diff --git a/backend/Dockerfile b/backend/Dockerfile
index d0051fe..ed22b24 100644
--- a/backend/Dockerfile
+++ b/backend/Dockerfile
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ RUN apt-get update \
     && apt-get -y install netcat gcc postgresql \
     && apt-get clean
 # install python dependencies
-RUN pip install --upgrade pip
+RUN pip3 install --upgrade pip
 COPY ./requirements.txt /backend/requirements.txt
-RUN pip install -r requirements.txt
+RUN pip3 install -r requirements.txt
 COPY . /backend
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/app/core/config.py b/backend/app/core/config.py
index dd46265..3cf46f7 100644
--- a/backend/app/core/config.py
+++ b/backend/app/core/config.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 POSTGRES_USER = config("POSTGRES_USER", cast=str)
 POSTGRES_PASSWORD = config("POSTGRES_PASSWORD", cast=Secret)
 POSTGRES_SERVER = config("POSTGRES_SERVER", cast=str, default="db")
-POSTGRES_PORT = config("POSTGRES_PORT", cast=str, default="5432")
+POSTGRES_PORT = config("POSTGRES_PORT", cast=str, default="5433")
 POSTGRES_DB = config("POSTGRES_DB", cast=str)
 DATABASE_URL = config(
     "DATABASE_URL",
diff --git a/backend/tests/conftest.py b/backend/tests/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a919f38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,261 @@
+# here we can create and configure things that are common to tests
+
+# we make fixtures for testing and then use them in our user/post/etc tests
+
+# e.g.:
+
+# we create common test_users with X privileges in the testing database
+# we create a client using a test_user to make requests
+
+import warnings
+import os
+
+from app.core.config import JWT_TOKEN_PREFIX
+
+from typing import List, Callable
+
+# testing
+import pytest
+
+# Request + response
+from httpx import AsyncClient  # emulates a client
+from fastapi import FastAPI
+from asgi_lifespan import LifespanManager
+
+# Database
+from databases import Database
+import alembic
+from alembic.config import Config
+
+# Repositories
+from app.db.repositories.users import UsersRepository
+from app.db.repositories.alerts import AlertsRepository
+from app.db.repositories.assets import AssetsRepository
+
+# Models
+from app.models.user import UserCreate, UserUpdate, User
+from app.models.alert import AlertCreate, AlertUpdate, Alert
+from app.models.asset import AssetCreate, Asset
+
+# Services (auth)
+from app.services.authentication import AuthService
+
+
+# CORE: all tests need this
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")  # exists for duration of testing session
+def apply_migrations():
+    """
+    Applies alembic migrations to the testing database prior to testing. Then downgrades applied migrations at end of testing session.
+    """
+    warnings.filterwarnings("ignore", category=DeprecationWarning)
+    os.environ["TESTING"] = "1"  # see app/core/config
+    config = Config("alembic.ini")
+
+    alembic.command.upgrade(config, "head")
+    yield
+    alembic.command.downgrade(config, "base")
+
+
+# CORE
+@pytest.fixture
+def app(apply_migrations: None) -> FastAPI:
+    """
+    Creates and returns an app for use in tests.
+    """
+    from app.api.server import get_application
+
+    return get_application()
+
+
+# CORE
+@pytest.fixture
+def db(app: FastAPI) -> Database:
+    """
+    Uses the app's state to return the database. (testing db not live)
+    """
+    return app.state._db
+
+
+# CORE
+@pytest.fixture
+async def client(app: FastAPI) -> AsyncClient:
+    """
+    Emulates a client (browser/mobileapp/etc) and sends to the application
+    """
+    async with LifespanManager(app):
+        async with AsyncClient(
+            app=app,
+            base_url="http://testing",
+            headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"},
+        ) as client:
+            yield client
+
+
+# USERS - creates a test_user that exists throughout life of testing
+@pytest.fixture
+async def test_user(db: Database) -> User:
+    test_user = UserCreate(
+        email="conf@test.com",
+        phone_number = 1234567890,
+    )
+
+    user_repo = UsersRepository(db)
+
+    # database persists for duration of the testing session
+    existing_user = await user_repo.get_user_by_email(email=test_user.email)
+    if existing_user:
+        return existing_user
+    # else
+
+    return await user_repo.create_user(new_user=test_user)
+
+
+# CORE - create an authorised client for test_user
+@pytest.fixture
+async def test_user_auth_client(
+    client: AsyncClient, test_user: User
+) -> AsyncClient:
+    """
+    Emulates a client with an authenticated user matching test_user. Used to test protected routes.
