diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..51323464
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# AI Station - Environment Variables Template
+# Copy this file to .env and fill in your values
+# IMPORTANT: Never commit .env to version control!
+
+# === GOOGLE OAUTH ===
+OAUTH_GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID=your_client_id_here
+OAUTH_GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET=your_client_secret_here
+
+# === CHAINLIT CONFIGURATION ===
+CHAINLIT_URL=https://ai.dffm.it
+CHAINLIT_AUTH_SECRET=generate_a_secure_random_string_here
+
+# === DATABASE ===
+# Format: postgresql+asyncpg://username:password@hostname:port/database_name
+DATABASE_URL=postgresql+asyncpg://ai_user:your_secure_password@postgres:5432/ai_station
+
+# === AI SERVICES ===
+OLLAMA_URL=http://192.168.1.243:11434
+QDRANT_URL=http://qdrant:6333
+BGE_API_URL=http://192.168.1.243:8001/embed
+
+# === OPTIONAL ===
+# GEMINI_API_KEY=your_gemini_api_key_here
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 637505aa..adf133d3 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ workspaces/*
 qdrant_storage/.files/
 __pycache__/
 .env
-.files/
\ No newline at end of file
+.files/
+config/user_profiles.json
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index 4d76c44c..067d0c74 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import os
 import re
+import json
 import uuid
 import shutil
 import requests
@@ -37,10 +38,15 @@ except ImportError:
 # =========================
 # CONFIG
 # =========================
-DATABASE_URL = os.getenv(
-    "DATABASE_URL",
-    "postgresql+asyncpg://ai_user:secure_password_here@postgres:5432/ai_station",
-)
+# SECURITY: Fail fast if DATABASE_URL is not set
+DATABASE_URL = os.getenv("DATABASE_URL")
+if not DATABASE_URL:
+    raise EnvironmentError(
+        "DATABASE_URL environment variable is required. "
+        "Set it via: export DATABASE_URL='postgresql+asyncpg://user:pass@host:5432/db'"
+    )
+
+# Service URLs - can be overridden via environment
 OLLAMA_URL = os.getenv("OLLAMA_URL", "http://192.168.1.243:11434")
 QDRANT_URL = os.getenv("QDRANT_URL", "http://qdrant:6333")
 BGE_API_URL = os.getenv("BGE_API_URL", "http://192.168.1.243:8001/embed")
@@ -64,50 +70,24 @@ os.makedirs(STORAGE_DIR, exist_ok=True)
 os.makedirs(WORKSPACES_DIR, exist_ok=True)
 
 # =========================
-# USER PROFILES
+# USER PROFILES (loaded from JSON for security)
 # =========================
-USER_PROFILES = {
-    "giuseppe@defranceschi.pro": {
-        "role": "admin",
-        "name": "Giuseppe",
-        "workspace": "admin_workspace",
-        "rag_collection": "admin_docs",
-        "capabilities": ["debug", "all"],
-        "show_code": True,
-    },
-    "federica.tecchio@gmail.com": {
-        "role": "business",
-        "name": "Federica",
-        "workspace": "business_workspace",
-        "rag_collection": "contabilita",
-        "capabilities": ["basic_chat"],
-        "show_code": False,
-    },
-    "riccardob545@gmail.com": {
-        "role": "engineering",
-        "name": "Riccardo",
-        "workspace": "engineering_workspace",
-        "rag_collection": "engineering_docs",
-        "capabilities": ["code"],
-        "show_code": True,
-    },
-    "giuliadefranceschi05@gmail.com": {
-        "role": "architecture",
-        "name": "Giulia",
-        "workspace": "architecture_workspace",
-        "rag_collection": "architecture_manuals",
-        "capabilities": ["visual"],
-        "show_code": False,
-    },
-    "giuseppe.defranceschi@gmail.com": {
-        "role": "architecture",
-        "name": "Giuseppe",
-        "workspace": "architecture_workspace",
-        "rag_collection": "architecture_manuals",
-        "capabilities": ["visual"],
-        "show_code": False,
-    },
-}
+def load_user_profiles() -> Dict[str, Dict]:
+    """Load user profiles from JSON config file."""
+    config_path = os.getenv("USER_PROFILES_PATH", "config/user_profiles.json")
+    try:
+        with open(config_path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+            config = json.load(f)
+            return config.get("user_profiles", {})
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        print(f"WARNING: User profiles config not found at {config_path}")
+        return {}
+    except json.JSONDecodeError as e:
+        print(f"WARNING: Invalid JSON in user profiles config: {e}")
+        return {}
+
+# Load profiles at startup
+USER_PROFILES = load_user_profiles()
 
 GUEST_PROFILE = {
     "role": "guest",
diff --git a/config/user_profiles.json.example b/config/user_profiles.json.example
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d2ed5e12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/user_profiles.json.example
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+{
+  "user_profiles": {
+    "giuseppe@defranceschi.pro": {
+      "role": "admin",
+      "name": "Giuseppe",
+      "workspace": "admin_workspace",
+      "rag_collection": "admin_docs",
+      "capabilities": ["debug", "all"],
+      "show_code": true
+    },
+    "federica.tecchio@gmail.com": {
+      "role": "business",
+      "name": "Federica",
+      "workspace": "business_workspace",
+      "rag_collection": "contabilita",
+      "capabilities": ["basic_chat"],
+      "show_code": false
+    },
+    "riccardob545@gmail.com": {
+      "role": "engineering",
+      "name": "Riccardo",
+      "workspace": "engineering_workspace",
+      "rag_collection": "engineering_docs",
+      "capabilities": ["code"],
+      "show_code": true
+    },
+    "giuliadefranceschi05@gmail.com": {
+      "role": "architecture",
+      "name": "Giulia",
+      "workspace": "architecture_workspace",
+      "rag_collection": "architecture_manuals",
+      "capabilities": ["visual"],
+      "show_code": false
+    },
+    "giuseppe.defranceschi@gmail.com": {
+      "role": "architecture",
+      "name": "Giuseppe",
+      "workspace": "architecture_workspace",
+      "rag_collection": "architecture_manuals",
+      "capabilities": ["visual"],
+      "show_code": false
+    }
+  },
+  "guest_profile": {
+    "role": "guest",
+    "name": "Guest",
+    "workspace": "guest",
+    "rag_collection": "public",
+    "capabilities": ["basic_chat"],
+    "show_code": false
+  }
+}