diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 7603cfd..2cbaf56 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -119,7 +119,5 @@ dist
 
 package-lock.json
 pnpm-lock.yaml
-*.sql*
-players.msgpack
 .env
-ddnss/
\ No newline at end of file
+data/*
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/dotenv-template b/dotenv-template
deleted file mode 100644
index 140d847..0000000
--- a/dotenv-template
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-# The database connect string
-MONGO_URI = "mongodb://user:passwd@host/db"
-
-# The port on which the server starts...
-PORT = 12345
-
-# Should the server try to generate the database?
-GENERATE_DB = "false"
-
-# The API paginates. How many entries per page?
-ENTRIES_PER_PAGE = 50
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 5efdcc6..ddfbd09 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -1,15 +1,14 @@
 import express from 'express'
-import dotenv from 'dotenv'
+import { config as loadEnv } from 'dotenv'
 import api from './api/api.js'
 import { generateDB } from './libs/database/generate.js'
 import { dbInit } from './libs/database/init.js'
 
-dotenv.config()
-
+loadEnv()
 dbInit()
 generateDB()
 
 const Server = express()
 Server.use('/api', api)
 
-Server.listen(process.env.PORT, () => console.log(`Server started and listening on port ${process.env.PORT}.`))
+Server.listen(process.env.PORT ?? 12345, () => console.log(`Server started and listening on port ${process.env.PORT ?? 12345}.`))
diff --git a/libs/database/init.js b/libs/database/init.js
index 4498804..281f7be 100644
--- a/libs/database/init.js
+++ b/libs/database/init.js
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ export function dbInit() {
     log("Starting up databases...")
 
     /* load in db using better-sqlite3 */
-    sqlite = new Database('ddnet.sqlite', { verbose: console.log });
-    skinDB = new Database('skindata.sqlite', { });
+    sqlite = new Database(process.env.DDNET_SQLITE_PATH ?? 'data/ddnet.sqlite', { verbose: console.log });
+    skinDB = new Database(process.env.DDNSS_SQLITE_PATH ?? 'data/skindata.sqlite', { });
 
     /* WAL mode */
     sqlite.pragma('journal_mode = WAL');
diff --git a/libs/database/tasks.js b/libs/database/tasks.js
index 265bd50..93c69f6 100644
--- a/libs/database/tasks.js
+++ b/libs/database/tasks.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import { sqlite } from './init.js'
  * @module db/decodeMsgpack
  */
 export function decodeMsgpack() {
-    const data = fs.readFileSync('players.msgpack')
+    const data = fs.readFileSync(process.env.MSGPACK_PATH ?? 'data/players.msgpack')
     const decoded = msgpack.decodeMulti(data, { wrap: true })
     const order = ['categories', 'maps', 'totalPoints', 'pointsRanks', 'pointsThisWeek', 'pointsThisMonth', 'teamRankPoints', 'rankPoints', 'serverRanks']
     let final = {}
diff --git a/template.env b/template.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a6a9cf1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/template.env
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#
+#   You should copy this file to '.env'
+#   and set all settings there.
+#
+
+
+# MongoDB connection URI
+MONGO_URI = "mongodb://user:passwd@host/db"
+
+# Paths to SQLite databases...
+DDNET_SQLITE_PATH = "data/ddnet.sqlite"
+DDNSS_SQLITE_PATH = "data/skindata.sqlite"
+MSGPACK_PATH = "data/players.msgpack"
+
+# Should the server try to generate the database?
+GENERATE_DB = "true"
+
+# The port on which the server listens...
+PORT = 12345
+
+# The API paginates. How many entries per page?
+ENTRIES_PER_PAGE = 50
\ No newline at end of file