diff --git a/client/.gitignore b/client/.gitignore
index 3238358..2ac7d85 100644
--- a/client/.gitignore
+++ b/client/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,17 @@
+# dependencies
 /node_modules
-.env
+
+# testing
+/coverage
+
+# production
+/build
+
+# misc
 .DS_Store
+.env
+.env.local
+.env.development.local
+.env.test.local
+.env.production.local
 .eslintcache
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/client/package.json b/client/package.json
index d3dbb87..df6a44f 100644
--- a/client/package.json
+++ b/client/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 {
+  "homepage": "",
   "name": "client",
   "version": "1.0.0",
+  "description": "",
   "private": true,
   "main": "index.js",
   "license": "ISC",
diff --git a/server/.gitignore b/server/.gitignore
index 8321ac4..2ac7d85 100644
--- a/server/.gitignore
+++ b/server/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,17 @@
+# dependencies
 /node_modules
+
+# testing
+/coverage
+
+# production
+/build
+
+# misc
+.DS_Store
 .env
-.DS_Store
\ No newline at end of file
+.env.local
+.env.development.local
+.env.test.local
+.env.production.local
+.eslintcache
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/index.js b/server/index.js
index e3a9711..054686b 100644
--- a/server/index.js
+++ b/server/index.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import morgan from 'morgan'; // Logs incoming requests
 
 // initialize app
 const app = express();
-const origin = '*';
+const origin = '*'; // allow source of requests (* --> everywhere)
 
 // middlewares
 dotenv.config();
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ db.on('disconnected', () => console.log('❌ MongoDB disconnected')); // disconn
 db.on('error', (error) => console.log('❌ MongoDB connection error', error)); // listen for errors during the session
 
 // routes
-app.get('/', (request, response, next) => response.status(200).json('Hello World - Express.js'));
+app.get('/', (request, response, next) => response.status(200).json('<h1>Hello World!</h1>'));
 // app.use('/api/v1/users', routes);
 // ^ ^ ^ un-comment this to use imported route(s)
 
diff --git a/server/package.json b/server/package.json
index 8e3487b..f416043 100644
--- a/server/package.json
+++ b/server/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 {
+  "homepage": "",
   "name": "server",
   "version": "1.0.0",
+  "description": "",
   "main": "index.js",
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {