diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
index 6ac5e77..b731adf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -1,21 +1,21 @@
-name: Deploy
-
+name: Build & Deploy
 on:
   push:
-    branches: [ main ]  # or 'master' if that's your main branch
+    branches: [main]
 
 jobs:
   deploy:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - name: Deploy to Server
-        uses: appleboy/ssh-action@v1.0.0
+      - name: Deploy NodeJS app
+        uses: appleboy/ssh-action@v0.1.2
         with:
-          host: ${{ secrets.HOST }}
-          username: root
-          key: ${{ secrets.SSH_PRIVATE_KEY }}
+          host: ${{secrets.SSH_HOST}} # IP address of the server you wish to ssh into
+          key: ${{secrets.SSH_KEY}} # Private or public key of the server
+          username: ${{ secrets.SSH_USERNAME }} # User of the server you want to ssh into
+     
           script: |
-            cd /var/www/valkyrie
-            git pull
-            npm install
-            pm2 reload all || pm2 start server/server.js --name "valkyrie"
\ No newline at end of file
+            mkdir test 
+            cd test 
+            git clone git@github.com:Mulubwa17/ci-cd-to-digitalocean-with-github-actions.git 
+            echo 'Deployment successful to digital ocean' 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Procfile b/Procfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..038261f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Procfile
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+web: node server/server.js
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ea3d7f3..52e52b1 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@
     "start:maintenance": "cross-env MAINTENANCE_MODE=true node server/server.js",
     "dev": "nodemon server/server.js",
     "dev:maintenance": "cross-env MAINTENANCE_MODE=true nodemon server/server.js",
-    "build": "echo 'No build script needed'",
+    "build": "npm install",
+    "heroku-postbuild": "npm install",
     "create-admin": "node server/scripts/createAdmin.js",
     "reset-user-ids": "node server/scripts/resetUserIds.js",
     "generate-test-users": "node server/scripts/generateTestUsers.js",
diff --git a/server/server.js b/server/server.js
index d9949de..d01d86f 100644
--- a/server/server.js
+++ b/server/server.js
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ async function connectToDatabase() {
       console.log('Connected to MongoDB');
     } catch (error) {
       console.error('Error connecting to database:', error);
-      throw error;
+      setTimeout(connectToDatabase, 5000);
     }
   }
 }
@@ -189,14 +189,7 @@ app.use('/api', userRoutes);
 
 app.use('/video', express.static(path.join(__dirname, '../video')));
 // Serve static files from the client directory
-app.use(
-  '/',
-  (req, res, next) => {
-    res.setHeader('Cache-Control', 'no-cache, no-store, must-revalidate');
-    next();
-  },
-  express.static(path.join(__dirname, '../client'))
-);
+app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, '../client')));
 
 // Serve static files from the images directory
 app.use(
@@ -312,8 +305,14 @@ app.use((req, res, next) => {
 // Call this function after the server starts
 app.listen(port, '0.0.0.0', async () => {
   console.log(`Server running at http://0.0.0.0:${port}`);
-  if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
-    await resetUserIdsIfNeeded();
+  console.log('Environment:', process.env.NODE_ENV);
+  try {
+    await connectToDatabase();
+    if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
+      await resetUserIdsIfNeeded();
+    }
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('Startup error:', error);
   }
 });