diff --git a/src/Backend/DiunaBI.Tests/BaseTests.cs b/src/Backend/DiunaBI.Tests/BaseTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..42e80eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Backend/DiunaBI.Tests/BaseTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Testing;
+using Xunit;
+using System.Text.Json;
+
+namespace DiunaBI.Tests;
+
+public class ApiConnectionTests : IClassFixture<WebApplicationFactory<Program>>
+{
+    private readonly WebApplicationFactory<Program> _factory;
+
+    public ApiConnectionTests(WebApplicationFactory<Program> factory)
+    {
+        _factory = factory;
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task PingToApi()
+    {
+        var client = _factory.CreateClient();
+
+        var response = await client.GetAsync("/api/Ping/Ping");
+        var content = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
+        var statusCode = (int)response.StatusCode;
+
+        Assert.Equal(200, statusCode); 
+        Assert.Equal("Pong", content);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task DatabaseConnectionTest()
+    {
+        var client = _factory.CreateClient();
+
+        var response = await client.GetAsync("/api/Layers?start=0&limit=1");
+        var content = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
+        var statusCode = (int)response.StatusCode;
+
+        Assert.Equal(200, statusCode);
+        var layers = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<dynamic>(content);
+        Assert.NotNull(layers);
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Backend/DiunaBI.Tests/DiunaBI.Tests.csproj b/src/Backend/DiunaBI.Tests/DiunaBI.Tests.csproj
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8c99a7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Backend/DiunaBI.Tests/DiunaBI.Tests.csproj
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk.Web">
+
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework>
+    <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
+    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
+    <IsPackable>false</IsPackable>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Testing" Version="8.0.0" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.NET.Test.Sdk" Version="17.8.0" />
+    <PackageReference Include="xunit" Version="2.6.2" />
+    <PackageReference Include="xunit.runner.visualstudio" Version="2.5.4">
+      <PrivateAssets>all</PrivateAssets>
+      <IncludeAssets>runtime; build; native; contentfiles; analyzers; buildtransitive</IncludeAssets>
+    </PackageReference>
+  </ItemGroup>
+
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <ProjectReference Include="..\DiunaBI.WebAPI\DiunaBI.WebAPI.csproj" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+
+</Project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Backend/DiunaBI.WebAPI/Controllers/PingController.cs b/src/Backend/DiunaBI.WebAPI/Controllers/PingController.cs
index 04193e3..19304c7 100644
--- a/src/Backend/DiunaBI.WebAPI/Controllers/PingController.cs
+++ b/src/Backend/DiunaBI.WebAPI/Controllers/PingController.cs
@@ -20,6 +20,6 @@ public class PingController : Controller
     [AllowAnonymous]
     public IActionResult Ping()
     {
-        return Ok(_configuration["PONG"]);
+        return Ok("Pong");
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Backend/DiunaBI.WebAPI/Program.cs b/src/Backend/DiunaBI.WebAPI/Program.cs
index 440e6c5..2df0db6 100644
--- a/src/Backend/DiunaBI.WebAPI/Program.cs
+++ b/src/Backend/DiunaBI.WebAPI/Program.cs
@@ -159,4 +159,6 @@ app.Run();
 if (app.Environment.IsProduction())
 {
     Log.CloseAndFlush();
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+// for testing purposes
+public partial class Program { }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Backend/DiunaBI.sln b/src/Backend/DiunaBI.sln
index 7756af7..f97b921 100644
--- a/src/Backend/DiunaBI.sln
+++ b/src/Backend/DiunaBI.sln
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-
+
 Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
 # Visual Studio Version 17
 VisualStudioVersion = 17.0.31903.59
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ Project("{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}") = "DiunaBI.Core", "DiunaBI.Cor
 EndProject
 Project("{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}") = "DiunaBI.Plugins.Morska", "DiunaBI.Plugins.Morska\DiunaBI.Plugins.Morska.csproj", "{B5416A3F-550A-468D-852F-20B24243FD68}"
 EndProject
+Project("{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}") = "DiunaBI.Tests", "DiunaBI.Tests\DiunaBI.Tests.csproj", "{7D99AF7E-1FC7-4EC0-A320-F1A81D396F93}"
+EndProject
 Global
 	GlobalSection(SolutionConfigurationPlatforms) = preSolution
 		Debug|Any CPU = Debug|Any CPU
@@ -34,5 +36,9 @@ Global
 		{8C346BEA-A209-4E8F-A6BF-70B42D9106C8}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
 		{8C346BEA-A209-4E8F-A6BF-70B42D9106C8}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
 		{8C346BEA-A209-4E8F-A6BF-70B42D9106C8}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
+		{7D99AF7E-1FC7-4EC0-A320-F1A81D396F93}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
+		{7D99AF7E-1FC7-4EC0-A320-F1A81D396F93}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
+		{7D99AF7E-1FC7-4EC0-A320-F1A81D396F93}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
+		{7D99AF7E-1FC7-4EC0-A320-F1A81D396F93}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
 	EndGlobalSection
 EndGlobal