL
-- Items use case-insensitive matching (`ILIKE`) to prevent duplicates
-- JOINs with `ARRAY_AGG` for multi-contributor queries (see [backend/models/list.model.v2.js](backend/models/list.model.v2.js))
-- All list operations require `household_id` parameter for scoping
-- Image storage: `bytea` columns for images with separate MIME type columns
-
-## Development Workflow
-
-### Local Development
-```bash
-# Start all services with hot-reload against LOCAL database
-docker-compose -f docker-compose.dev.yml up
-
-# Backend runs nodemon (watches backend/*.js)
-# Frontend runs Vite dev server with HMR on port 3000
-```
-
-**Key dev setup details**:
-- Volume mounts preserve `node_modules` in containers while syncing source code
-- Backend uses `Dockerfile` (standard) with `npm run dev` override
-- Frontend uses `Dockerfile.dev` with `CHOKIDAR_USEPOLLING=true` for file watching
-- Both connect to **external PostgreSQL server** (configured in `backend/.env`)
-- No database container in compose - DB is managed separately
-
-### Production Build
-```bash
-# Local production build (for testing)
-docker-compose -f docker-compose.prod.yml up --build
-
-# Actual production uses pre-built images
-docker-compose up  # Pulls from private registry
-```
-
-### CI/CD Pipeline (Gitea Actions)
-
-See [.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml](.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml) for full workflow:
-
-**Build stage** (on push to `main`):
-1. Run backend tests (`npm test --if-present`)
-2. Build backend image with tags: `:latest` and `:<commit-sha>`
-3. Build frontend image with tags: `:latest` and `:<commit-sha>`
-4. Push both images to private registry
-
-**Deploy stage**:
-1. SSH to production server
-2. Upload `docker-compose.yml` to deployment directory
-3. Pull latest images and restart containers with `docker compose up -d`
-4. Prune old images
-
-**Notify stage**:
-- Sends deployment status via webhook
-
-**Required secrets**:
-- `REGISTRY_USER`, `REGISTRY_PASS`: Docker registry credentials
-- `DEPLOY_HOST`, `DEPLOY_USER`, `DEPLOY_KEY`: SSH deployment credentials
-
-### Backend Scripts
-- `npm run dev`: Start with nodemon
-- `npm run build`: esbuild compilation + copy public assets to `dist/`
-- `npm test`: Run Jest tests (currently no tests exist)
-
-### Frontend Scripts
-- `npm run dev`: Vite dev server (port 5173)
-- `npm run build`: TypeScript compilation + Vite production build
-
-### Docker Configurations
-
-**docker-compose.yml** (production):
-- Pulls pre-built images from private registry
-- Backend on port 5000, frontend on port 3000 (nginx serves on port 80)
-- Requires `backend.env` and `frontend.env` files
-
-**docker-compose.dev.yml** (local development):
-- Builds images locally from Dockerfile/Dockerfile.dev
-- Volume mounts for hot-reload: `./backend:/app` and `./frontend:/app`
-- Named volumes preserve `node_modules` between rebuilds
-- Backend uses `backend/.env` directly
-- Frontend uses `Dockerfile.dev` with polling enabled for cross-platform compatibility
-
-**docker-compose.prod.yml** (local production testing):
-- Builds images locally using production Dockerfiles
-- Backend: Standard Node.js server
-- Frontend: Multi-stage build with nginx serving static files
-
-## Configuration & Environment
-
-**Backend** ([backend/.env](backend/.env)):
-- Database connection variables (host, user, password, database name)
-- `JWT_SECRET`: Token signing key
-- `ALLOWED_ORIGINS`: Comma-separated CORS whitelist (supports static origins + `192.168.*.*` IP ranges)
-- `PORT`: Server port (default 5000)
-
-**Frontend** (environment variables):
-- `VITE_API_URL`: Backend base URL
-
-**Config accessed via**:
-- Backend: `process.env.VAR_NAME`
-- Frontend: `import.meta.env.VITE_VAR_NAME` (see [frontend/src/config.ts](frontend/src/config.ts))
-
-## Authentication Flow
-
-1. User logs in → backend returns `{token, userId, role, username}` ([backend/controllers/auth.controller.js](backend/controllers/auth.controller.js))
-   - `role` is the **system role** (`system_admin` or `user`)
-2. Frontend stores in `localStorage` and `AuthContext` ([frontend/src/context/AuthContext.jsx](frontend/src/context/AuthContext.jsx))
-3. `HouseholdContext` loads user's households and sets active household
-   - Active household includes `household.role` (the **household role**)
-4. Axios interceptor auto-attaches `Authorization: Bearer <token>` header ([frontend/src/api/axios.js](frontend/src/api/axios.js))
-5. Backend validates JWT on protected routes ([backend/middleware/auth.js](backend/middleware/auth.js))
-   - Sets `req.user = { id, role, username }` with **system role**
-6. Controllers check household membership/role using [backend/models/household.model.js](backend/models/household.model.js)
-7. On 401 "Invalid or expired token" response, frontend clears storage and redirects to login
-
-## Critical Conventions
-
-### Security Practices
-- **Never expose credentials**: Do not hardcode or document actual values for `JWT_SECRET`, database passwords, API keys, or any sensitive configuration
-- **No infrastructure details**: Avoid documenting specific IP addresses, domain names, deployment paths, or server locations in code or documentation
-- **Environment variables**: Reference `.env` files conceptually - never include actual contents
-- **Secrets in CI/CD**: Document that secrets are required, not their values
-- **Code review**: Scan all changes for accidentally committed credentials before pushing
-
-### Backend
-- **No SQL injection**: Always use parameterized queries (`$1`, `$2`, etc.) with [backend/db/pool.js](backend/db/pool.js)
-- **Password hashing**: Use `bcryptjs` for hashing (see [backend/controllers/auth.controller.js](backend/controllers/auth.controller.js))
-- **CORS**: Dynamic origin validation in [backend/app.js](backend/app.js) allows configured origins + local IPs
-- **Error responses**: Return JSON with `{message: "..."}` structure
-
-### Frontend
-- **Mixed JSX/TSX**: Some components are `.jsx` (JavaScript), others `.tsx` (TypeScript) - maintain existing file extensions
-- **API calls**: Use centralized `api` instance from [frontend/src/api/axios.js](frontend/src/api/axios.js), not raw axios
-- **Role checks**: Access role from `AuthContext`, compare with constants from [frontend/src/constants/roles.js](frontend/src/constants/roles.js)
-- **Navigation**: Use React Router's `<Navigate>` for redirects, not `window.location` (except in interceptor)
-
-## Common Tasks
-
-**Add a new protected route**:
-1. Backend: Add route with `auth` middleware (+ `requireRole(...)` if system role check needed)
-2. Frontend: Add route in [frontend/src/App.jsx](frontend/src/App.jsx) wrapped in `<PrivateRoute>` (and `<RoleGuard>` for Admin Panel)
-
-**Access user info in backend controller**:
-```javascript
-const { id, role } = req.user; // Set by auth middleware (system role)
-const userId = req.user.id;
-```
-
-**Check household permissions in backend controller**:
-```javascript
-const householdRole = await household.getUserRole(householdId, userId);
-if (!householdRole) return res.status(403).json({ message: "Not a member of this household" });
-if (householdRole !== 'admin') return res.status(403).json({ message: "Household admin required" });
-```
-
-**Check household permissions in frontend**:
-```javascript
-const { activeHousehold } = useContext(HouseholdContext);
-const householdRole = activeHousehold?.role; // 'admin' or 'user'
-
-// Allow all members except viewers (no viewer role in households)
-const canManageItems = householdRole && householdRole !== 'viewer'; // Usually just check if role exists
-
-// Admin-only actions
-const canManageMembers = householdRole === 'admin';
-```
-
-**Query grocery items with contributors**:
-Use the JOIN pattern in [backend/models/list.model.v2.js](backend/models/list.model.v2.js) - aggregates user names via `household_list_history` table.
-
-## Testing
-
-**Backend**:
-- Jest configured at root level ([package.json](package.json))
-- Currently **no test files exist** - testing infrastructure needs development
-- CI/CD runs `npm test --if-present` but will pass if no tests found
-- Focus area: API endpoint testing (use `supertest` with Express)
-
-**Frontend**:
-- ESLint only (see [frontend/eslint.config.js](frontend/eslint.config.js))
-- No test runner configured
-- Manual testing workflow in use
-
-**To add backend tests**:
-1. Create `backend/__tests__/` directory
-2. Use Jest + Supertest pattern for API tests
-3. Mock database calls or use test database
+## Safety reminders
+- External DB only (`DATABASE_URL`), no DB container assumptions.
+- No cron/worker additions unless explicitly approved.
+- Never log secrets, receipt bytes, or full invite codes.
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e1b9e9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+# AGENTS.md - Fiddy (External DB)
+
+## Authority
+- Source of truth: `PROJECT_INSTRUCTIONS.md` (repo root). If conflict, follow it.
+- Bugfix protocol: `DEBUGGING_INSTRUCTIONS.md` (repo root).
+- Do not implement features unless required to fix the bug.
+
+## Non-negotiables
+- External DB: `DATABASE_URL` points to on-prem Postgres (NOT a container).
+- Dev/Prod share schema via migrations in `packages/db/migrations`.
+- No cron/worker jobs. Fixes must work without background tasks.
+- Server-side RBAC only. Client checks are UX only.
+
+## Security / logging (hard rules)
+- Never log secrets (passwords/tokens/cookies).
+- Never log receipt bytes.
+- Never log full invite codes; logs/audit store last4 only.
+
+## Non-regression contracts
+- Sessions are DB-backed (`sessions` table) and cookies are HttpOnly.
+- Receipt images stored in `receipts` (`bytea`).
+- Entries list endpoints must NEVER return receipt bytes.
+- API responses must include `request_id`; audit logs must include `request_id`.
+
+## Architecture boundaries (follow existing patterns; do not invent)
+1) API routes: `app/api/**/route.ts`
+   - Thin: parse/validate + call service, return JSON.
+2) Server services: `lib/server/*`
+   - Own DB + authz. Must include `import "server-only";`.
+3) Client wrappers: `lib/client/*`
+   - Typed fetch + error normalization; always send credentials.
+4) Hooks: `hooks/use-*.ts`
+   - Primary UI-facing API layer; components avoid raw `fetch()`.
+
+## Next.js dynamic route params (required)
+- In `app/api/**/[param]/route.ts`, treat `context.params` as async:
+  - `const { id } = await context.params;`
+
+## Working style
+- Scan repo first; do not guess file names or patterns.
+- Make the smallest change that resolves the issue.
+- Keep touched files free of TS warnings and lint errors.
+- Add/update tests when API behavior changes (include negative cases).
+- Keep text encoding clean (no mojibake).
+
+## Response icon legend
+Use the same status icons defined in `PROJECT_INSTRUCTIONS.md` section "Agent Response Legend (required)":
+- `🔄` in progress
+- `✅` completed
+- `🧪` verification/test result
+- `⚠️` risk/blocker/manual action
+- `❌` failure
+- `🧭` recommendation/next step
