diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 097cae4..4f12633 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ jobs:
       DB_CONN_STR: ${{ vars.DB_CONN_STR }}
       DB_USERNAME: ${{ vars.DB_USERNAME }}
       DB_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DB_PASSWORD }}
+      CI: true
       
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
@@ -48,10 +49,6 @@ jobs:
           fi
 
           echo "✓ All Couchbase environment variables are configured"
-        env:
-          DB_CONN_STR: ${{ vars.DB_CONN_STR }}
-          DB_USERNAME: ${{ vars.DB_USERNAME }}
-          DB_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DB_PASSWORD }}
 
       - name: Test Couchbase Connection
         run: |
@@ -70,22 +67,12 @@ jobs:
               exit 1
             end
           '
-        env:
-          DB_CONN_STR: ${{ vars.DB_CONN_STR }}
-          DB_USERNAME: ${{ vars.DB_USERNAME }}
-          DB_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DB_PASSWORD }}
-          CI: true
 
       - name: Run integration tests
         run: bundle exec rspec spec/requests/api/v1
 
       - name: Verify Swagger documentation generates
         run: bundle exec rake rswag:specs:swaggerize
-        env:
-          DB_CONN_STR: ${{ vars.DB_CONN_STR }}
-          DB_USERNAME: ${{ vars.DB_USERNAME }}
-          DB_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DB_PASSWORD }}
-          CI: true
 
       - name: Report Status
         if: always()
@@ -97,4 +84,4 @@ jobs:
           message_format: "{emoji}    *{status_message}* in <{repo_url}|{repo}@{branch}> on <{commit_url}|{commit_sha}>"
           footer: "<{run_url}|View Full Run on GitHub>"
         env:
-          SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL: ${{ secrets.ACTION_MONITORING_SLACK }}
\ No newline at end of file
+          SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL: ${{ secrets.ACTION_MONITORING_SLACK }}
diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 0f140f1..fd8b509 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -5,24 +5,9 @@ ruby '3.4.1'
 # Bundle edge Rails instead: gem "rails", github: "rails/rails", branch: "main"
 gem 'rails', '~> 7.1.3', '>= 7.1.3.2'
 
-# The original asset pipeline for Rails [https://github.com/rails/sprockets-rails]
-gem 'sprockets-rails'
-
-# Use sqlite3 as the database for Active Record
-gem 'sqlite3', '~> 1.4'
-
 # Use the Puma web server [https://github.com/puma/puma]
 gem 'puma', '>= 5.0'
 
-# Use JavaScript with ESM import maps [https://github.com/rails/importmap-rails]
-gem 'importmap-rails'
-
-# Hotwire's SPA-like page accelerator [https://turbo.hotwired.dev]
-gem 'turbo-rails'
-
-# Hotwire's modest JavaScript framework [https://stimulus.hotwired.dev]
-gem 'stimulus-rails'
-
 # Build JSON APIs with ease [https://github.com/rails/jbuilder]
 gem 'jbuilder'
 
@@ -62,7 +47,5 @@ group :development do
 end
 
 group :test do
-  # Use system testing [https://guides.rubyonrails.org/testing.html#system-testing]
-  gem 'capybara'
-  gem 'selenium-webdriver'
+  # API-only testing with RSpec (no system/browser testing needed)
 end
diff --git a/app/channels/application_cable/channel.rb b/app/channels/application_cable/channel.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index d672697..0000000
--- a/app/channels/application_cable/channel.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-module ApplicationCable
-  class Channel < ActionCable::Channel::Base
-  end
-end
diff --git a/app/channels/application_cable/connection.rb b/app/channels/application_cable/connection.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index 0ff5442..0000000
--- a/app/channels/application_cable/connection.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-module ApplicationCable
-  class Connection < ActionCable::Connection::Base
-  end
-end
diff --git a/app/models/application_record.rb b/app/models/application_record.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index b63caeb..0000000
--- a/app/models/application_record.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-class ApplicationRecord < ActiveRecord::Base
-  primary_abstract_class
-end
diff --git a/config/application.rb b/config/application.rb
index c7d8ab0..2375031 100644
--- a/config/application.rb
+++ b/config/application.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,23 @@
 require_relative 'boot'
 
-require 'rails/all'
+# Load Rails components individually (excluding activerecord since we use Couchbase directly)
+require 'rails'
+%w(
+  action_controller
+  action_view
+  action_mailer
+  active_job
+).each do |framework|
+  begin
+    require "#{framework}/railtie"
+  rescue LoadError
+  end
+end
+
+# Excluded components (using Couchbase directly via SDK):
+# - active_record/railtie - Using Couchbase SDK directly
+# - active_storage/engine - Not needed for API-only app
+# - action_cable/railtie - Not using WebSockets
 
 # Require the gems listed in Gemfile, including any gems
 # you've limited to :test, :development, or :production.
diff --git a/config/database.yml b/config/database.yml
index 796466b..d6fa123 100644
--- a/config/database.yml
+++ b/config/database.yml
@@ -1,25 +1,19 @@
-# SQLite. Versions 3.8.0 and up are supported.
-#   gem install sqlite3
-#
-#   Ensure the SQLite 3 gem is defined in your Gemfile
-#   gem "sqlite3"
+# NOTE: This file is not used by the application.
+# This application uses Couchbase as its database through the Couchbase Ruby SDK.
+# Database connections are configured in config/initializers/couchbase.rb
 #
+# The configuration below is kept for Rails compatibility but is not actively used.
+# No SQL database (SQLite, PostgreSQL, MySQL) is required for this application.
+
+# Minimal configuration to prevent Rails from attempting database connections
 default: &default
-  adapter: sqlite3
-  pool: <%= ENV.fetch("RAILS_MAX_THREADS") { 5 } %>
-  timeout: 5000
+  adapter: nulldb
 
 development:
   <<: *default
-  database: storage/development.sqlite3
 
-# Warning: The database defined as "test" will be erased and
-# re-generated from your development database when you run "rake".
-# Do not set this db to the same as development or production.
 test:
   <<: *default
-  database: storage/test.sqlite3
 
 production:
   <<: *default
-  database: storage/production.sqlite3
diff --git a/config/environments/development.rb b/config/environments/development.rb
index 2e7fb48..ec4ea63 100644
--- a/config/environments/development.rb
+++ b/config/environments/development.rb
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
   end
 
