diff --git a/backend/middleware/betaAuth.js b/backend/middleware/betaAuth.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fe84175
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/middleware/betaAuth.js
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+const verifyBetaPassword = (req, res, next) => {
+  const betaPassword = req.headers['x-beta-password'];
+  const configuredPassword = process.env.BETA_PASSWORD;
+  
+  if (!configuredPassword) {
+    console.error('BETA_PASSWORD environment variable is not set');
+    return res.status(500).json({ error: 'Beta password not configured on server' });
+  }
+  
+  if (!betaPassword) {
+    return res.status(401).json({ error: 'Beta password required' });
+  }
+  
+  if (betaPassword !== configuredPassword) {
+    return res.status(403).json({ error: 'Invalid beta password' });
+  }
+  
+  next();
+};
+
+module.exports = { verifyBetaPassword };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/routes/beta.js b/backend/routes/beta.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..adfcc64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/routes/beta.js
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+const express = require('express');
+const router = express.Router();
+const { verifyBetaPassword } = require('../middleware/betaAuth');
+
+// Beta verification endpoint
+router.get('/verify', verifyBetaPassword, (req, res) => {
+  res.json({ success: true, message: 'Beta access granted' });
+});
+
+module.exports = router;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/server.js b/backend/server.js
index 67c792d..a9051d2 100644
--- a/backend/server.js
+++ b/backend/server.js
@@ -1,50 +1,57 @@
 // Load environment-specific config
-const env = process.env.NODE_ENV;
+const env = process.env.NODE_ENV || "dev";
 const envFile = `.env.${env}`;
 
-require('dotenv').config({
-  path: process.env.DOTENV_CONFIG_PATH
+require("dotenv").config({
+  path: envFile,
 });
-const express = require('express');
-const cors = require('cors');
-const bodyParser = require('body-parser');
-const path = require('path');
-const { sequelize } = require('./models'); // Import from models/index.js to ensure associations are loaded
+const express = require("express");
+const cors = require("cors");
+const bodyParser = require("body-parser");
+const path = require("path");
+const { sequelize } = require("./models"); // Import from models/index.js to ensure associations are loaded
 
-const authRoutes = require('./routes/auth');
-const phoneAuthRoutes = require('./routes/phone-auth');
-const userRoutes = require('./routes/users');
-const itemRoutes = require('./routes/items');
-const rentalRoutes = require('./routes/rentals');
-const messageRoutes = require('./routes/messages');
+const authRoutes = require("./routes/auth");
+const phoneAuthRoutes = require("./routes/phone-auth");
+const userRoutes = require("./routes/users");
+const itemRoutes = require("./routes/items");
+const rentalRoutes = require("./routes/rentals");
+const messageRoutes = require("./routes/messages");
+const betaRoutes = require("./routes/beta");
 
 const app = express();
 
 app.use(cors());
-app.use(bodyParser.json({ limit: '5mb' }));
-app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true, limit: '5mb' }));
+app.use(bodyParser.json({ limit: "5mb" }));
+app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true, limit: "5mb" }));
 
 // Serve static files from uploads directory
-app.use('/uploads', express.static(path.join(__dirname, 'uploads')));
+app.use("/uploads", express.static(path.join(__dirname, "uploads")));
 
-app.use('/api/auth', authRoutes);
-app.use('/api/auth/phone', phoneAuthRoutes);
-app.use('/api/users', userRoutes);
-app.use('/api/items', itemRoutes);
-app.use('/api/rentals', rentalRoutes);
-app.use('/api/messages', messageRoutes);
+// Beta verification route (doesn't require auth)
+app.use("/api/beta", betaRoutes);
 
-app.get('/', (req, res) => {
-  res.json({ message: 'CommunityRentals.App API is running!' });
+app.use("/api/auth", authRoutes);
+app.use("/api/auth/phone", phoneAuthRoutes);
+app.use("/api/users", userRoutes);
+app.use("/api/items", itemRoutes);
+app.use("/api/rentals", rentalRoutes);
+app.use("/api/messages", messageRoutes);
+
+app.get("/", (req, res) => {
+  res.json({ message: "CommunityRentals.App API is running!" });
 });
 
 const PORT = process.env.PORT || 5000;
 