diff --git a/DEBUGGING_INSTRUCTIONS.md b/DEBUGGING_INSTRUCTIONS.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..27b0db1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/DEBUGGING_INSTRUCTIONS.md
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# Debugging Instructions - Fiddy
+
+## Scope and authority
+- This file is required for bugfix work.
+- `PROJECT_INSTRUCTIONS.md` remains the source of truth for global project rules.
+- For debugging tasks, ship the smallest safe fix that resolves the verified issue.
+
+## Required bugfix workflow
+1. Reproduce:
+   - Capture exact route/page, inputs, actor role, and expected vs actual behavior.
+   - Record a concrete repro sequence before changing code.
+2. Localize:
+   - Identify the failing boundary (route/controller/model/service/client wrapper/hook/ui).
+   - Confirm whether failure is validation, authorization, data, or rendering.
+3. Fix minimally:
+   - Modify only the layers needed to resolve the bug.
+   - Do not introduce parallel mechanisms for the same state flow.
+4. Verify:
+   - Re-run repro.
+   - Run lint/tests for touched areas.
+   - Confirm no regression against contracts in `PROJECT_INSTRUCTIONS.md`.
+
+## Guardrails while debugging
+- External DB only:
+  - Use `DATABASE_URL`.
+  - Never add a DB container for a fix.
+- No background jobs:
+  - Do not add cron, workers, or polling daemons.
+- Security:
+  - Never log secrets, receipt bytes, or full invite codes.
+  - Invite logs/audit may include only last4.
+- Authorization:
+  - Enforce RBAC server-side; client checks are UX only.
+
+## Contract-specific debug checks
+- Auth:
+  - Sessions must remain DB-backed and cookie-based (HttpOnly).
+- Receipts:
+  - List endpoints must never include receipt bytes.
+  - Byte retrieval must be through dedicated endpoint only.
+- Request IDs/audit:
+  - Ensure `request_id` appears in responses and audit trail for affected paths.
+
+## Evidence to include with every bugfix
+- Root cause summary (one short paragraph).
+- Changed files list with rationale.
+- Verification steps performed and outcome.
+- Any residual risk, fallback, or operator action.
diff --git a/PROJECT_INSTRUCTIONS.md b/PROJECT_INSTRUCTIONS.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ca0bfbd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/PROJECT_INSTRUCTIONS.md
@@ -0,0 +1,201 @@
+# Project Instructions - Fiddy (External DB)
+
+## 1) Core expectation
+This project connects to an **external Postgres instance (on-prem server)**. Dev and Prod must share the **same schema** through **migrations**.
+
+## 2) Authority & doc order
+1) **PROJECT_INSTRUCTIONS.md** (this file) is the source of truth.
+2) **DEBUGGING_INSTRUCTIONS.md** (repo root) is required for bugfix work.
+3) Other instruction files (e.g. `.github/copilot-instructions.md`) must not conflict with this doc.
+
+If anything conflicts, follow **this** doc.
+
+---
+
+## 3) Non-negotiables (hard rules)
+
+### External DB + migrations
+- `DATABASE_URL` points to **on-prem Postgres** (**NOT** a container).
+- Dev/Prod share schema via migrations in: `packages/db/migrations`.
+- Active migration runbook: `docs/DB_MIGRATION_WORKFLOW.md` (active set + status commands).
+
+### No background jobs
+- **No cron/worker jobs**. Any fix must work without background tasks.
+
+### Security / logging
+- **Never log secrets** (passwords, tokens, session cookies).
+- **Never log receipt bytes**.
+- **Never log full invite codes** - logs/audit store **last4 only**.
+
+### Server-side authorization only
+- **Server-side RBAC only.** Client checks are UX only and must not be trusted.
+
+---
+
+## 4) Non-regression contracts (do not break)
+
+### Auth
+- Custom email/password auth.
+- Sessions are **DB-backed** and stored in table `sessions`.
+- Session cookies are **HttpOnly**.
+
+### Receipts
+- Receipt images are stored in Postgres `bytea` table `receipts`.
+- **Entries list endpoints must never return receipt image bytes.**
+- Receipt bytes are fetched only via a **separate endpoint** when inspecting a single item.
+
+### Request IDs + audit
+- API must generate a **`request_id`** and return it in responses.
+- Audit logs must include `request_id`.
+- Audit logs must never store full invite codes (store **last4 only**).
+
+---
+
+## 5) Architecture contract (Backend <-> Client <-> Hooks <-> UI)
+
+### No-assumptions rule (required)
+Before making structural changes, first scan the repo and identify:
+- where `app/`, `components/`, `features/`, `hooks/`, `lib/` live
+- existing API routes and helpers
+- patterns already in use
+Do not invent files/endpoints/conventions. If something is missing, add it **minimally** and **consistently**.
+
+### Single mechanism rule (required)
+For any cross-component state propagation concern, keep **one** canonical mechanism only:
+- Context **OR** custom events **OR** cache invalidation
+Do not keep old and new mechanisms in parallel. Remove superseded utilities/imports/files in the same PR.
+
+### Layering (hard boundaries)
+For every domain (auth, groups, entries, receipts, etc.) follow this flow:
+
+1) **API Route Handlers** - `app/api/.../route.ts`
+- Thin: parse/validate input, call a server service, return JSON.
+- No direct DB queries in route files unless there is no existing server service.
+
+2) **Server Services (DB + authorization)** - `lib/server/*`
+- Own all DB access and authorization helpers.
+- Server-only modules must include: `import "server-only";`
+- Prefer small domain modules: `lib/server/auth.ts`, `lib/server/groups.ts`, `lib/server/entries.ts`, `lib/server/receipts.ts`, `lib/server/session.ts`.
+
+3) **Client API Wrappers** - `lib/client/*`
+- Typed fetch helpers only (no React state).
+- Centralize fetch + error normalization.
+- Always send credentials (cookies) and never trust client-side RBAC.
+
+4) **Hooks (UI-facing API layer)** - `hooks/use-*.ts`
+- Hooks are the primary interface for components/pages to call APIs.
+- Components should not call `fetch()` directly unless there is a strong reason.
+
+### API conventions
+- Prefer consistent JSON error shape:
+  - `{ error: { code: string, message: string }, request_id?: string }`
+- Validate inputs at the route boundary (shape/type), authorize in server services.
+- Mirror existing REST style used in the project.
+
+### Next.js route params checklist (required)
+For `app/api/**/[param]/route.ts`:
+- Treat `context.params` as **async** and `await` it before reading properties.
+  - Example: `const { id } = await context.params;`
+
+### Frontend structure preference
+- Prefer domain-first structure: `features/<domain>/...` + `shared/...`.
+- Use `components/*` only for compatibility shims during migrations (remove them after imports are migrated).
+
+### Maintainability thresholds (refactor triggers)
+- Component files > **400 lines** should be split into container/presentational parts.
+- Hook files > **150 lines** should extract helper functions/services.
+- Functions with more than **3 nested branches** should be extracted.
+
+---
+
+## 6) Decisions / constraints (Group Settings)
+- Add `GROUP_OWNER` role to group roles; migrate existing groups so the first admin becomes owner.
+- Join policy default is `NOT_ACCEPTING`. Policies: `NOT_ACCEPTING`, `AUTO_ACCEPT`, `APPROVAL_REQUIRED`.
+- Both owner and admins can approve join requests and manage invite links.
+- Invite links:
+  - TTL limited to 1-7 days.
+  - Settings are immutable after creation (policy, single-use, etc.).
+  - Single-use does not override approval-required.
+  - Expired links are retained and can be revived.
+  - Single-use links are deleted after successful use.
+  - Revive resets `used_at` and `revoked_at`, refreshes `expires_at`, and creates a new audit event.
+- No cron/worker jobs for now (auto ownership transfer and invite rotation are paused).
+- Group role icons must be consistent: owner, admin, member.
+
+---
+
+## 7) Do first (vertical slice)
+1) DB migrate command + schema
+2) Register/Login/Logout (custom sessions)
+3) Protected dashboard page
+4) Group create/join + group switcher (approval-based joins + optional join disable)
+5) Entries CRUD (no receipt bytes in list)
+6) Receipt upload/download endpoints
+7) Settings + Reports
+
+---
+
+## 8) Definition of done
+- Works via `docker-compose.dev.yml` with external DB
+- Migrations applied via `npm run db:migrate`
+- Tests + lint pass
+- RBAC enforced server-side
+- No large files
+- No TypeScript warnings or lint errors in touched files
+- No new cron/worker dependencies unless explicitly approved
+- No orphaned utilities/hooks/contexts after refactors
+- No duplicate mechanisms for the same state flow
+- Text encoding remains clean in user-facing strings/docs
+
+---
+
+## 9) Desktop + mobile UX checklist (required)
+- Touch: long-press affordance for item-level actions when no visible button.
+- Mouse: hover affordance on interactive rows/cards.
+- Tap targets remain >= 40px on mobile.
+- Modal overlays must close on outside click/tap.
+- Use bubble notifications for main actions (create/update/delete/join).
+- Add Playwright UI tests for new UI features and critical flows.
+
+---
+
+## 10) Tests (required)
+- Add/update tests for API behavior changes (auth, groups, entries, receipts).
+- Include negative cases where applicable:
+  - unauthorized
+  - not-a-member
+  - invalid input
+
+---
+
+## 11) Agent Response Legend (required)
+Use emoji/icons in agent progress and final responses so status is obvious at a glance.
+
+Legend:
+- `🔄` in progress
+- `✅` completed
+- `🧪` test/lint/verification result
+- `📄` documentation update
+- `🗄️` database or migration change
+- `🚀` deploy/release step
+- `⚠️` risk, blocker, or manual operator action needed
+- `❌` failed command or unsuccessful attempt
+- `ℹ️` informational context
+- `🧭` recommendation or next-step option
+
+Usage rules:
+- Include at least one status icon in each substantive agent response.
+- Use one icon per bullet/line; avoid icon spam.
+- Keep icon meaning consistent with this legend.
+
+---
+
+## 12) Commit Discipline (required)
+- Commit in small, logical slices (no broad mixed-purpose commits).
+- Each commit must:
+  - follow Conventional Commits style (`feat:`, `fix:`, `docs:`, `refactor:`, `test:`, `chore:`)
+  - include only related files for that slice
+  - exclude secrets, credentials, and generated noise
+- Run verification before commit when applicable (lint/tests/build or targeted checks for touched areas).
+- Prefer frequent checkpoint commits during agentic work rather than one large end-state commit.
+- If a rule or contract changes, commit docs first (or in the same atomic slice as enforcing code).
diff --git a/backend/controllers/auth.controller.js b/backend/controllers/auth.controller.js
index c1866c6..7574efe 100644
--- a/backend/controllers/auth.controller.js
+++ b/backend/controllers/auth.controller.js
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@ const bcrypt = require("bcryptjs");
 const jwt = require("jsonwebtoken");
 const User = require("../models/user.model");
 