   # Store uploaded files on the local file system (see config/storage.yml for options).
-  config.active_storage.service = :local
+  # config.active_storage.service = :local  # Commented out - not using ActiveStorage
 
   # Don't care if the mailer can't send.
   config.action_mailer.raise_delivery_errors = false
@@ -51,16 +51,16 @@
   config.active_support.disallowed_deprecation_warnings = []
 
   # Raise an error on page load if there are pending migrations.
-  config.active_record.migration_error = :page_load
+  # config.active_record.migration_error = :page_load  # Commented out - not using ActiveRecord
 
   # Highlight code that triggered database queries in logs.
-  config.active_record.verbose_query_logs = true
+  # config.active_record.verbose_query_logs = true  # Commented out - not using ActiveRecord
 
   # Highlight code that enqueued background job in logs.
   config.active_job.verbose_enqueue_logs = true
 
   # Suppress logger output for asset requests.
-  config.assets.quiet = true
+  # config.assets.quiet = true  # Commented out - not using asset pipeline
 
   # Raises error for missing translations.
   # config.i18n.raise_on_missing_translations = true
diff --git a/config/environments/production.rb b/config/environments/production.rb
index 7c4ef8f..4405914 100644
--- a/config/environments/production.rb
+++ b/config/environments/production.rb
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
   # config.assets.css_compressor = :sass
 
   # Do not fall back to assets pipeline if a precompiled asset is missed.
-  config.assets.compile = false
+  # config.assets.compile = false  # Commented out - not using asset pipeline
 
   # Enable serving of images, stylesheets, and JavaScripts from an asset server.
   # config.asset_host = "http://assets.example.com"
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
   # config.action_dispatch.x_sendfile_header = "X-Accel-Redirect" # for NGINX
 
   # Store uploaded files on the local file system (see config/storage.yml for options).
-  config.active_storage.service = :local
+  # config.active_storage.service = :local  # Commented out - not using ActiveStorage
 
   # Mount Action Cable outside main process or domain.
   # config.action_cable.mount_path = nil
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@
   config.active_support.report_deprecations = false
 
   # Do not dump schema after migrations.
-  config.active_record.dump_schema_after_migration = false
+  # config.active_record.dump_schema_after_migration = false  # Commented out - not using ActiveRecord
 
   # Enable DNS rebinding protection and other `Host` header attacks.
   # config.hosts = [
diff --git a/config/environments/test.rb b/config/environments/test.rb
index adbb4a6..98f5b1f 100644
--- a/config/environments/test.rb
+++ b/config/environments/test.rb
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
   config.action_controller.allow_forgery_protection = false
 
   # Store uploaded files on the local file system in a temporary directory.
-  config.active_storage.service = :test
+  # config.active_storage.service = :test  # Commented out - not using ActiveStorage
 
   config.action_mailer.perform_caching = false
 
diff --git a/config/initializers/assets.rb b/config/initializers/assets.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index 2eeef96..0000000
--- a/config/initializers/assets.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-# Be sure to restart your server when you modify this file.
-
-# Version of your assets, change this if you want to expire all your assets.
-Rails.application.config.assets.version = "1.0"
-
-# Add additional assets to the asset load path.
-# Rails.application.config.assets.paths << Emoji.images_path
-
-# Precompile additional assets.
-# application.js, application.css, and all non-JS/CSS in the app/assets
-# folder are already added.
-# Rails.application.config.assets.precompile += %w( admin.js admin.css )
diff --git a/spec/rails_helper.rb b/spec/rails_helper.rb
index ba57c54..4e599d2 100644
--- a/spec/rails_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/rails_helper.rb
@@ -24,24 +24,27 @@
 
 # Checks for pending migrations and applies them before tests are run.
 # If you are not using ActiveRecord, you can remove these lines.
-begin
-  ActiveRecord::Migration.maintain_test_schema!
-rescue ActiveRecord::PendingMigrationError => e
-  abort e.to_s.strip
-end
+# NOTE: Commented out - this application uses Couchbase directly, not ActiveRecord with SQL database
+# begin
+#   ActiveRecord::Migration.maintain_test_schema!
+# rescue ActiveRecord::PendingMigrationError => e
+#   abort e.to_s.strip
+# end
 RSpec.configure do |config|
   # Remove this line if you're not using ActiveRecord or ActiveRecord fixtures
-  config.fixture_paths = [
-    Rails.root.join('spec/fixtures')
-  ]
+  # NOTE: Commented out - this application uses Couchbase directly, not ActiveRecord
+  # config.fixture_paths = [
+  #   Rails.root.join('spec/fixtures')
+  # ]
 
   # If you're not using ActiveRecord, or you'd prefer not to run each of your
   # examples within a transaction, remove the following line or assign false
   # instead of true.
-  config.use_transactional_fixtures = true
+  # NOTE: Commented out - this application uses Couchbase directly, not ActiveRecord
+  # config.use_transactional_fixtures = true
 
   # You can uncomment this line to turn off ActiveRecord support entirely.
-  # config.use_active_record = false
+  config.use_active_record = false
 
   # RSpec Rails can automatically mix in different behaviours to your tests
   # based on their file location, for example enabling you to call `get` and