diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 099ceb16..442f8311 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -22,23 +22,25 @@ These instructions will get you a copy of the project up and running on your loc
 >Create a new directory and initialize git
 
 ```
-$ mkdir Pinterest-Clone
-$ cd Pinterest-Clone
-$ git init
+mkdir Pinterest-Clone
+cd Pinterest-Clone
+git init
 ```
 >Pull from github and install packages
 
 ```
-$ git pull https://github.com/Dereje1/Pinterest-Clone.git
-$ npm install
+git pull https://github.com/Dereje1/Pinterest-Clone.git
+
+npm install
 ```
 
 >To run mongoDB locally with docker :
 
 In the root folder run
-`docker-compose up mongodb` and then use `mongodb://root:123456@localhost:27017` for `MONGOLAB_URI`
-in your `.env `file below, alternatively, you can get a connection string from mongodb Atlas after setting up your own db.
-
+```
+docker-compose up mongodb
+```
+Alternatively, you can get a connection string from mongodb Atlas after setting up your own db.
 
 >create .env files
 
@@ -46,7 +48,7 @@ In the root of the project create a .env file with the following contents
 ```
 
 SESSION_SECRET=<Secret for Express Session>
-MONGOLAB_URI=<Mongo Connection URI>
+MONGOLAB_URI=mongodb://root:123456@localhost:27017
 TWITTER_CONSUMER_KEY=< Get from Twitter Developer API >
 TWITTER_CONSUMER_SECRET=< Get from Twitter Developer API >
 TWITTER_CALLBACK=http://localhost:8080/auth/twitter/redirect
@@ -60,10 +62,12 @@ AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=< Get from AWS >
 AWS_SECRET_KEY=< Get from AWS >
 S3_BUCKET_NAME=< s3 bucket name for uploaded pins>
 NODE_ENV=<development|production>
+DEBUG=Pinterest-Clone:server
+DEBUG_COLORS=1
 ```
-Run development environment
+Run the development environment
 ```
-$ npm run dev
+npm run dev
 ```
 You can now go to `http://localhost:8080/` and see the project running in dev mode.
 
diff --git a/bin/www.ts b/bin/www.ts
index fa322916..d1521ed5 100644
--- a/bin/www.ts
+++ b/bin/www.ts
@@ -9,13 +9,11 @@ require('dotenv').config();
 import http from 'http';
 import debugg from 'debug';
 
-process.env.DEBUG = 'Pinterest-Clone:server';
 const debug = debugg('Pinterest-Clone:server');
-// const http = require('http');
-
 const appPath = process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development' ? '../server/app' : '../app';
 // eslint-disable-next-line import/no-dynamic-require
 const app = require(appPath).default;
+
 /**
  * Normalize a port into a number, string, or false.
  */
@@ -81,12 +79,10 @@ const onError = (error: {syscall: string, code: string}) => {
 
 const onListening = () => {
   const addr = server.address();
-  if (addr) {
-    const bind = typeof addr === 'string'
-      ? `pipe ${addr}`
-      : `port ${addr.port}`;
-    debug(`Listening on ${bind}`);
-  }
+  const bind = typeof addr === 'string'
+    ? `pipe ${addr}`
+    : `port ${addr?.port}`;
+  debug(`Listening on ${bind}`);
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/server/controllers/delete.ts b/server/controllers/delete.ts
index e471c761..9db6f8c8 100644
--- a/server/controllers/delete.ts
+++ b/server/controllers/delete.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { Request } from 'express';
+import debugg from 'debug';
 import { genericResponseType } from '../interfaces';
 import {
   getUserProfile,
@@ -7,21 +8,25 @@ import pins from '../models/pins';
 import { UserType } from '../models/user';
 import pinLinks from '../models/pinlinks';
 
+const debug = debugg('Pinterest-Clone:server');
+
 const deletePin = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType) => {
   const { userId, displayName, isAdmin } = getUserProfile(req.user as UserType);
   const query = { _id: req.params._id };
   const pinID = req.params._id;
+  debug(`Deleting pin -> ${pinID} by userId -> ${userId}`);
   try {
     const pin = await pins.findById(pinID).exec();
     if (!pin) return res.end();
     if (userId === pin.owner.toString() || isAdmin) {
       const removedPin = await pins.findOneAndRemove(query).exec();
       await pinLinks.findOneAndRemove({ pin_id: pinID }).exec();
-      console.log(`${displayName} deleted pin ${removedPin && removedPin.imgDescription}`);
+      debug(`${displayName} deleted pin ${removedPin && removedPin.imgDescription}`);
       return res.json(removedPin);
     }
     throw new Error(`Pin ID: ${pinID} is not owned by user ID: ${userId} - delete operation cancelled!`);
   } catch (error) {
+    debug(`Error deleting pin -> ${pinID} by userId -> ${userId}`);
     return res.json(error);
   }
 };
diff --git a/server/controllers/get.ts b/server/controllers/get.ts
index 5a369fc5..c23a2d50 100644
--- a/server/controllers/get.ts
+++ b/server/controllers/get.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { Request } from 'express';
 import mongoose from 'mongoose';
+import debugg from 'debug';
 import { genericResponseType } from '../interfaces';
 import {
   getUserProfile, filterPins,
@@ -8,14 +9,18 @@ import pins from '../models/pins';
 import users, { UserType } from '../models/user';
 import savedTags from '../models/tags';
 