-exports.register = async (req, res) => {
-  let { username, password, name } = req.body;
-  username = username.toLowerCase();
-  console.log(`🆕   Registration attempt for ${name} => username:${username}, password:${password}`);
+exports.register = async (req, res) => {
+  let { username, password, name } = req.body;
+  username = username.toLowerCase();
+  console.log(`Registration attempt for ${name} => username:${username}`);
 
   try {
     const hash = await bcrypt.hash(password, 10);
@@ -28,11 +28,11 @@ exports.login = async (req, res) => {
     return res.status(401).json({ message: "User not found" });
   }
 
-  const valid = await bcrypt.compare(password, user.password);
-  if (!valid) {
-    console.log(`⛔   Login attempt for user ${username} with password ${password}`);
-    return res.status(401).json({ message: "Invalid credentials" });
-  }
+  const valid = await bcrypt.compare(password, user.password);
+  if (!valid) {
+    console.log(`Invalid login attempt for user ${username}`);
+    return res.status(401).json({ message: "Invalid credentials" });
+  }
 
   const token = jwt.sign(
     { id: user.id, role: user.role },
diff --git a/docs/AGENTIC_CONTRACT_MAP.md b/docs/AGENTIC_CONTRACT_MAP.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c27da56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/AGENTIC_CONTRACT_MAP.md
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+# Agentic Contract Map (Current Stack)
+
+This file maps `PROJECT_INSTRUCTIONS.md` architecture intent to the current repository stack.
+
+## Current stack
+- Backend: Express (`backend/`)
+- Frontend: React + Vite (`frontend/`)
+
+## Contract mapping
+
+### API Route Handlers (`app/api/**/route.ts` intent)
+Current equivalent:
+- `backend/routes/*.js`
+- `backend/controllers/*.js`
+
+Expectation:
+- Keep these thin for parsing/validation and response shape.
+- Delegate DB and authorization-heavy logic to model/service layers.
+
+### Server Services (`lib/server/*` intent)
+Current equivalent:
+- `backend/models/*.js`
+- `backend/middleware/*.js`
+- `backend/db/*`
+
+Expectation:
+- Concentrate DB access and authorization logic in these backend layers.
+- Avoid raw DB usage directly in route files unless no service/model exists.
+
+### Client Wrappers (`lib/client/*` intent)
+Current equivalent:
+- `frontend/src/api/*.js`
+
+Expectation:
+- Centralize fetch/axios calls and error normalization here.
+- Always send credentials/authorization headers as required.
+
+### Hooks (`hooks/use-*.ts` intent)
+Current equivalent:
+- `frontend/src/context/*`
+- `frontend/src/utils/*` for route guards
+
+Expectation:
+- Keep components free of direct raw network calls where possible.
+- Favor one canonical state propagation mechanism per concern.
+
+## Notes
+- This map does not force a framework migration.
+- It defines how to apply the contract consistently in the existing codebase.
diff --git a/docs/DB_MIGRATION_WORKFLOW.md b/docs/DB_MIGRATION_WORKFLOW.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3eae37a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/DB_MIGRATION_WORKFLOW.md
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+# DB Migration Workflow (External Postgres)
+
+This project uses an external on-prem Postgres database. Migration files are canonical in:
+
+- `packages/db/migrations`
+
+## Preconditions
+- `DATABASE_URL` is set and points to the on-prem Postgres instance.
+- `psql` is installed and available in PATH.
+- You are in repo root.
+
+## Commands
+- Apply pending migrations:
+  - `npm run db:migrate`
+- Show migration status:
+  - `npm run db:migrate:status`
+- Fail if pending migrations exist:
+  - `npm run db:migrate:verify`
+
+## Active migration set
+Migration files are applied in lexicographic filename order from `packages/db/migrations`.
+
+Current baseline files:
+- `add_display_name_column.sql`
+- `add_image_columns.sql`
+- `add_modified_on_column.sql`
+- `add_notes_column.sql`
+- `create_item_classification_table.sql`
+- `multi_household_architecture.sql`
+
+## Tracking table
+Applied migrations are recorded in:
+
+- `schema_migrations(filename text unique, applied_at timestamptz)`
+
+## Expected operator flow
+1. Check status:
+   - `npm run db:migrate:status`
+2. Apply pending:
+   - `npm run db:migrate`
+3. Verify clean state:
+   - `npm run db:migrate:verify`
+
+## Troubleshooting
+- `DATABASE_URL is required`:
+  - Export/set `DATABASE_URL` in your environment.
+- `psql executable was not found in PATH`:
+  - Install PostgreSQL client tools and retry.
+- SQL failure:
+  - Fix migration SQL and rerun; only successful files are recorded in `schema_migrations`.
diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md
index 0d9285e..b2487a5 100644
--- a/docs/README.md
+++ b/docs/README.md
@@ -39,7 +39,10 @@ Historical documentation of completed features. Useful for reference but not act
 These files remain at the project root for easy access:
 
 - **[../README.md](../README.md)** - Project overview and quick start
-- **[../.github/copilot-instructions.md](../.github/copilot-instructions.md)** - AI assistant instructions (architecture, RBAC, conventions)
+- **[../PROJECT_INSTRUCTIONS.md](../PROJECT_INSTRUCTIONS.md)** - Canonical project constraints and delivery contract
+- **[../AGENTS.md](../AGENTS.md)** - Agent behavior and guardrails
+- **[../DEBUGGING_INSTRUCTIONS.md](../DEBUGGING_INSTRUCTIONS.md)** - Required bugfix workflow
+- **[../.github/copilot-instructions.md](../.github/copilot-instructions.md)** - Copilot compatibility shim to root instructions
 
 ---
 
@@ -51,9 +54,9 @@ These files remain at the project root for easy access:
 
 **Working on mobile UI?** → Check [MOBILE_RESPONSIVE_AUDIT.md](guides/MOBILE_RESPONSIVE_AUDIT.md)
 
-**Need architecture context?** → Read [../.github/copilot-instructions.md](../.github/copilot-instructions.md)
+**Need architecture context?** → Read [AGENTIC_CONTRACT_MAP.md](AGENTIC_CONTRACT_MAP.md) and [../PROJECT_INSTRUCTIONS.md](../PROJECT_INSTRUCTIONS.md)
 