-sequelize.sync({ alter: true }).then(() => {
-  console.log('Database synced');
-  app.listen(PORT, () => {
-    console.log(`Server is running on port ${PORT}`);
+sequelize
+  .sync({ alter: true })
+  .then(() => {
+    console.log("Database synced");
+    app.listen(PORT, () => {
+      console.log(`Server is running on port ${PORT}`);
+    });
+  })
+  .catch((err) => {
+    console.error("Unable to sync database:", err);
   });
-}).catch(err => {
-  console.error('Unable to sync database:', err);
-});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/frontend/public/robots.txt b/frontend/public/robots.txt
index e9e57dc..b21f088 100644
--- a/frontend/public/robots.txt
+++ b/frontend/public/robots.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 # https://www.robotstxt.org/robotstxt.html
 User-agent: *
-Disallow:
+Disallow: /
diff --git a/frontend/src/App.tsx b/frontend/src/App.tsx
index c685a08..002a682 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import { BrowserRouter as Router, Routes, Route } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { AuthProvider } from './contexts/AuthContext';
+import BetaPasswordProtection from './components/BetaPasswordProtection';
 import Navbar from './components/Navbar';
 import Footer from './components/Footer';
 import Home from './pages/Home';
@@ -22,12 +23,13 @@ import './App.css';
 
 function App() {
   return (
-    <AuthProvider>
-      <Router>
-        <div className="d-flex flex-column min-vh-100">
-          <Navbar />
-          <main className="flex-grow-1">
-            <Routes>
+    <BetaPasswordProtection>
+      <AuthProvider>
+        <Router>
+          <div className="d-flex flex-column min-vh-100">
+            <Navbar />
+            <main className="flex-grow-1">
+              <Routes>
           <Route path="/" element={<Home />} />
           <Route path="/login" element={<Login />} />
           <Route path="/register" element={<Register />} />
@@ -104,6 +106,7 @@ function App() {
         </div>
       </Router>
     </AuthProvider>
+    </BetaPasswordProtection>
   );
 }
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/BetaPasswordProtection.tsx b/frontend/src/components/BetaPasswordProtection.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ef22828
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/BetaPasswordProtection.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+import React, { useState, useEffect } from "react";
+
+interface BetaPasswordProtectionProps {
+  children: React.ReactNode;
+}
+
+const BetaPasswordProtection: React.FC<BetaPasswordProtectionProps> = ({
+  children,
+}) => {
+  const [isAuthenticated, setIsAuthenticated] = useState(false);
+  const [password, setPassword] = useState("");
+  const [error, setError] = useState("");
+  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    // Check if user already has valid beta access
+    const betaToken = localStorage.getItem("betaAccess");
+    if (betaToken) {
+      // Verify the stored token is still valid
+      verifyBetaAccess(betaToken);
+    } else {
+      setLoading(false);
+    }
+  }, []);
+
+  const verifyBetaAccess = async (token: string) => {
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(
+        `${process.env.REACT_APP_API_URL}/beta/verify`,
+        {
+          headers: {
+            "X-Beta-Password": token,
+          },
+        }
+      );
+
+      if (response.ok) {
+        setIsAuthenticated(true);
+      } else {
+        localStorage.removeItem("betaAccess");
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      localStorage.removeItem("betaAccess");
+    } finally {
+      setLoading(false);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const handleSubmit = async (e: React.FormEvent) => {
+    e.preventDefault();
+    setError("");
+
+    if (!password) {
+      setError("Please enter a password");
+      return;
+    }
+
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(
+        `${process.env.REACT_APP_API_URL}/beta/verify`,
+        {
+          headers: {
+            "X-Beta-Password": password,
+          },
+        }
+      );
+
+      if (response.ok) {
+        localStorage.setItem("betaAccess", password);
+        setIsAuthenticated(true);
+      } else {
+        setError("Invalid beta password");
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      setError("Failed to verify beta password");
+    }
+  };
+
+  if (loading) {
+    return (
+      <div className="min-vh-100 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center">
+        <div className="spinner-border text-primary" role="status">
+          <span className="visually-hidden">Loading...</span>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
+  if (!isAuthenticated) {
+    return (
+      <div className="min-vh-100 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center bg-light">
+        <div
+          className="card shadow"
+          style={{ maxWidth: "400px", width: "100%" }}
+        >
+          <div className="card-body p-5">
+            <h2 className="text-center mb-4">Beta Access Required</h2>
+            <p className="text-muted text-center mb-4">
+              This site is currently in beta testing. Please enter the beta
+              password to continue.
+            </p>
+            <form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
+              <div className="mb-3">
+                <label htmlFor="betaPassword" className="form-label">
+                  Beta Password
+                </label>
+                <input
+                  type="password"
+                  className="form-control"
+                  id="betaPassword"
+                  value={password}
+                  onChange={(e) => setPassword(e.target.value)}
+                  placeholder="Enter beta password"
+                  autoFocus
+                />
+              </div>
+              {error && (
+                <div className="alert alert-danger" role="alert">
+                  {error}
+                </div>
+              )}
+              <button type="submit" className="btn btn-primary w-100">
+                Access Beta
+              </button>
+            </form>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
+  return <>{children}</>;
+};
+
+export default BetaPasswordProtection;