diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8a1fe137..f2f02323 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -243,6 +243,18 @@ pdm run ruff format .
 
 All code needs to pass ruff formatting and linting before it can be merged.
 
+### Logging
+
+To add a logger to a new service or file, use the `LOGGER_NAME` function in `app/utilities/constants.py`
+
+```python
+from app.utilities.constants import LOGGER_NAME
+
+log = logging.getLogger(LOGGER_NAME("my_service"))
+```
+
+If you'd like to create a new logger name in the hierarchy, you'll need to add it to `alembic.ini` under the logger section. Following the pre-existing examples for `logger_uvicorn` for example.
+
 ### Frontend
 
 #### Prettier
diff --git a/backend/README.md b/backend/README.md
index 4b8315e4..4db9cae3 100644
--- a/backend/README.md
+++ b/backend/README.md
@@ -136,3 +136,15 @@ To apply the migration, run the following command:
 ```bash
 pdm run alembic upgrade head
 ```
+
+### Logging
+
+To add a logger to a new service or file, use the `LOGGER_NAME` function in `app/utilities/constants.py`
+
+```python
+from app.utilities.constants import LOGGER_NAME
+
+log = logging.getLogger(LOGGER_NAME("my_service"))
+```
+
+If you'd like to create a new logger name in the hierarchy, you'll need to add it to `alembic.ini` under the logger section. Following the pre-existing examples for `logger_uvicorn` for example.
diff --git a/backend/alembic.ini b/backend/alembic.ini
index 877c7d00..eef9ad4a 100644
--- a/backend/alembic.ini
+++ b/backend/alembic.ini
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ version_path_separator = os  # Use os.pathsep. Default configuration used for ne
 # output_encoding = utf-8
 
 # Updated in env.py using the POSTGRES_DATABASE_URL environment variable
-# sqlalchemy.url = 
+# sqlalchemy.url =
 
 
 [post_write_hooks]
@@ -83,8 +83,10 @@ ruff.executable = %(here)s/.venv/bin/ruff
 ruff.options = check --fix REVISION_SCRIPT_FILENAME
 
 # Logging configuration
+# Every time you want to define a new sub-logger, you need to add it to loggers or it won't show up.
+# Would recommend just using uvicorn."name of area you want to log" to identify a smaller scope
 [loggers]
-keys = root,sqlalchemy,alembic
+keys = root,sqlalchemy,alembic,uvicorn
 
 [handlers]
 keys = console
@@ -107,6 +109,11 @@ level = INFO
 handlers =
 qualname = alembic
 
+[logger_uvicorn]
+level = INFO
+handlers =
+qualname = uvicorn
+
 [handler_console]
 class = StreamHandler
 args = (sys.stderr,)
@@ -114,5 +121,5 @@ level = NOTSET
 formatter = generic
 
 [formatter_generic]
-format = %(levelname)-5.5s [%(name)s] %(message)s
+format = %(levelname)-5.5s     [%(name)s]      %(message)s
 datefmt = %H:%M:%S
diff --git a/backend/app/models/__init__.py b/backend/app/models/__init__.py
index e51f0274..fae30bd4 100644
--- a/backend/app/models/__init__.py
+++ b/backend/app/models/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
+import logging
+
 from alembic import command
 from alembic.config import Config
 
+from app.utilities.constants import LOGGER_NAME
+
 # Make sure all models are here to reflect all current models
 # when autogenerating new migration
 from .Base import Base
@@ -10,8 +14,12 @@
 # Used to avoid import errors for the models
 __all__ = ["Base", "User", "Role"]
 
+log = logging.getLogger(LOGGER_NAME("models"))
+
 
 def run_migrations():
+    log.info("Running run_migrations in models/__init__ on server startup")
+
     alembic_cfg = Config("alembic.ini")
     # Emulates `alembic upgrade head` to migrate up to latest revision
     command.upgrade(alembic_cfg, "head")
diff --git a/backend/app/server.py b/backend/app/server.py
index fca8a4f1..b6d50553 100644
--- a/backend/app/server.py
+++ b/backend/app/server.py
@@ -2,18 +2,18 @@
 from contextlib import asynccontextmanager
 from typing import Union
 
-from backend.app.routes import send_email
 from dotenv import load_dotenv
 from fastapi import FastAPI
 
+from . import models
+from .routes import send_email, user
+from .utilities.constants import LOGGER_NAME
+from .utilities.firebase_init import initialize_firebase
+
 load_dotenv()
 
-# we need to load env variables before initialization code runs
-from . import models  # noqa: E402
-from .routes import user  # noqa: E402
-from .utilities.firebase_init import initialize_firebase  # noqa: E402
 