-**Running migrations?** → Follow [MIGRATION_GUIDE.md](migration/MIGRATION_GUIDE.md)
+**Running migrations?** → Follow [DB_MIGRATION_WORKFLOW.md](DB_MIGRATION_WORKFLOW.md)
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 96a5802..1914b2c 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
 {
+  "scripts": {
+    "db:migrate": "node scripts/db-migrate.js",
+    "db:migrate:status": "node scripts/db-migrate-status.js",
+    "db:migrate:verify": "node scripts/db-migrate-verify.js"
+  },
   "devDependencies": {
     "cross-env": "^10.1.0",
     "jest": "^30.2.0",
diff --git a/packages/db/migrations/README.md b/packages/db/migrations/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..60cb0f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/db/migrations/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# Migration Directory
+
+This directory is the canonical location for SQL migrations.
+
+- Use `npm run db:migrate` to apply pending migrations.
+- Use `npm run db:migrate:status` to view applied/pending migrations.
+- Use `npm run db:migrate:verify` to fail when pending migrations exist.
+
+Do not place new canonical migrations under `backend/migrations`.
diff --git a/packages/db/migrations/add_display_name_column.sql b/packages/db/migrations/add_display_name_column.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..37e559e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/db/migrations/add_display_name_column.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+-- Add display_name column to users table
+-- This allows users to have a friendly name separate from their username
+
+ALTER TABLE users 
+ADD COLUMN IF NOT EXISTS display_name VARCHAR(100);
+
+-- Set display_name to name for existing users (as default)
+UPDATE users 
+SET display_name = name 
+WHERE display_name IS NULL;
diff --git a/packages/db/migrations/add_image_columns.sql b/packages/db/migrations/add_image_columns.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6f5a061
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/db/migrations/add_image_columns.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Database Migration: Add Image Support
+
+Run these SQL commands on your PostgreSQL database:
+
+```sql
+-- Add image columns to grocery_list table
+ALTER TABLE grocery_list 
+ADD COLUMN item_image BYTEA,
+ADD COLUMN image_mime_type VARCHAR(50);
+
+-- Optional: Add index for faster queries when filtering by items with images
+CREATE INDEX idx_grocery_list_has_image ON grocery_list ((item_image IS NOT NULL));
+```
+
+## To Verify:
+```sql
+\d grocery_list
+```
+
+You should see the new columns `item_image` and `image_mime_type`.
diff --git a/packages/db/migrations/add_modified_on_column.sql b/packages/db/migrations/add_modified_on_column.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2034edc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/db/migrations/add_modified_on_column.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+-- Add modified_on column to grocery_list table
+ALTER TABLE grocery_list 
+ADD COLUMN modified_on TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW();
+
+-- Set modified_on to NOW() for existing records
+UPDATE grocery_list 
+SET modified_on = NOW() 
+WHERE modified_on IS NULL;
diff --git a/packages/db/migrations/add_notes_column.sql b/packages/db/migrations/add_notes_column.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..977dd22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/db/migrations/add_notes_column.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+-- Add notes column to household_lists table
+-- This allows users to add custom notes/descriptions to list items
+
+ALTER TABLE household_lists 
+ADD COLUMN IF NOT EXISTS notes TEXT;
+
+COMMENT ON COLUMN household_lists.notes IS 'Optional user notes/description for the item';
diff --git a/packages/db/migrations/create_item_classification_table.sql b/packages/db/migrations/create_item_classification_table.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..effc63a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/db/migrations/create_item_classification_table.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+-- Migration: Create item_classification table
+-- This table stores classification data for items in the grocery_list table
+-- Each row in grocery_list can have ONE corresponding classification row
+
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS item_classification (
+  id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY REFERENCES grocery_list(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+  item_type VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
+  item_group VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL,
+  zone VARCHAR(100),
+  confidence DECIMAL(3,2) DEFAULT 1.0 CHECK (confidence >= 0 AND confidence <= 1),
+  source VARCHAR(20) DEFAULT 'user' CHECK (source IN ('user', 'ml', 'default')),
+  created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW(),
+  updated_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW()
+);
+
+-- Index for faster lookups by type
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_item_classification_type ON item_classification(item_type);
+
+-- Index for zone-based queries
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_item_classification_zone ON item_classification(zone);
+
+-- Comments
+COMMENT ON TABLE item_classification IS 'Stores classification metadata for grocery list items';
+COMMENT ON COLUMN item_classification.id IS 'Foreign key to grocery_list.id (one-to-one relationship)';
+COMMENT ON COLUMN item_classification.item_type IS 'High-level category (produce, meat, dairy, etc.)';
+COMMENT ON COLUMN item_classification.item_group IS 'Subcategory within item_type (filtered by type)';
+COMMENT ON COLUMN item_classification.zone IS 'Store zone/location (optional)';
+COMMENT ON COLUMN item_classification.confidence IS 'Confidence score 0-1 (1.0 for user-provided, lower for ML-predicted)';
+COMMENT ON COLUMN item_classification.source IS 'Source of classification: user, ml, or default';
diff --git a/packages/db/migrations/multi_household_architecture.sql b/packages/db/migrations/multi_household_architecture.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b64a567
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/db/migrations/multi_household_architecture.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,397 @@
+-- ============================================================================
+-- Multi-Household & Multi-Store Architecture Migration
+-- ============================================================================
+-- This migration transforms the single-list app into a multi-tenant system
+-- supporting multiple households, each with multiple stores.
+--
+-- IMPORTANT: Backup your database before running this migration!
+-- pg_dump grocery_list > backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).sql
+--
+-- Migration Strategy:
+-- 1. Create new tables
+-- 2. Create "Main Household" for existing users
+-- 3. Migrate existing data to new structure
+-- 4. Update roles (keep users.role for system admin)
+-- 5. Verify data integrity
+-- 6. (Manual step) Drop old tables after verification
+-- ============================================================================
+
+BEGIN;
+
+-- ============================================================================
+-- STEP 1: CREATE NEW TABLES
+-- ============================================================================
+
+-- Households table
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS households (
+  id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
+  name VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL,
+  created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW(),
+  created_by INTEGER REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE SET NULL,
+  invite_code VARCHAR(20) UNIQUE NOT NULL,
+  code_expires_at TIMESTAMP
+);
+
+CREATE INDEX idx_households_invite_code ON households(invite_code);
+COMMENT ON TABLE households IS 'Household groups (families, roommates, etc.)';
+COMMENT ON COLUMN households.invite_code IS 'Unique code for inviting users to join household';
+
+-- Store types table
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS stores (
+  id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
+  name VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL UNIQUE,
+  default_zones JSONB,
+  created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW()
+);
+
+COMMENT ON TABLE stores IS 'Store types/chains (Costco, Target, Walmart, etc.)';
+COMMENT ON COLUMN stores.default_zones IS 'JSON array of default zone names for this store type';
+
+-- User-Household membership with per-household roles
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS household_members (
+  id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
+  household_id INTEGER REFERENCES households(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+  user_id INTEGER REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+  role VARCHAR(20) NOT NULL CHECK (role IN ('admin', 'user')),
+  joined_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW(),
+  UNIQUE(household_id, user_id)
+);
+
+CREATE INDEX idx_household_members_user ON household_members(user_id);
+CREATE INDEX idx_household_members_household ON household_members(household_id);
+COMMENT ON TABLE household_members IS 'User membership in households with per-household roles';
+COMMENT ON COLUMN household_members.role IS 'admin: full control, user: standard member';
+
+-- Household-Store relationship
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS household_stores (
+  id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
+  household_id INTEGER REFERENCES households(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+  store_id INTEGER REFERENCES stores(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+  is_default BOOLEAN DEFAULT FALSE,
+  added_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW(),
+  UNIQUE(household_id, store_id)
+);
+
+CREATE INDEX idx_household_stores_household ON household_stores(household_id);
+COMMENT ON TABLE household_stores IS 'Which stores each household shops at';
+
+-- Master item catalog (shared across all households)
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS items (
+  id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
+  name VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL UNIQUE,
+  default_image BYTEA,
+  default_image_mime_type VARCHAR(50),
+  created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW(),
+  usage_count INTEGER DEFAULT 0
+);
+
+CREATE INDEX idx_items_name ON items(name);
+CREATE INDEX idx_items_usage_count ON items(usage_count DESC);
+COMMENT ON TABLE items IS 'Master item catalog shared across all households';
+COMMENT ON COLUMN items.usage_count IS 'Popularity metric for suggestions';
+
+-- Household-specific grocery lists (per store)
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS household_lists (
+  id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
+  household_id INTEGER REFERENCES households(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+  store_id INTEGER REFERENCES stores(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+  item_id INTEGER REFERENCES items(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+  quantity INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 1,
+  bought BOOLEAN DEFAULT FALSE,
+  custom_image BYTEA,