+const debug = debugg('Pinterest-Clone:server');
+
 export const getPins = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType) => {
   const { userId, isAdmin } = getUserProfile(req.user as UserType);
+  debug(`Getting all pins for userId -> ${userId}`);
   try {
     const allPins = await pins.find({ isBroken: false })
       .populate(['owner', 'savedBy', 'comments.user'])
       .exec();
     res.json(filterPins({ rawPins: allPins, userId, isAdmin }));
   } catch (error) {
+    debug(`Error getting all pins for userId -> ${userId}`);
     res.json(error);
   }
 };
@@ -23,6 +28,7 @@ export const getPins = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType) => {
 export const getUserPins = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType) => {
   const { userId, isAdmin } = getUserProfile(req.user as UserType);
   const mongooseUserId = mongoose.Types.ObjectId(userId);
+  debug(`Getting user pins for userId -> ${userId}`);
   try {
     if (isAdmin) {
       const allPins = await pins.find({ isBroken: false }).populate(['owner', 'savedBy', 'comments.user']).exec();
@@ -35,6 +41,7 @@ export const getUserPins = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType) => {
       .exec();
     return res.json({ profilePins: filterPins({ rawPins: profilePins, userId, isAdmin }) });
   } catch (error) {
+    debug(`Error getting user pins for userId -> ${userId}`);
     return res.json(error);
   }
 };
@@ -46,6 +53,7 @@ export const getProfilePins = async (
   const userId = req.params.userid;
   const mongooseUserId = mongoose.Types.ObjectId(userId);
   const { userId: loggedInUserid } = getUserProfile(req.user as UserType);
+  debug(`Getting profile pins for profile -> ${userId} by user -> ${loggedInUserid}`);
   try {
     const user = await users.findById(userId).exec();
     if (!user) {
@@ -69,6 +77,7 @@ export const getProfilePins = async (
       },
     });
   } catch (error) {
+    debug(`Error etting profile pins for profile -> ${userId} by user -> ${loggedInUserid}`);
     // mongoose errors out on invalid ObjectIds sent -> redirect also in that case
     return res.json({ redirect: '/' });
   }
@@ -76,9 +85,11 @@ export const getProfilePins = async (
 
 export const getTags = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType) => {
   try {
+    debug('Getting all distinct tags');
     const tags = await savedTags.find().distinct('tag').exec();
     res.json(tags);
   } catch (error) {
+    debug('Error getting all distinct tags');
     res.json(error);
   }
 };
diff --git a/server/controllers/post.ts b/server/controllers/post.ts
index d965894a..9febca0f 100644
--- a/server/controllers/post.ts
+++ b/server/controllers/post.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { Request } from 'express';
 import mongoose from 'mongoose';
+import debugg from 'debug';
 import { genericResponseType } from '../interfaces';
 import {
   getUserProfile, uploadImageToS3,
@@ -8,9 +9,12 @@ import pins from '../models/pins';
 import { UserType } from '../models/user';
 import pinLinks from '../models/pinlinks';
 
+const debug = debugg('Pinterest-Clone:server');
+
 export const addPin = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType) => {
   const { displayName, userId, service } = getUserProfile(req.user as UserType);
   const { imgLink: originalImgLink } = req.body;
+  debug(`Creating new pin for userId -> ${userId}`);
   try {
     const newImgLink = await uploadImageToS3({
       originalImgLink, userId, displayName, service,
@@ -29,9 +33,10 @@ export const addPin = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType) => {
       originalImgLink: addedpin.originalImgLink,
       cloudFrontLink: newImgLink ? `https://d1ttxrulihk8wq.cloudfront.net/${newImgLink.split('/')[4]}` : '',
     });
-    console.log(`${displayName} added pin ${addedpin.imgDescription}`);
+    debug(`${displayName} added pin ${addedpin.imgDescription}`);
     res.json(addedpin);
   } catch (error) {
+    debug(`Error creating new pin for userId -> ${userId}`);
     res.json(error);
   }
 };
@@ -48,6 +53,7 @@ export const getDuplicateError = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType)
     }).exec();
     return res.json({ duplicateError: Boolean(duplicateFound) });
   } catch (error) {
+    debug('Error looking for duplicates');
     return res.json(error);
   }
 };
diff --git a/server/controllers/put.ts b/server/controllers/put.ts
index bc6ea7b9..ef519d2c 100644
--- a/server/controllers/put.ts
+++ b/server/controllers/put.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { Request } from 'express';
 import mongoose from 'mongoose';
+import debugg from 'debug';
 import { genericResponseType } from '../interfaces';
 import {
   getUserProfile, filterPins,
@@ -8,12 +9,14 @@ import pins from '../models/pins';
 import users, { UserType } from '../models/user';
 import savedTags from '../models/tags';
 
