diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+.DS_Store
diff --git a/utscfood-api/README.md b/utscfood-api/README.md
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index 0000000..b676ffb
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+++ b/utscfood-api/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# utscfood-api
+
+## Installation
+
+ 1. create the conda environment with `conda env create -f environment.yml`
+ 2. activate the conda environment with `conda activate utscfood`
+
diff --git a/utscfood-api/api.py b/utscfood-api/api.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..02e479f
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+++ b/utscfood-api/api.py
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+from flask import Flask
+
+# flask object
+app = Flask(__name__)
+
+@app.route('/')
+def hellow_world():
+  return 'Hello, World!'
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+  # run app if file is run directly
+  app.run()
diff --git a/utscfood-api/environment.yml b/utscfood-api/environment.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..13ff24a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utscfood-api/environment.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+name: utscfood
+channels:
+  - defaults
+
diff --git a/utscfood-api/sql.py b/utscfood-api/sql.py
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/utscfood-api/sql.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+import sqlite3
+
+db_file_name = 'sql.db'
+
+connection = sqlite3.connect(db_file_name)