+    """
+    # create_access_token has default vars from app.config for all but user
+    access_token = AuthService.create_access_token_for_user(user=test_user)
+
+    # add additional auth headers to our client fixture
+    client.headers = {
+        **client.headers,
+        "Authorization": f"{JWT_TOKEN_PREFIX} {access_token}",
+    }
+
+    return client
+
+
+# CORE - create an authorised client for ANY user
+@pytest.fixture
+def create_auth_client(client: AsyncClient) -> Callable:
+    """
+    Takes client (fixture defined already, not necessary to provide).
+    Returns a callable function that takes UserInDB.
+    Returns a client having Authorization headers with that user's token.
+    e.g. authorized_client_with_this_user = create_auth_client(user=this_user)
+    functionally we are injecting client into the function for when the user is provided.
+    """
+
+    def _create_authorised_client(*, user: User) -> AsyncClient:
+        """
+        see user_auth_client
+        """
+        # create_access_token has default vars from app.config for all but user
+        access_token = AuthService.create_access_token_for_user(user=user)
+
+        # add additional auth headers to our client fixture
+        client.headers = {
+            **client.headers,
+            "Authorization": f"{JWT_TOKEN_PREFIX} {access_token}",
+        }
+
+        return client
+
+    return _create_authorised_client
+
+
+# HELPER - create a user helper
+async def helper_create_user(
+    *, db: Database, new_user: UserCreate
+) -> User:
+    """
+    Helper function that takes a UserCreate as input and creates that user/org
+    """
+    user_repo = UsersRepository(db)
+    existing_user = await user_repo.get_user_by_email(email=new_user.email)
+    if existing_user:
+        return existing_user
+
+    return await user_repo.create_user(new_user=new_user)
+
+
+# USERS - creates test_user1 + 2 + 3
+@pytest.fixture
+async def test_user1(db: Database) -> User:
+    new_user = UserCreate(email="testuser1@conf.test", phone_number="1111122222")
+    return await helper_create_user(db=db, new_user=new_user)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+async def test_user2(db: Database) -> User:
+    new_user = UserCreate(email="testuser2@conf.test", phone_number="1234512345")
+    return await helper_create_user(db=db, new_user=new_user)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+async def test_user3(db: Database) -> User:
+    new_user = UserCreate(email="testuser3@conf.test", phone_number="2345623456")
+    return await helper_create_user(db=db, new_user=new_user)
+
+
+# LIST of USERS / ORGS for easy access
+@pytest.fixture
+async def test_user_list(
+    test_user1: User, test_user2: User, test_user3: User
+) -> List[User]:
+    return [test_user1, test_user2, test_user3]
+
+# # ALERTS - creates a test_alert belonging to test_user1
+# @pytest.fixture
+# async def org1_test_post(db: Database, test_user1: test_user1) -> Alert:
+#     """
+#     Alerts owned created by test_user1
+#     """
+#     # get repo's from db
+#     alerts_repo = AlertsRepository(db)
+
+#     # make a post with test_org1 as owner
+#     local_new_post = AlertCreate(
+#         asset_id=1,
+#         price=2,
+
+#     )
+
+#     # create post in repo
+#     created_post = await post_repo.create_post(
+#         new_post=local_new_post, requesting_user=test_org1
+#     )
+
+#     return created_post
+
+
+# # POSTS + INTERESTED
+# @pytest.fixture
+# async def test_post_with_applications(
+#     db: Database, test_org1: UserInDB, test_user_list: List[UserInDB]
+# ) -> PostInDB:
+#     """
+#     Post owned by testorg1 with interest from testuser1,2,3
+#     """
+#     # get repo's from db
+#     post_repo = PostsRepository(db)
+
+#     # make a post with test_org1 as owner
+#     local_new_post = PostCreate(
+#         title="fixture test post with interested",
+#         short_desc="fixture short desc",
+#         long_desc="fixture long desc",
+#         location="fixture location",
+#     )
+
+#     # create post in repo
+#     created_post = await post_repo.create_post(
+#         new_post=local_new_post, requesting_user=test_org1
+#     )
+
+#     # create 'interested in this' for all of the testusers
+#     for user in test_user_list:
+#         # repo.create_interested_in_post() TODO: implement interested in post
+#         interested = user.is_org
+
+#     return created_post
+
+
+# # HELPER - creates a post belonging to the passed in user
+# async def helper_create_post_with_applications() -> None:
+#     pass
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/issues.md b/issues.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29