-log = logging.getLogger("uvicorn")
+log = logging.getLogger(LOGGER_NAME("server"))
 
 
 @asynccontextmanager
diff --git a/backend/app/services/implementations/user_service.py b/backend/app/services/implementations/user_service.py
index d3081ced..c2148213 100644
--- a/backend/app/services/implementations/user_service.py
+++ b/backend/app/services/implementations/user_service.py
@@ -12,12 +12,13 @@
     UserCreateResponse,
     UserRole,
 )
+from app.utilities.constants import LOGGER_NAME
 
 
 class UserService(IUserService):
     def __init__(self, db: Session):
         self.db = db
-        self.logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+        self.logger = logging.getLogger(LOGGER_NAME("user_service"))
 
     async def create_user(self, user: UserCreateRequest) -> UserCreateResponse:
         firebase_user = None
diff --git a/backend/app/utilities/constants.py b/backend/app/utilities/constants.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..eeedcb93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/app/utilities/constants.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+SERVER_LOGGER_NAME = "uvicorn"
+
+
+def LOGGER_NAME(name: str):
+    return f"{SERVER_LOGGER_NAME}.{name}"
diff --git a/backend/app/utilities/firebase_init.py b/backend/app/utilities/firebase_init.py
index 7ebc8091..af9426e0 100644
--- a/backend/app/utilities/firebase_init.py
+++ b/backend/app/utilities/firebase_init.py
@@ -1,11 +1,19 @@
+import logging
 import os
 
 import firebase_admin
 from firebase_admin import credentials
 
+from app.utilities.constants import LOGGER_NAME
+
+log = logging.getLogger(LOGGER_NAME("firebase_init"))
+
 
 def initialize_firebase():
+    log.info("Running initialize_firebase")
     cwd = os.getcwd()
     service_account_path = os.path.join(cwd, "serviceAccountKey.json")
     cred = credentials.Certificate(service_account_path)
+
     firebase_admin.initialize_app(cred)
+    log.info("Finished initializing firebase")
diff --git a/backend/migrations/env.py b/backend/migrations/env.py
index cb165d2d..806a9598 100644
--- a/backend/migrations/env.py
+++ b/backend/migrations/env.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import logging
 import os
 from logging.config import fileConfig
 
@@ -9,20 +10,25 @@
 
 load_dotenv()
 
+log = logging.getLogger("alembic")
+log.info("Entering env.py for alembic migration")
 # this is the Alembic Config object, which provides
 # access to the values within the .ini file in use.
 config = context.config
+log.info("Finished setting up alembic config object")
 
 # Interpret the config file for Python logging.
 # This line sets up loggers basically.
 if config.config_file_name is not None:
-    fileConfig(config.config_file_name)
+    fileConfig(config.config_file_name, disable_existing_loggers=False)
 
 # add your model's MetaData object here
 # for 'autogenerate' support
 # from myapp import mymodel
 # target_metadata = mymodel.Base.metadata
 
+log.info("Pulling model metadata")
+
 target_metadata = Base.metadata
 
 # other values from the config, defined by the needs of env.py,
@@ -30,6 +36,7 @@
 # my_important_option = config.get_main_option("my_important_option")
 # ... etc.
 config.set_main_option("sqlalchemy.url", os.environ["POSTGRES_DATABASE_URL"])
+log.info("Finished migration env config setup")
 
 
 def run_migrations_offline() -> None:
@@ -69,13 +76,19 @@ def run_migrations_online() -> None:
         prefix="sqlalchemy.",
         poolclass=pool.NullPool,
     )
+    try:
+        log.info("Established database connection")
+        with connectable.connect() as connection:
+            context.configure(connection=connection, target_metadata=target_metadata)
 
-    with connectable.connect() as connection:
-        context.configure(connection=connection, target_metadata=target_metadata)
+            with context.begin_transaction():
+                context.run_migrations()
+        log.info("Finished running migrations in alembic env")
+    except Exception as e:
+        log.error(e)
 
-        with context.begin_transaction():
-            context.run_migrations()
 
+log.info("Starting up migration env")
 
 if context.is_offline_mode():
     run_migrations_offline()
diff --git a/backend/pyproject.toml b/backend/pyproject.toml
index 9ccef99d..d8ad7218 100644
--- a/backend/pyproject.toml
+++ b/backend/pyproject.toml
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ distribution = false
 dev = "fastapi dev app/server.py"
 precommit = "pre-commit run"
 precommit-install = "pre-commit install"
+dc-down = "docker-compose down -v"
+dc-up = "docker-compose up -d"
+docker-db = {composite = ["dc-down", "dc-up"]}
+db-dev = {composite = ["docker-db", "dev"]}
 revision = "alembic revision --autogenerate"
 upgrade = "alembic upgrade head"