diff --git a/cmd/server/main.go b/cmd/server/main.go
index 16516fb..c7f07a3 100644
--- a/cmd/server/main.go
+++ b/cmd/server/main.go
@@ -12,13 +12,12 @@ import (
 	"bookhoard/internal/sync"
 	"context"
 	"log"
-	"net/http"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/go-playground/validator/v10"
 	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
-	"github.com/labstack/echo/v4"
-	echomiddleware "github.com/labstack/echo/v4/middleware"
+	"github.com/labstack/echo/v5"
+	echomiddleware "github.com/labstack/echo/v5/middleware"
 )
 
 // CustomValidator wraps the go-playground validator
@@ -139,7 +138,7 @@ func main() {
 	e.Validator = &CustomValidator{validator: v}
 
 	// Middleware
-	e.Use(echomiddleware.Logger())
+	e.Use(echomiddleware.RequestLogger())
 	e.Use(echomiddleware.Recover())
 	e.Use(echomiddleware.CORS())
 	e.Use(ratelimit.RequestTracingMiddleware(cfg))
@@ -197,17 +196,14 @@ func main() {
 	// ========================================================================
 	// START SERVER (managed by app lifecycle)
 	// ========================================================================
-
 	log.Printf("Starting server on port %s", cfg.ServerPort)
 
-	// Start HTTP server in background
-	go func() {
-		if err := e.Start(":" + cfg.ServerPort); err != nil && err != http.ErrServerClosed {
-			log.Fatalf("Server failed to start: %v", err)
-		}
-	}()
+	// Start HTTP server
+	if err := application.StartServer(":" + cfg.ServerPort); err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("Failed to start server: %v", err)
+	}
 
-	// Start application (blocks until shutdown signal)
+	// Start application lifecycle (blocks until shutdown signal)
 	if err := application.Start(); err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Application error: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/docs/http_handler.go b/internal/docs/http_handler.go
index d670dfd..7aab862 100644
--- a/internal/docs/http_handler.go
+++ b/internal/docs/http_handler.go
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@ import (
 
 	"bookhoard/internal/database"
 	"bookhoard/templates"
+
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
-	"github.com/labstack/echo/v4"
+	"github.com/labstack/echo/v5"
 )
 
 // HTTPHandler wraps the docs handler for Echo framework
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ func NewHTTPHandler(docsPath string) *HTTPHandler {
 }
 
 // ShowDocumentation renders a documentation page
-func (h *HTTPHandler) ShowDocumentation(c echo.Context) error {
+func (h *HTTPHandler) ShowDocumentation(c *echo.Context) error {
 	// Get the document path from URL parameter
 	docPath := c.Param("*")
 
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ func (h *HTTPHandler) ShowDocumentation(c echo.Context) error {
 }
 
 // ShowAPIEndpoint shows a specific API endpoint documentation
-func (h *HTTPHandler) ShowAPIEndpoint(c echo.Context, endpointPath string) error {
+func (h *HTTPHandler) ShowAPIEndpoint(c *echo.Context, endpointPath string) error {
 	// Check if user is logged in
 	isLoggedIn := false
 	if userID := c.Get("user_id"); userID != nil {
@@ -182,7 +183,7 @@ func (h *HTTPHandler) ShowAPIEndpoint(c echo.Context, endpointPath string) error
 }
 
 // showLegacyAPIEndpoint shows API endpoint documentation without explorer data
-func (h *HTTPHandler) showLegacyAPIEndpoint(c echo.Context, endpointPath string, isLoggedIn bool) error {
+func (h *HTTPHandler) showLegacyAPIEndpoint(c *echo.Context, endpointPath string, isLoggedIn bool) error {
 	endpoints := h.docs.GetAPIEndpoints()
 
 	// Find the endpoint
@@ -269,12 +270,12 @@ func (h *HTTPHandler) showLegacyAPIEndpoint(c echo.Context, endpointPath string,
 }
 
 // DocsHome redirects to the documentation index
-func (h *HTTPHandler) DocsHome(c echo.Context) error {
+func (h *HTTPHandler) DocsHome(c *echo.Context) error {
 	return c.Redirect(http.StatusFound, "/docs/index.md")
 }
 
 // APIHome shows the API documentation home page
-func (h *HTTPHandler) APIHome(c echo.Context) error {
+func (h *HTTPHandler) APIHome(c *echo.Context) error {
 	endpoints := h.docs.GetAPIEndpoints()
 	nav := h.docs.BuildNavigation()
 
@@ -343,7 +344,7 @@ func (h *HTTPHandler) APIHome(c echo.Context) error {
 }
 
 // Search searches through documentation
-func (h *HTTPHandler) Search(c echo.Context) error {
+func (h *HTTPHandler) Search(c *echo.Context) error {
 	query := c.QueryParam("q")
 	if query == "" {
 		return c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, map[string]string{
@@ -404,7 +405,7 @@ type SearchResult struct {
 }
 
 // TryEndpoint executes an API endpoint (for the interactive explorer)
-func (h *HTTPHandler) TryEndpoint(c echo.Context) error {
+func (h *HTTPHandler) TryEndpoint(c *echo.Context) error {
 	// This would execute the actual API request
 	// For now, return a placeholder
 	return c.JSON(http.StatusOK, map[string]interface{}{
@@ -413,7 +414,7 @@ func (h *HTTPHandler) TryEndpoint(c echo.Context) error {
 }
 
 // ServeSearchIndex serves the Lunr.js search index
-func (h *HTTPHandler) ServeSearchIndex(c echo.Context) error {
+func (h *HTTPHandler) ServeSearchIndex(c *echo.Context) error {
 	index, err := h.docs.GenerateSearchIndex()
 	if err != nil {
 		return c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, map[string]string{