+  custom_image_mime_type VARCHAR(50),
+  added_by INTEGER REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE SET NULL,
+  modified_on TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW(),
+  UNIQUE(household_id, store_id, item_id)
+);
+
+CREATE INDEX idx_household_lists_household_store ON household_lists(household_id, store_id);
+CREATE INDEX idx_household_lists_bought ON household_lists(household_id, store_id, bought);
+CREATE INDEX idx_household_lists_modified ON household_lists(modified_on DESC);
+COMMENT ON TABLE household_lists IS 'Grocery lists scoped to household + store combination';
+
+-- Household-specific item classifications (per store)
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS household_item_classifications (
+  id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
+  household_id INTEGER REFERENCES households(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+  store_id INTEGER REFERENCES stores(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+  item_id INTEGER REFERENCES items(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+  item_type VARCHAR(50),
+  item_group VARCHAR(100),
+  zone VARCHAR(100),
+  confidence DECIMAL(3,2) DEFAULT 1.0 CHECK (confidence >= 0 AND confidence <= 1),
+  source VARCHAR(20) DEFAULT 'user' CHECK (source IN ('user', 'ml', 'default')),
+  created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW(),
+  updated_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW(),
+  UNIQUE(household_id, store_id, item_id)
+);
+
+CREATE INDEX idx_household_classifications ON household_item_classifications(household_id, store_id);
+CREATE INDEX idx_household_classifications_type ON household_item_classifications(item_type);
+CREATE INDEX idx_household_classifications_zone ON household_item_classifications(zone);
+COMMENT ON TABLE household_item_classifications IS 'Item classifications scoped to household + store';
+
+-- History tracking
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS household_list_history (
+  id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
+  household_list_id INTEGER REFERENCES household_lists(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+  quantity INTEGER NOT NULL,
+  added_by INTEGER REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE SET NULL,
+  added_on TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW()
+);
+
+CREATE INDEX idx_household_history_list ON household_list_history(household_list_id);
+CREATE INDEX idx_household_history_user ON household_list_history(added_by);
+CREATE INDEX idx_household_history_date ON household_list_history(added_on DESC);
+COMMENT ON TABLE household_list_history IS 'Tracks who added items and when';
+
+-- ============================================================================
+-- STEP 2: CREATE DEFAULT HOUSEHOLD AND STORE
+-- ============================================================================
+
+-- Create default household for existing users
+INSERT INTO households (name, created_by, invite_code)
+SELECT 
+  'Main Household',
+  (SELECT id FROM users WHERE role = 'admin' LIMIT 1), -- First admin as creator
+  'MAIN' || LPAD(FLOOR(RANDOM() * 1000000)::TEXT, 6, '0') -- Random 6-digit code
+WHERE NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM households WHERE name = 'Main Household');
+
+-- Create default Costco store
+INSERT INTO stores (name, default_zones)
+VALUES (
+  'Costco',
+  '{
+    "zones": [
+      "Entrance & Seasonal",
+      "Fresh Produce",
+      "Meat & Seafood",
+      "Dairy & Refrigerated",
+      "Deli & Prepared Foods",
+      "Bakery & Bread",
+      "Frozen Foods",
+      "Beverages",
+      "Snacks & Candy",
+      "Pantry & Dry Goods",
+      "Health & Beauty",
+      "Household & Cleaning",
+      "Other"
+    ]
+  }'::jsonb
+)
+ON CONFLICT (name) DO NOTHING;
+
+-- Link default household to default store
+INSERT INTO household_stores (household_id, store_id, is_default)
+SELECT 
+  (SELECT id FROM households WHERE name = 'Main Household'),
+  (SELECT id FROM stores WHERE name = 'Costco'),
+  TRUE
+WHERE NOT EXISTS (
+  SELECT 1 FROM household_stores 
+  WHERE household_id = (SELECT id FROM households WHERE name = 'Main Household')
+);
+
+-- ============================================================================
+-- STEP 3: MIGRATE USERS TO HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS
+-- ============================================================================
+
+-- Add all existing users to Main Household
+-- Old admins become household admins, others become standard users
+INSERT INTO household_members (household_id, user_id, role)
+SELECT 
+  (SELECT id FROM households WHERE name = 'Main Household'),
+  id,
+  CASE 
+    WHEN role = 'admin' THEN 'admin'
+    ELSE 'user'
+  END
+FROM users
+WHERE NOT EXISTS (
+  SELECT 1 FROM household_members hm 
+  WHERE hm.user_id = users.id 
+  AND hm.household_id = (SELECT id FROM households WHERE name = 'Main Household')
+);
+
+-- ============================================================================
+-- STEP 4: MIGRATE ITEMS TO MASTER CATALOG
+-- ============================================================================
+
+-- Extract unique items from grocery_list into master items table
+INSERT INTO items (name, default_image, default_image_mime_type, created_at, usage_count)
+SELECT 
+  LOWER(TRIM(item_name)) as name,
+  item_image,
+  image_mime_type,
+  MIN(modified_on) as created_at,
+  COUNT(*) as usage_count
+FROM grocery_list
+WHERE NOT EXISTS (
+  SELECT 1 FROM items WHERE LOWER(items.name) = LOWER(TRIM(grocery_list.item_name))
+)
+GROUP BY LOWER(TRIM(item_name)), item_image, image_mime_type
+ON CONFLICT (name) DO NOTHING;
+
+-- ============================================================================
+-- STEP 5: MIGRATE GROCERY_LIST TO HOUSEHOLD_LISTS
+-- ============================================================================
+
+-- Migrate current list to household_lists
+INSERT INTO household_lists (
+  household_id, 
+  store_id, 
+  item_id, 
+  quantity, 
+  bought, 
+  custom_image,
+  custom_image_mime_type,
+  added_by, 
+  modified_on
+)
+SELECT 
+  (SELECT id FROM households WHERE name = 'Main Household'),
+  (SELECT id FROM stores WHERE name = 'Costco'),
+  i.id,
+  gl.quantity,
+  gl.bought,
+  CASE WHEN gl.item_image != i.default_image THEN gl.item_image ELSE NULL END, -- Only store if different
+  CASE WHEN gl.item_image != i.default_image THEN gl.image_mime_type ELSE NULL END,
+  gl.added_by,
+  gl.modified_on
+FROM grocery_list gl
+JOIN items i ON LOWER(i.name) = LOWER(TRIM(gl.item_name))
+WHERE NOT EXISTS (
+  SELECT 1 FROM household_lists hl
+  WHERE hl.household_id = (SELECT id FROM households WHERE name = 'Main Household')
+  AND hl.store_id = (SELECT id FROM stores WHERE name = 'Costco')
+  AND hl.item_id = i.id
+)
+ON CONFLICT (household_id, store_id, item_id) DO NOTHING;
+
+-- ============================================================================
+-- STEP 6: MIGRATE ITEM_CLASSIFICATION TO HOUSEHOLD_ITEM_CLASSIFICATIONS
+-- ============================================================================
+
+-- Migrate classifications
+INSERT INTO household_item_classifications (
+  household_id,
+  store_id,
+  item_id,
+  item_type,
+  item_group,
+  zone,
+  confidence,
+  source,
+  created_at,
+  updated_at
+)
+SELECT 
+  (SELECT id FROM households WHERE name = 'Main Household'),
+  (SELECT id FROM stores WHERE name = 'Costco'),
+  i.id,
+  ic.item_type,
+  ic.item_group,
+  ic.zone,
+  ic.confidence,
+  ic.source,
+  ic.created_at,
+  ic.updated_at
+FROM item_classification ic
+JOIN grocery_list gl ON ic.id = gl.id
+JOIN items i ON LOWER(i.name) = LOWER(TRIM(gl.item_name))
+WHERE NOT EXISTS (
+  SELECT 1 FROM household_item_classifications hic
+  WHERE hic.household_id = (SELECT id FROM households WHERE name = 'Main Household')
+  AND hic.store_id = (SELECT id FROM stores WHERE name = 'Costco')
+  AND hic.item_id = i.id
+)
+ON CONFLICT (household_id, store_id, item_id) DO NOTHING;
+
+-- ============================================================================
+-- STEP 7: MIGRATE GROCERY_HISTORY TO HOUSEHOLD_LIST_HISTORY
+-- ============================================================================
+
+-- Migrate history records
+INSERT INTO household_list_history (household_list_id, quantity, added_by, added_on)
+SELECT 
+  hl.id,
+  gh.quantity,
+  gh.added_by,
+  gh.added_on
+FROM grocery_history gh
+JOIN grocery_list gl ON gh.list_item_id = gl.id
+JOIN items i ON LOWER(i.name) = LOWER(TRIM(gl.item_name))
+JOIN household_lists hl ON hl.item_id = i.id 
+  AND hl.household_id = (SELECT id FROM households WHERE name = 'Main Household')
+  AND hl.store_id = (SELECT id FROM stores WHERE name = 'Costco')
+WHERE NOT EXISTS (
+  SELECT 1 FROM household_list_history hlh
+  WHERE hlh.household_list_id = hl.id
+  AND hlh.added_by = gh.added_by
+  AND hlh.added_on = gh.added_on
+);
+
+-- ============================================================================
+-- STEP 8: UPDATE USER ROLES (SYSTEM-WIDE)
+-- ============================================================================
+
+-- Update system roles: admin → system_admin, others → user
+UPDATE users 
+SET role = 'system_admin' 
+WHERE role = 'admin';
+
+UPDATE users 
+SET role = 'user' 
+WHERE role IN ('editor', 'viewer');
+
+-- ============================================================================
+-- VERIFICATION QUERIES
+-- ============================================================================
+
+-- Run these to verify migration success:
+
+-- Check household created
+-- SELECT * FROM households;
+
+-- Check all users added to household
+-- SELECT u.username, u.role as system_role, hm.role as household_role
+-- FROM users u
+-- JOIN household_members hm ON u.id = hm.user_id
+-- ORDER BY u.id;
+
+-- Check items migrated
+-- SELECT COUNT(*) as total_items FROM items;
+-- SELECT COUNT(*) as original_items FROM (SELECT DISTINCT item_name FROM grocery_list) sub;
+
+-- Check lists migrated
+-- SELECT COUNT(*) as new_lists FROM household_lists;
+-- SELECT COUNT(*) as old_lists FROM grocery_list;
+
+-- Check classifications migrated
+-- SELECT COUNT(*) as new_classifications FROM household_item_classifications;
+-- SELECT COUNT(*) as old_classifications FROM item_classification;
+
+-- Check history migrated
+-- SELECT COUNT(*) as new_history FROM household_list_history;
+-- SELECT COUNT(*) as old_history FROM grocery_history;
+
+-- ============================================================================
+-- MANUAL STEPS AFTER VERIFICATION
+-- ============================================================================
+
+-- After verifying data integrity, uncomment and run these to clean up:
+
+-- DROP TABLE IF EXISTS grocery_history CASCADE;
+-- DROP TABLE IF EXISTS item_classification CASCADE;
+-- DROP TABLE IF EXISTS grocery_list CASCADE;
+
+COMMIT;
+
+-- ============================================================================
+-- ROLLBACK (if something goes wrong)
+-- ============================================================================
+
+-- ROLLBACK;
+
+-- Then restore from backup:
+-- psql -U your_user -d grocery_list < backup_YYYYMMDD.sql
diff --git a/run-migration.bat b/run-migration.bat
index 3b405e3..993cab1 100644
--- a/run-migration.bat
+++ b/run-migration.bat
@@ -1,80 +1,21 @@
 @echo off
-REM Multi-Household Migration Runner (Windows)
-REM This script handles the complete migration process with safety checks
+setlocal
 
-setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
-
-REM Database configuration
-set DB_USER=postgres
-set DB_HOST=192.168.7.112
-set DB_NAME=grocery
-set PGPASSWORD=Asdwed123A.
-
-set BACKUP_DIR=backend\migrations\backups
-set TIMESTAMP=%date:~-4%%date:~-10,2%%date:~-7,2%_%time:~0,2%%time:~3,2%%time:~6,2%
-set TIMESTAMP=%TIMESTAMP: =0%
-set BACKUP_FILE=%BACKUP_DIR%\backup_%TIMESTAMP%.sql
-
-echo ================================================
-echo   Multi-Household Architecture Migration
-echo ================================================
-echo.
-
-REM Create backup directory
-if not exist "%BACKUP_DIR%" mkdir "%BACKUP_DIR%"
-
-REM Step 1: Backup (SKIPPED - using database template copy)
-echo [1/5] Backup: SKIPPED (using 'grocery' database copy)
-echo.
-
-REM Step 2: Show current stats
-echo [2/5] Current database statistics:
-psql -h %DB_HOST% -U %DB_USER% -d %DB_NAME% -c "SELECT 'Users' as table_name, COUNT(*) as count FROM users UNION ALL SELECT 'Grocery Items', COUNT(*) FROM grocery_list UNION ALL SELECT 'Classifications', COUNT(*) FROM item_classification UNION ALL SELECT 'History Records', COUNT(*) FROM grocery_history;"
-echo.
-
-REM Step 3: Confirm
-echo [3/5] Ready to run migration
-echo Database: %DB_NAME% on %DB_HOST%
-echo Backup: %BACKUP_FILE%
-echo.
-set /p CONFIRM="Continue with migration? (yes/no): "
-if /i not "%CONFIRM%"=="yes" (
-    echo Migration cancelled.
-    exit /b 0
+if "%DATABASE_URL%"=="" (
+  echo DATABASE_URL is required. Aborting.
+  exit /b 1
 )
-echo.
 