+const debug = debugg('Pinterest-Clone:server');
+
 export const pinImage = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType) => {
   const pinID = req.params._id;
   const {
     userId, displayName, isAdmin,
   } = getUserProfile(req.user as UserType);
-
+  debug(`Pinning image with id -> ${pinID} by userId -> ${userId}`);
   try {
     const pin = await pins.findById(pinID).exec();
     if (!pin) return res.end();
@@ -27,12 +30,13 @@ export const pinImage = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType) => {
         .exec();
       if (!updatedPin) return res.end();
       const [filteredAndUpdatedPin] = filterPins({ rawPins: [updatedPin], userId, isAdmin });
-      console.log(`${displayName} pinned ${updatedPin.imgDescription}`);
+      debug(`${displayName} pinned ${updatedPin.imgDescription}`);
       return res.json(filteredAndUpdatedPin);
     }
-    console.log(`${displayName} has the pin - ${pin.imgDescription} already saved`);
+    debug(`${displayName} has the pin - ${pin.imgDescription} already saved`);
     return res.end();
   } catch (error) {
+    debug(`Error pinning image with id -> ${pinID} by userId -> ${userId}`);
     return res.json(error);
   }
 };
@@ -40,6 +44,7 @@ export const pinImage = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType) => {
 export const unpin = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType) => {
   const { userId, displayName, isAdmin } = getUserProfile(req.user as UserType);
   const pinID = req.params._id;
+  debug(`Unpinning image with id -> ${pinID} by userId -> ${userId}`);
   try {
     const pin = await pins.findById(pinID).exec();
     if (!pin) return res.end();
@@ -51,9 +56,10 @@ export const unpin = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType) => {
       .exec();
     if (!updatedPin) return res.end();
     const [filteredAndUpdatedPin] = filterPins({ rawPins: [updatedPin], userId, isAdmin });
-    console.log(`${displayName} unpinned ${updatedPin.imgDescription}`);
+    debug(`${displayName} unpinned ${updatedPin.imgDescription}`);
     return res.json(filteredAndUpdatedPin);
   } catch (error) {
+    debug(`Error unpinning image with id -> ${pinID} by userId -> ${userId}`);
     return res.json(error);
   }
 };
@@ -64,6 +70,7 @@ export const addComment = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType) => {
   } = getUserProfile(req.user as UserType);
   const pinID = req.params._id;
   const { comment } = req.body;
+  debug(`Adding comment for pin with id -> ${pinID} by userId -> ${userId}`);
   try {
     const update = { $push: { comments: { comment, user: mongoose.Types.ObjectId(userId) } } };
     const modified = { new: true };
@@ -72,9 +79,10 @@ export const addComment = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType) => {
       .exec();
     if (!updatedPin) return res.end();
     const [filteredAndUpdatedPin] = filterPins({ rawPins: [updatedPin], userId, isAdmin });
-    console.log(`${displayName} commented on ${updatedPin.imgDescription}`);
+    debug(`${displayName} commented on ${updatedPin.imgDescription}`);
     return res.json(filteredAndUpdatedPin);
   } catch (error) {
+    debug(`Error adding comment for pin with id -> ${pinID} by userId -> ${userId}`);
     return res.json(error);
   }
 };
@@ -84,6 +92,7 @@ export const updateTags = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType) => {
     userId, displayName, isAdmin,
   } = getUserProfile(req.user as UserType);
   const { pinID, tag, deleteId } = req.query;
+  debug(`Updating tags for pin with id -> ${pinID} by userId -> ${userId}`);
   try {
     const pin = await pins.findById(pinID).exec();
     if (!pin) return res.end();
@@ -101,9 +110,10 @@ export const updateTags = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType) => {
       .exec();
     if (!updatedPin) return res.end();
     const [filteredAndUpdatedPin] = filterPins({ rawPins: [updatedPin], userId, isAdmin });
-    console.log(`${displayName} ${deleteId ? 'deleted' : `added ${tag}`} tag on ${updatedPin.imgDescription}`);
+    debug(`${displayName} ${deleteId ? 'deleted' : `added ${tag}`} tag on ${updatedPin.imgDescription}`);
     return res.json(filteredAndUpdatedPin);
   } catch (error) {
+    debug(`Error updating tags for pin with id -> ${pinID} by userId -> ${userId}`);
     return res.json(error);
   }
 };
@@ -113,13 +123,15 @@ export const updateDisplayName = async (req: Request, res: genericResponseType)
     userId, displayName,
   } = getUserProfile(req.user as UserType);
   const { newDisplayName } = req.body;
+  debug(`Updating Display name for userId -> ${userId}`);
   try {
     const user = await users.findById(userId).exec();
     const update = { $set: { displayName: newDisplayName } };
     await user?.updateOne(update);
-    console.log(`${displayName} changed to ${newDisplayName}`);
+    debug(`${displayName} changed to ${newDisplayName}`);
     return res.end();
   } catch (error) {
+    debug(`Error updating Display name for userId -> ${userId}`);
     return res.json(error);
   }
 };