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+# Task Manager Application
+
+This is a full-stack task manager application with local authentication, built with Express.js, SQLite, and a simple vanilla JavaScript frontend.
+
+## Features
+
+- User registration, login, and logout
+- Session management using cookies
+- SQLite database for users and tasks
+- CRUD operations for tasks, protected by user authentication
+- Input validation and error handling
+- `/health` endpoint for readiness checks
+
+## Getting Started
+
+### Prerequisites
+
+- Node.js (v14 or higher)
+- npm
+
+### Installation
+
+1. Clone the repository (if applicable):
+   ```bash
+   git clone <repository-url>
+   cd task-manager
+   ```
+2. Install the dependencies:
+   ```bash
+   npm install
+   ```
+
+### Running the Application
+
+To start the server:
+
+```bash
+npm start
+```
+
+The application will be accessible at `http://localhost:3000`.
+
+### Smoke Test
+
+To run the smoke tests:
+
+```bash
+npm run smoke-test
+```
+
+This will start the server, run a series of API tests for registration, login, task management, and logout, and then shut down the server. It also cleans up the test database files (`database.db` and `sessions.db`).
+
+## Project Structure
+
+- `package.json`: Project dependencies and scripts.
+- `server.mjs`: The backend Express.js server with API endpoints for authentication and task management.
+- `public/`:
+  - `index.html`: The main frontend HTML file.
+  - `app.js`: The frontend JavaScript for interacting with the backend API.
+- `smoke-test.mjs`: Automated tests for the API endpoints.
+- `README.md`: This file.
+