-REM Step 4: Run migration
-echo [4/5] Running migration script...
-psql -h %DB_HOST% -U %DB_USER% -d %DB_NAME% -f backend\migrations\multi_household_architecture.sql
-if %errorlevel% neq 0 (
-    echo [ERROR] Migration failed! Rolling back...
-    echo Restoring from backup: %BACKUP_FILE%
-    psql -h %DB_HOST% -U %DB_USER% -d %DB_NAME% < "%BACKUP_FILE%"
-    exit /b 1
-)
-echo [OK] Migration completed successfully
-echo.
+echo Checking migration status...
+call npm run db:migrate:status
+if errorlevel 1 exit /b 1
 
-REM Step 5: Verification
-echo [5/5] Verifying migration...
-psql -h %DB_HOST% -U %DB_USER% -d %DB_NAME% -c "SELECT id, name, invite_code FROM households;"
-psql -h %DB_HOST% -U %DB_USER% -d %DB_NAME% -c "SELECT u.id, u.username, u.role as system_role, hm.role as household_role FROM users u LEFT JOIN household_members hm ON u.id = hm.user_id ORDER BY u.id LIMIT 10;"
-psql -h %DB_HOST% -U %DB_USER% -d %DB_NAME% -c "SELECT 'Items' as metric, COUNT(*)::text as count FROM items UNION ALL SELECT 'Household Lists', COUNT(*)::text FROM household_lists UNION ALL SELECT 'Classifications', COUNT(*)::text FROM household_item_classifications UNION ALL SELECT 'History Records', COUNT(*)::text FROM household_list_history;"
-echo.
+echo Applying pending migrations...
+call npm run db:migrate
+if errorlevel 1 exit /b 1
 
-echo ================================================
-echo   Migration Complete!
-echo ================================================
-echo.
-echo Next Steps:
-echo 1. Review verification results above
-echo 2. Test the application
-echo 3. If issues found, rollback with:
-echo    psql -h %DB_HOST% -U %DB_USER% -d %DB_NAME% ^< %BACKUP_FILE%
-echo 4. If successful, proceed to Sprint 2 (Backend API)
-echo.
-echo Backup location: %BACKUP_FILE%
-echo.
+echo Final migration status...
+call npm run db:migrate:status
+if errorlevel 1 exit /b 1
 
-pause
+echo Done.
diff --git a/run-migration.sh b/run-migration.sh
index 8089521..48f0d90 100644
--- a/run-migration.sh
+++ b/run-migration.sh
@@ -1,146 +1,24 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-# Multi-Household Migration Runner
-# This script handles the complete migration process with safety checks
+set -euo pipefail
 
-set -e  # Exit on error
-
-# Colors for output
-RED='\033[0;31m'
-GREEN='\033[0;32m'
-YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
-BLUE='\033[0;34m'
-NC='\033[0m' # No Color
-
-# Database configuration (from .env)
-DB_USER="postgres"
-DB_HOST="192.168.7.112"
-DB_NAME="grocery"
-export PGPASSWORD="Asdwed123A."
-
-BACKUP_DIR="./backend/migrations/backups"
-TIMESTAMP=$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S)
-BACKUP_FILE="${BACKUP_DIR}/backup_${TIMESTAMP}.sql"
-
-echo -e "${BLUE}╔════════════════════════════════════════════════╗${NC}"
-echo -e "${BLUE}║  Multi-Household Architecture Migration       ║${NC}"
-echo -e "${BLUE}╚════════════════════════════════════════════════╝${NC}"
-echo ""
-
-# Create backup directory if it doesn't exist
-mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR"
-
-# Step 1: Backup
-echo -e "${YELLOW}[1/5] Creating database backup...${NC}"
-pg_dump -h "$DB_HOST" -U "$DB_USER" -d "$DB_NAME" > "$BACKUP_FILE"
-if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
-    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Backup created: $BACKUP_FILE${NC}"
-else
-    echo -e "${RED}✗ Backup failed!${NC}"
-    exit 1
-fi
-echo ""
-
-# Step 2: Show current stats
-echo -e "${YELLOW}[2/5] Current database statistics:${NC}"
-psql -h "$DB_HOST" -U "$DB_USER" -d "$DB_NAME" -c "
-SELECT 
-    'Users' as table_name, COUNT(*) as count FROM users
-UNION ALL
-SELECT 'Grocery Items', COUNT(*) FROM grocery_list
-UNION ALL
-SELECT 'Classifications', COUNT(*) FROM item_classification
-UNION ALL
-SELECT 'History Records', COUNT(*) FROM grocery_history;
-"
-echo ""
-
-# Step 3: Confirm
-echo -e "${YELLOW}[3/5] Ready to run migration${NC}"
-echo -e "Database: ${BLUE}$DB_NAME${NC} on ${BLUE}$DB_HOST${NC}"
-echo -e "Backup: ${GREEN}$BACKUP_FILE${NC}"
-echo ""
-read -p "Continue with migration? (yes/no): " -r
-echo ""
-if [[ ! $REPLY =~ ^[Yy]es$ ]]; then
-    echo -e "${RED}Migration cancelled.${NC}"
-    exit 1
+if ! command -v node >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "node is required."
+  exit 1
 fi
 
-# Step 4: Run migration
-echo -e "${YELLOW}[4/5] Running migration script...${NC}"
-psql -h "$DB_HOST" -U "$DB_USER" -d "$DB_NAME" -f backend/migrations/multi_household_architecture.sql
-if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
-    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Migration completed successfully${NC}"
-else
-    echo -e "${RED}✗ Migration failed! Rolling back...${NC}"
-    echo -e "${YELLOW}Restoring from backup: $BACKUP_FILE${NC}"
-    psql -h "$DB_HOST" -U "$DB_USER" -d "$DB_NAME" < "$BACKUP_FILE"
-    exit 1
+if [ -z "${DATABASE_URL:-}" ]; then
+  echo "DATABASE_URL is required. Aborting."
+  exit 1
 fi
-echo ""
 
-# Step 5: Verification
-echo -e "${YELLOW}[5/5] Verifying migration...${NC}"
-psql -h "$DB_HOST" -U "$DB_USER" -d "$DB_NAME" << 'EOF'
-\echo ''
-\echo '=== Household Created ==='
-SELECT id, name, invite_code FROM households;
+echo "Checking migration status..."
+npm run db:migrate:status
 
-\echo ''
-\echo '=== User Roles ==='
-SELECT u.id, u.username, u.role as system_role, hm.role as household_role
-FROM users u
-LEFT JOIN household_members hm ON u.id = hm.user_id
-ORDER BY u.id
-LIMIT 10;
+echo "Applying pending migrations..."
+npm run db:migrate
 
-\echo ''
-\echo '=== Migration Counts ==='
-SELECT 
-    'Items (Master Catalog)' as metric, COUNT(*)::text as count FROM items
-UNION ALL
-SELECT 'Household Lists', COUNT(*)::text FROM household_lists
-UNION ALL
-SELECT 'Classifications', COUNT(*)::text FROM household_item_classifications
-UNION ALL
-SELECT 'History Records', COUNT(*)::text FROM household_list_history
-UNION ALL
-SELECT 'Household Members', COUNT(*)::text FROM household_members
-UNION ALL
-SELECT 'Stores', COUNT(*)::text FROM stores;
+echo "Final migration status..."
+npm run db:migrate:status
 
