diff --git a/app/api/projects/route.ts b/app/api/projects/route.ts
index c26b533..89cea32 100644
--- a/app/api/projects/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/projects/route.ts
@@ -1,22 +1,25 @@
 import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from 'next/server';
 import { prisma } from '@/lib/prisma';
 import { apiCache } from '@/lib/cache';
-import { requireSessionAuth, checkRateLimit, getRateLimitHeaders } from '@/lib/auth';
+import { requireSessionAuth, checkRateLimit, getRateLimitHeaders, getClientIp } from '@/lib/auth';
 import { PrismaClientKnownRequestError } from '@prisma/client/runtime/library';
 import { generateUniqueSlug } from '@/lib/slug';
 
 export async function GET(request: NextRequest) {
   try {
     // Rate limiting
-    const ip = request.headers.get('x-forwarded-for') || request.headers.get('x-real-ip') || 'unknown';
-    if (!checkRateLimit(ip, 10, 60000)) { // 10 requests per minute
+    const ip = getClientIp(request);
+    const rlKey = ip !== "unknown" ? ip : `dev_unknown:${request.headers.get("user-agent") || "ua"}`;
+    // In development we keep this very high to avoid breaking local navigation/HMR.
+    const max = process.env.NODE_ENV === "development" ? 300 : 60;
+    if (!checkRateLimit(rlKey, max, 60000)) {
       return new NextResponse(
         JSON.stringify({ error: 'Rate limit exceeded' }), 
         { 
           status: 429, 
           headers: { 
             'Content-Type': 'application/json',
-            ...getRateLimitHeaders(ip, 10, 60000)
+            ...getRateLimitHeaders(rlKey, max, 60000)
           } 
         }
       );
diff --git a/scripts/dev-minimal.js b/scripts/dev-minimal.js
index ef78e2e..a597203 100644
--- a/scripts/dev-minimal.js
+++ b/scripts/dev-minimal.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 
 /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-require-imports */
-const { spawn, exec } = require('child_process');
+const { spawn, exec } = require("child_process");
 const os = require('os');
 const isWindows = process.platform === 'win32';
 
@@ -15,9 +15,23 @@ console.log(`🖥️  Detected architecture: ${arch}`);
 console.log(`🍎 Apple Silicon: ${isAppleSilicon ? 'Yes' : 'No'}`);
 
 // Use minimal compose file (only PostgreSQL and Redis)
-const composeFile = 'docker-compose.dev.minimal.yml';
+const composeFile = "docker-compose.dev.minimal.yml";
 console.log(`📦 Using minimal Docker Compose file: ${composeFile}`);
 
+function runCommand(command, env) {
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    exec(command, { env: env ?? process.env }, (error, stdout, stderr) => {
+      if (stdout) process.stdout.write(stdout);
+      if (stderr) process.stderr.write(stderr);
+      if (error) {
+        reject(error);
+        return;
+      }
+      resolve(undefined);
+    });
+  });
+}
+
 // Check if docker-compose is available
 exec('docker-compose --version', (error) => {
   if (error) {
@@ -43,40 +57,60 @@ exec('docker-compose --version', (error) => {
       
       // Wait a bit for services to be ready
       setTimeout(() => {
-        console.log('🚀 Starting Next.js development server...');
-        
-        // Start Next.js dev server
-        const nextProcess = spawn('npm', ['run', 'dev:next'], {
-          stdio: 'inherit',
-          shell: isWindows,
-          env: {
-            ...process.env,
-            DATABASE_URL: process.env.DATABASE_URL || 'postgresql://portfolio_user:portfolio_dev_pass@localhost:5432/portfolio_dev?schema=public',
-            REDIS_URL: 'redis://localhost:6379',
-            NODE_ENV: 'development'
+        const devEnv = {
+          ...process.env,
+          DATABASE_URL:
+            process.env.DATABASE_URL ||
+            "postgresql://portfolio_user:portfolio_dev_pass@localhost:5432/portfolio_dev?schema=public",
+          REDIS_URL: "redis://localhost:6379",
+          NODE_ENV: "development",
+        };
+
+        // Ensure DB schema exists before starting Next dev server.
+        // This prevents "table does not exist" errors for Projects/CMS/Analytics.
+        (async () => {
+          try {
+            console.log("🗄️  Applying Prisma migrations (dev)...");
+            await runCommand("npx prisma generate", devEnv);
+            await runCommand("npx prisma migrate deploy", devEnv);
+            // seeding is optional; keep it non-blocking
+            await runCommand("npx prisma db seed", devEnv).catch(() => {});
+            console.log("✅ Database is ready");
+          } catch (_e) {
+            console.warn("⚠️  Could not run Prisma migrations automatically.");
+            console.warn("   You can run: npm run db:setup");
           }
-        });
 
-        nextProcess.on('close', (code) => {
-          console.log(`Next.js dev server exited with code ${code}`);
-        });
+          console.log("🚀 Starting Next.js development server...");
+        
+          // Start Next.js dev server
+          const nextProcess = spawn("npm", ["run", "dev:next"], {
+            stdio: "inherit",
+            shell: isWindows,
+            env: devEnv,
+          });
 
-        // Handle process signals
-        process.on('SIGINT', () => {
-          console.log('\n🛑 Stopping development environment...');
-          nextProcess.kill('SIGTERM');
-          
-          // Stop Docker services
-          const stopProcess = spawn('docker-compose', ['-f', composeFile, 'down'], {
-            stdio: 'inherit',
-            shell: isWindows
+          nextProcess.on("close", (code) => {
+            console.log(`Next.js dev server exited with code ${code}`);
           });
-          
-          stopProcess.on('close', () => {
-            console.log('✅ Development environment stopped');
-            process.exit(0);
+
+          // Handle process signals
+          process.on("SIGINT", () => {
+            console.log("\n🛑 Stopping development environment...");
+            nextProcess.kill("SIGTERM");
+
+            // Stop Docker services
+            const stopProcess = spawn("docker-compose", ["-f", composeFile, "down"], {
+              stdio: "inherit",
+              shell: isWindows,
+            });
+
+            stopProcess.on("close", () => {
+              console.log("✅ Development environment stopped");
+              process.exit(0);
+            });
           });
-        });
+        })();
 
       }, 5000); // Wait 5 seconds for services to be ready
       
diff --git a/scripts/setup-database.js b/scripts/setup-database.js
index 3588f7f..fae6da7 100644
--- a/scripts/setup-database.js
+++ b/scripts/setup-database.js
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ async function setupDatabase() {
     console.log('📦 Generating Prisma client...');
     await runCommand('npx prisma generate');
     
-    console.log('🔄 Pushing database schema...');
-    await runCommand('npx prisma db push');
+    console.log('🔄 Applying database migrations...');
+    await runCommand('npx prisma migrate deploy');
     
     console.log('🌱 Seeding database...');
     await runCommand('npx prisma db seed');