-\echo ''
-\echo '=== Data Integrity Checks ==='
-\echo 'Users without household membership (should be 0):'
-SELECT COUNT(*) FROM users u
-LEFT JOIN household_members hm ON u.id = hm.user_id
-WHERE hm.id IS NULL;
-
-\echo ''
-\echo 'Lists without valid items (should be 0):'
-SELECT COUNT(*) FROM household_lists hl
-LEFT JOIN items i ON hl.item_id = i.id
-WHERE i.id IS NULL;
-
-\echo ''
-\echo 'History without valid lists (should be 0):'
-SELECT COUNT(*) FROM household_list_history hlh
-LEFT JOIN household_lists hl ON hlh.household_list_id = hl.id
-WHERE hl.id IS NULL;
-EOF
-
-echo ""
-echo -e "${GREEN}╔════════════════════════════════════════════════╗${NC}"
-echo -e "${GREEN}║  Migration Complete!                           ║${NC}"
-echo -e "${GREEN}╚════════════════════════════════════════════════╝${NC}"
-echo ""
-echo -e "${BLUE}Next Steps:${NC}"
-echo -e "1. Review verification results above"
-echo -e "2. Test the application"
-echo -e "3. If issues found, rollback with:"
-echo -e "   ${YELLOW}psql -h $DB_HOST -U $DB_USER -d $DB_NAME < $BACKUP_FILE${NC}"
-echo -e "4. If successful, proceed to Sprint 2 (Backend API)"
-echo ""
-echo -e "${YELLOW}Backup location: $BACKUP_FILE${NC}"
-echo ""
+echo "Done."
diff --git a/scripts/db-migrate-common.js b/scripts/db-migrate-common.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..efe26c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/db-migrate-common.js
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+"use strict";
+
+const fs = require("fs");
+const path = require("path");
+const { spawnSync } = require("child_process");
+
+const migrationsDir = path.resolve(
+  __dirname,
+  "..",
+  "packages",
+  "db",
+  "migrations"
+);
+
+function ensureDatabaseUrl() {
+  const databaseUrl = process.env.DATABASE_URL;
+  if (!databaseUrl) {
+    throw new Error("DATABASE_URL is required.");
+  }
+  return databaseUrl;
+}
+
+function ensurePsql() {
+  const result = spawnSync("psql", ["--version"], { stdio: "pipe" });
+  if (result.error || result.status !== 0) {
+    throw new Error("psql executable was not found in PATH.");
+  }
+}
+
+function ensureMigrationsDir() {
+  if (!fs.existsSync(migrationsDir)) {
+    throw new Error(`Migrations directory not found: ${migrationsDir}`);
+  }
+}
+
+function getMigrationFiles() {
+  ensureMigrationsDir();
+  return fs
+    .readdirSync(migrationsDir)
+    .filter((file) => file.endsWith(".sql"))
+    .sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b));
+}
+
+function runPsql(databaseUrl, args) {
+  const result = spawnSync("psql", [databaseUrl, ...args], {
+    stdio: "pipe",
+    encoding: "utf8",
+  });
+  if (result.status !== 0) {
+    const stderr = (result.stderr || "").trim();
+    const stdout = (result.stdout || "").trim();
+    const details = [stderr, stdout].filter(Boolean).join("\n");
+    throw new Error(details || "psql command failed");
+  }
+  return result.stdout || "";
+}
+
+function escapeSqlLiteral(value) {
+  return value.replace(/'/g, "''");
+}
+
+function ensureSchemaMigrationsTable(databaseUrl) {
+  runPsql(databaseUrl, [
+    "-v",
+    "ON_ERROR_STOP=1",
+    "-c",
+    "CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS schema_migrations (filename TEXT PRIMARY KEY, applied_at TIMESTAMPTZ NOT NULL DEFAULT NOW());",
+  ]);
+}
+
+function getAppliedMigrations(databaseUrl) {
+  const output = runPsql(databaseUrl, [
+    "-At",
+    "-v",
+    "ON_ERROR_STOP=1",
+    "-c",
+    "SELECT filename FROM schema_migrations ORDER BY filename ASC;",
+  ]);
+  return new Set(
+    output
+      .split(/\r?\n/)
+      .map((line) => line.trim())
+      .filter(Boolean)
+  );
+}
+
+function applyMigration(databaseUrl, filename) {
+  const fullPath = path.join(migrationsDir, filename);
+  runPsql(databaseUrl, ["-v", "ON_ERROR_STOP=1", "-f", fullPath]);
+  runPsql(databaseUrl, [
+    "-v",
+    "ON_ERROR_STOP=1",
+    "-c",
+    `INSERT INTO schema_migrations (filename) VALUES ('${escapeSqlLiteral(
+      filename
+    )}') ON CONFLICT DO NOTHING;`,
+  ]);
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  applyMigration,
+  ensureDatabaseUrl,
+  ensurePsql,
+  ensureSchemaMigrationsTable,
+  getAppliedMigrations,
+  getMigrationFiles,
+  migrationsDir,
+};
diff --git a/scripts/db-migrate-status.js b/scripts/db-migrate-status.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..135e0ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/db-migrate-status.js
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+"use strict";
+
+const {
+  ensureDatabaseUrl,
+  ensurePsql,
+  ensureSchemaMigrationsTable,
+  getAppliedMigrations,
+  getMigrationFiles,
+} = require("./db-migrate-common");
+
+function main() {
+  if (process.argv.includes("--help")) {
+    console.log("Usage: npm run db:migrate:status");
+    process.exit(0);
+  }
+
+  const databaseUrl = ensureDatabaseUrl();
+  ensurePsql();
+  ensureSchemaMigrationsTable(databaseUrl);
+
+  const files = getMigrationFiles();
+  const applied = getAppliedMigrations(databaseUrl);
+
+  let pendingCount = 0;
+  for (const file of files) {
+    const status = applied.has(file) ? "APPLIED" : "PENDING";
+    if (status === "PENDING") pendingCount += 1;
+    console.log(`${status}  ${file}`);
+  }
+
+  console.log("");
+  console.log(`Total: ${files.length}`);
+  console.log(`Applied: ${files.length - pendingCount}`);
+  console.log(`Pending: ${pendingCount}`);
+}
+
+try {
+  main();
+} catch (error) {
+  console.error(error.message);
+  process.exit(1);
+}
diff --git a/scripts/db-migrate-verify.js b/scripts/db-migrate-verify.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..06f636d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/db-migrate-verify.js
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+"use strict";
+
+const {
+  ensureDatabaseUrl,
+  ensurePsql,
+  ensureSchemaMigrationsTable,
+  getAppliedMigrations,
+  getMigrationFiles,
+} = require("./db-migrate-common");
+
+function main() {
+  if (process.argv.includes("--help")) {
+    console.log("Usage: npm run db:migrate:verify");
+    process.exit(0);
+  }
+
+  const databaseUrl = ensureDatabaseUrl();
+  ensurePsql();
+  ensureSchemaMigrationsTable(databaseUrl);
+
+  const files = getMigrationFiles();
+  const applied = getAppliedMigrations(databaseUrl);
+  const pending = files.filter((file) => !applied.has(file));
+
+  if (pending.length > 0) {
+    console.error("Pending migrations detected:");
+    for (const file of pending) {
+      console.error(`- ${file}`);
+    }
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+
+  console.log("Migration verification passed. No pending migrations.");
+}
+
+try {
+  main();
+} catch (error) {
+  console.error(error.message);
+  process.exit(1);
+}
diff --git a/scripts/db-migrate.js b/scripts/db-migrate.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d9e2b9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/db-migrate.js
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+"use strict";
+
+const {
+  applyMigration,
+  ensureDatabaseUrl,
+  ensurePsql,
+  ensureSchemaMigrationsTable,
+  getAppliedMigrations,
+  getMigrationFiles,
+} = require("./db-migrate-common");
+
+function main() {
+  if (process.argv.includes("--help")) {
+    console.log("Usage: npm run db:migrate");
+    process.exit(0);
+  }
+
+  const databaseUrl = ensureDatabaseUrl();
+  ensurePsql();
+  ensureSchemaMigrationsTable(databaseUrl);
+
+  const files = getMigrationFiles();
+  const applied = getAppliedMigrations(databaseUrl);
+  const pending = files.filter((file) => !applied.has(file));
+
+  if (pending.length === 0) {
+    console.log("No pending migrations.");
+    return;
+  }
+
+  for (const file of pending) {
+    console.log(`Applying: ${file}`);
+    applyMigration(databaseUrl, file);
+  }
+
+  console.log(`Applied ${pending.length} migration(s).`);
+}
+
+try {
+  main();
+} catch (error) {
+  console.error(error.message);
+  process.exit(1);
+}